University of South Carolina-Columbia
Columbia, SC · Public · offers Graduate degrees
60%Acceptance rate
$22,811Average net price / year
79%Graduation rate
$62,177Median earnings 10 yrs after entry
$21,500Median debt at graduation
29,820Undergraduates
Cost
- In-state tuition & fees
- $12,688
- Out-of-state tuition
- $35,972
- Total cost of attendance
- $31,638
- Room & board
- $13,534
- Books & supplies
- $1,438
- Average net price
- $22,811
Net price by family income
- $0–30k
- $12,634
- $30–48k
- $14,953
- $48–75k
- $19,859
- $75–110k
- $24,478
- $110k+
- $28,125
Admissions
- Acceptance rate
- 60.2%
- Average SAT
- 1297
- SAT reading (25–75%)
- 600–680
- SAT math (25–75%)
- 580–680
- ACT composite (25–75%)
- 26–32
Outcomes
- Graduation rate
- 79%
- First-year retention
- 92%
- Median earnings (6 yrs)
- $50,621
- Median earnings (10 yrs)
- $62,177
- Median debt (graduates)
- $21,500
- 3-year loan default rate
- 0.0%
- Students with Pell grants
- 19%
- Students with federal loans
- 41%
Programs: what graduates earn
95 of 248 programs have published earnings or debt data. Earnings are median salaries of graduates one year after completing the program (or the latest available year).
Associate's degree
| Program | Graduates | Earnings | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities | 0 | $38,744 | — |
Bachelor's degree
Master's degree
Doctoral degree
| Program | Graduates | Earnings | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Public Health | 15 | $105,588 | — |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | 6 | $97,385 | $62,452 |
| Chemistry | 27 | $86,469 | — |
| Curriculum and Instruction | 81 | $77,432 | $55,313 |
| Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions | 29 | $73,174 | $111,000 |
| Music | 17 | $41,098 | — |
| Biology, General | 15 | $66,165 | — |
First professional degree
| Program | Graduates | Earnings | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration | 108 | $101,440 | $113,000 |
| Medicine | 183 | $61,512 | $210,899 |
| Law | 215 | $59,216 | $115,354 |
Graduate certificate
| Program | Graduates | Earnings | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | 10 | $136,145 | — |
| Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions | 15 | $45,530 | $55,427 |
Students
- Undergraduates
- 29,820
- Graduate students
- 9,715
- Part-time
- 3%
- Women / men
- 59% / 41%
- White
- 72%
- Hispanic
- 7%
- Black
- 10%
- Asian
- 4%
- International
- 1%
Faculty & school
- Student–faculty ratio
- 19:1
- Avg faculty salary
- $111,726 / year
- Full-time faculty
- 75%
- Accreditor
- Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
- Website
- www.sc.edu
- Also known as
- NA
Most popular fields
- Communication & Journalism – 7% of degrees
- Computer & Information Sciences – 6% of degrees
- Education – 2% of degrees
- Engineering – 5% of degrees
- Biological Sciences – 11% of degrees
- Parks, Recreation & Fitness – 4% of degrees
Frequently asked questions
What is the acceptance rate at University of South Carolina-Columbia?
60.2% of applicants were admitted, and admitted students averaged 1297 on the SAT.
How much does University of South Carolina-Columbia cost?
The average net price after grants is $22,811 per year; in-state tuition and fees are $12,688 and the full cost of attendance is $31,638.
How much do University of South Carolina-Columbia graduates earn?
Students who enrolled earn a median of $62,177 ten years later. See the program table above for salaries by major.
What is the graduation rate?
79% of first-time, full-time students graduate within 150% of normal time.
Other colleges in Columbia
| College | Net price | Acceptance | Graduation | Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Benedict College Columbia, SC · Private nonprofit · 1,536 students |
$18,250 | 96% | 24% | $31,902 |
| Columbia College Columbia, SC · Private nonprofit · 1,343 students |
$18,408 | 94% | 37% | $41,338 |
| Columbia International University Columbia, SC · Private nonprofit · 716 students |
$26,036 | 94% | 47% | $38,951 |
| Fortis College-Columbia Columbia, SC · Private for-profit · 582 students |
$20,404 | — | 43% | $36,368 |
| Allen University Columbia, SC · Private nonprofit · 576 students |
$10,972 | 73% | 13% | $30,497 |
| South University-Columbia Columbia, SC · Private for-profit · 450 students |
$27,693 | — | 23% | $34,421 |
| Southeastern College-Columbia Columbia, SC · Private for-profit · 267 students |
$31,941 | 97% | 67% | $31,156 |
| Barber Tech Academy-Columbia Columbia, SC · Private for-profit · 51 students |
$26,281 | — | — | — |
| ECPI University-Columbia Columbia, SC · Private for-profit |
— | — | — | $42,837 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, June 2026 release.