College of Charleston
Charleston, SC 29424-0001
About College of Charleston
College of Charleston (COFC) is a public research university in Charleston, South Carolina, with about 10,558 students. Admission is moderately selective for first-time degree-seeking undergraduates reporting admissions data to the Education Department. The acceptance rate is about 60.03% in the latest College Scorecard admissions data. Median earnings about ten years after entry reach about $56,416 among students who received federal aid.
Key findings
- College of Charleston charges about 2.4× the national public median tuition ($12,978).
- Versus the South Carolina median, sticker tuition is at.
- Completion within 150% of normal time is 65.83%.
- Median earnings 10 years after entry are $56,416.
Research findings
Finding
Modeled return on investment at College of Charleston is strong.
Estimated ROI reaches about 644% using Scorecard cost and 10-year earnings fields in this extract.
Interpretation: On this institution-wide model, typical graduate earnings over a decade substantially exceed estimated net education cost.
Limitation: ROI is institution-wide and not program-specific; individual outcomes vary by major, aid package, and labor market.
Finding
College of Charleston awards credentials across a wide program mix.
IPEDS completions cover more than 78 distinct degree programs at this campus.
Interpretation: Institutional averages blend very different fields; program-level completions and earnings matter more than the campus mean alone.
Limitation: Completions counts are not enrollment demand and do not measure program quality.
Cost benchmarks
| Benchmark | Median Tuition | Median Net Price | Count |
|---|---|---|---|
| College of Charleston | $12,978 | $18,960 | 1 |
| Public (national median) | $5,512 | — | 1,688 |
| South Carolina (state median) | $12,978 | $11,376 | 63 |
| Suburban (locale median) | $13,135 | $18,048 | 684 |
| United States (national median) | $11,900 | $17,156 | — |
Compares this campus to school-type, state, and locale medians plus a U.S. national median (College Scorecard–derived). Locale groups campuses by NCES locale type; state tuition is the median published tuition among campuses in that state.
How expensive is College of Charleston really?
Key findings
- College of Charleston charges about 2.4× the national public median tuition ($12,978).
- Versus the South Carolina median, sticker tuition is at.
College of Charleston tuition
Published undergraduate tuition $12,978
Finding College of Charleston charges about 2.4× the national public median tuition.
Evidence Published tuition is $12,978. That is about 2.4× the national public median ($5,512). Versus the South Carolina median ($12,978), sticker tuition is at. Versus the U.S. median ($11,900), sticker is 9% above.
Method Sticker tuition compared with Scorecard-derived medians by ownership, state, locale, and national rollups when available.
Interpretation Published tuition measures sticker price relative to public and geographic peers; it does not equal what undergraduates typically pay after aid.
Limitation Sticker comparisons omit room, board, and institutional aid; average net price and income-band net prices are the stronger signals of typical family cost.
Evidence: published tuition at College of Charleston versus school-type, state, locale, and U.S. medians.
Evidence: average net price at College of Charleston versus state, locale, and U.S. medians.
What undergraduates typically pay
Finding Average net price at College of Charleston is $18,960.
Evidence College Scorecard average net price is $18,960 (cost of attendance minus average grant aid for aided undergraduates). That is about $7,584 above the South Carolina median net price. Versus suburban campuses, net price runs $912 above the locale median.
Method Average net price from College Scorecard; compared with state, locale, and U.S. medians from EDsmart aggregates.
Interpretation Average net price is a stronger institutional cost signal than published tuition because it incorporates grant aid.
Limitation The campus average masks large differences by household income; income-band net prices can diverge sharply from the overall average.
Key takeaway At College of Charleston, average net price exceeds published tuition alone because net price uses a fuller cost-of-attendance base.
College of Charleston: research record
Canonical EDsmart Data findings for College of Charleston—costs, outcomes, admissions, and programs—with evidence and methodology notes.
Research findings
Interpretation
The combination of completion and 10-year earnings is a multidimensional outcomes signal; it does not measure educational quality by itself.
Financial profile
In-state tuition
$12,978
Out-of-state tuition
$38,296
Avg. net price
$18,960
Net price by family income
| Income bracket | Avg. annual net price |
|---|---|
| $0–$30,000 | $12,133 |
| $30,001–$48,000 | $13,406 |
| $48,001–$75,000 | $16,797 |
| $75,001–$110,000 | $20,089 |
| $110,001+ | $24,996 |
Sticker tuition × four years (estimate, no room/board): $51,912. See cost investigation.
Student outcomes
Share of first-year students returning the following fall.
Graduation rate and 10-year earnings are in the hero strip above; see Graduates for more.
What College of Charleston is known for
Top program completions
- Business Administration and Management, General254
- Speech Communication and Rhetoric191
- Psychology, General189
- Biology/Biological Sciences, General168
- Public Health Education and Promotion103
See earnings & programs for more.
Admissions landscape
- Broad access — most applicants are admitted.
- Yield: 14% of admitted students enrolled.
