University of South Carolina Columbia
Columbia, SC · Public
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See the full analysis — freeAdmission rate
University of South Carolina Columbia admitted 60.2% of applicants university-wide (31,701 of 52,703).
| Cohort | Admit rate | Admitted | Applicants |
|---|---|---|---|
| University-wide | 60.2% | 31,701 | 52,703 |
| In-state | 76.2% | 9,934 | 13,042 |
| Out-of-state | 54.7% | 21,379 | 39,067 |
| International applicants | 65.3% | 388 | 594 |
| Men | 55.1% | 11,377 | 20,662 |
| Women | 63.4% | 20,324 | 32,041 |
Of 31,701 admitted students, 7,272 enrolled (22.9% yield).
University of South Carolina Columbia Common Data Set 2024-2025 · Sections C1–C2 · 2024 — Published cohort admit rates — context, not an applicant-specific probability.
Test scores and GPA of admitted students
- SAT (mid-50%)
- 1180–1360
- ACT (mid-50%)
- 26–32
University of South Carolina Columbia Common Data Set 2024-2025 · Sections C9–C12 · 2024 — Published admit stats reflect the entire incoming class unless explicitly labeled international-only.
Cost and financial aid
Published cost of attendance: $54,922/yr.
| Out-of-state tuition | $35,972 |
| Fees, housing, food, books & other | $13,534 |
| Sticker cost of attendance | $54,922/yr |
Average net price by family income (US, federal aid data)
| Under $30k | $12,634 |
| $30k–48k | $14,953 |
| $48k–75k | $19,859 |
| $75k–110k | $24,478 |
| Over $110k | $28,125 |
US applicants
Need- and merit-based aid available.
- Presidential Scholar — $12,500 per year (Presidential)
- Carolina Scholar — Full non-resident tuition plus $2,500 enrichment fund (Automatic)
- Gamecock Guarantee — Full tuition and mandatory fees (Full Tuition)
- McNair Scholarship — Full tuition for South Carolina residents (Full Tuition)
- Stamps Scholarship — Full cost of attendance (tuition, fees, room, board, books) (Full Ride)
- Trustee Scholar — Full non-resident tuition (Trustee)
- University Need-Based Grant — Varies (Need Based)
International applicants
No need-based aid reported for internationals.
- Presidential Scholar — $12,500 per year (Presidential)
- Carolina Scholar — Full non-resident tuition plus $2,500 enrichment fund (Automatic)
- International Freshman Academic Merit Scholarship — Up to $2,500 per year (International Aid)
- International Continuing Student Scholarship — Varies (International Aid)
- Stamps Scholarship — Full cost of attendance (tuition, fees, room, board, books) (Full Ride)
- Trustee Scholar — Full non-resident tuition (Trustee)
University of South Carolina Columbia Common Data Set 2023-2024 · Sections G–H · 2023
Application requirements
US applicants
- Completed USC application (including essay and activities section)
- Unofficial high school transcript
- SAT or ACT scores (optional) (optional)
- Application fee
International applicants
- Completed USC application (including essay and activities section)
- Unofficial high school transcript
- SAT or ACT scores (optional) (optional)
- Application fee
- English proficiency (IELTS/TOEFL)
- GPA credential conversion
- Predicted Class XII marksheet
- Financial documentation (I-20)
University of South Carolina Columbia · Application requirements (official admissions pages) · 2025
Essay prompts
The Common App personal essay is required (one of 7 shared prompts), plus 1 college-specific supplement:
- Tell us about a specific experience or accomplishment that has shaped your character or perspective, and how it will influence your journey at the University of South Carolina.500 words · Required
Draft these in the free Essay Coach
Prompts from the Common App member feed · verified Jul 4, 2026
Graduate outcomes
- Median earnings
- $62,177
- Median earnings · 10 years after entry
- Graduation rate
- 78.8%
- Within 150% of normal time
- Median debt
- $21,500
- At graduation
University of South Carolina Columbia · U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard (2023 release) · 2023 — Earnings and debt figures are federal data for aid-receiving graduates — cohort outcomes, not a guarantee for any individual student.
Published rankings
- U.S. News National: #127
- WSJ: #362
- Forbes: #197
- Niche: #97
- QS: #628
Academics and campus
University of South Carolina Columbia Common Data Set 2024-2025 · Sections E, F, I · 2024 — Published institutional figures for the reporting year — descriptive of the current student body, not a prediction about your experience.