- Average SAT: 1247
- Midpoint ACT: 26
See Admissions for the full funnel.
Is College of Charleston a good school?
Data-framed fit—not a prestige rating.
College of Charleston is a good school for those looking for strong completion alongside solid mid-career earnings.
EDsmart Data does not assign an opinion score; this framing summarizes the strongest Scorecard signals for this campus.
More from the data
Location, control, enrollment, and aid context for College of Charleston.
Campus
Location
Charleston, SC
City / state
- ZIP
- 29424-0001
- NCES locale
- Suburb
Compared with Suburban campuses nationally, net price is 5% above the median for Suburban campuses ($18,048 median).
Control
Institution type
Public
Control
- Region
- Southeast
- Carnegie
- Master's Colleges and Universities: Small Programs
Size
Enrollment
10,558
Total enrollment
- Undergraduate
- 11,616
- Graduate
- 1,046
- Full-time share
- 96%
Student aid
Debt & aid
$23,250
Median federal loan debt
- Pell grant share
- 18.83%
Total Cost, Aid & Default
Total Cost of Attendance
Tuition vs average net price after aid for College of Charleston.
Financial Aid by Income Level
Financial aid distribution by income level.
Student Loan Default Rate
The published 3-year cohort default rate for borrowers at College of Charleston was 0.00%.
Cohort default rates account for borrowers who default in the first three years.
Tuition tracker
Published tuition and average net price by reporting year come from the College Scorecard institution file. Values are not adjusted for inflation; missing cells mean the field was not reported or was suppressed for College of Charleston in that year.
Reporting years in the table below: 2013–2023 (Scorecard labels refer to the institutional submission cycle).
| Year | In-state tuition & fees | Out-of-state tuition & fees | Average net price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | $10,626 | $27,090 | $15,915 |
| 2014 | $10,981 | $27,971 | $16,838 |
| 2015 | $11,322 | $28,866 | $17,826 |
| 2016 | $11,805 | $29,963 | $17,894 |
| 2017 | $12,422 | $30,810 | $19,311 |
| 2018 | $12,838 | $32,020 | $18,783 |
| 2019 | $12,939 | $33,269 | $19,000 |
| 2020 | $12,978 | $33,308 | $19,654 |
| 2021 | $12,978 | $34,438 | $18,394 |
| 2022 | $12,978 | $35,798 | $18,690 |
| 2023 | $12,978 | $36,858 | $19,518 |
Sticker tuition and net price over time
Where the institution reported separate in-state and out-of-state tuition, both appear. Gaps mean the value was not reported for that year.
College Scorecard reporting-year fields (not inflation-adjusted).
Net price by family income
Brackets follow Scorecard definitions for the series shown (public vs private institution).
Latest income-band net prices available in the processed extract.
How difficult is it to get in?
Acceptance Rate
This institution has a moderate acceptance rate, accepting most qualified applicants.
Applicants → admits → first-time enrollment from College Scorecard / IPEDS. Bar widths are scaled for readability at highly selective schools.
Test Scores
Average 1247 (middle 50% not reported)
Midpoint 26 (middle 50% not reported)
Scores for enrollees who submitted tests (College Scorecard).
Academic Requirements
Estimated from admission selectivity and test scores. Scorecard does not publish admitted-student GPA for most institutions.
Estimated range · median 3.40
Estimated GPA band from selectivity and test scores — not an official requirement.
Enrollment & Student Demographics
College of Charleston reported total enrollment of about 10,558 students in the latest College Scorecard extract. The student body is about 32% male and 68% female. Enrollment by race and ethnicity includes White (78.9%), Hispanic or Latino (7.7%), and Black or African American (5.3%). About 18.83% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants. Roughly 20.1% of students are first-generation college students.
Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment
95.6% Full-Time Enrollment
The total enrollment at College of Charleston in 2024 is 10,558 students.
Undergraduate enrollment is about 11,616 students. Graduate enrollment is about 1,046 students.
Full-time vs part-time enrollment comparison.
Retention Rate over Time
82.0%
2024 Retention Rate
Retention rate measures the number of first-time students who began their studies the previous fall and returned to school the following fall.
Retention rate over time compared to similar institutions.
Enrollment by Race & Ethnicity
Largest share of total enrollment in our College Scorecard extract.
College Scorecard student demographics (total enrollment shares).
Do students complete their programs?
Time to Complete
56.63% 100% Completion Time
65.83% 150% Completion Time
In 2024, 56.63% of students graduating from College of Charleston completed their program within 100% "normal time".
Completion rates over time compared to similar institutions.
Completions by Sex (Top Programs)
- Business Administration and Management, General: 43% male / 57% female
- Speech Communication and Rhetoric: 22% male / 78% female
- Psychology, General: 8% male / 92% female
IPEDS completions by sex for the five largest programs (aggregate CIPs excluded).
Completions by Race & Ethnicity
Largest group by summed IPEDS award counts across reported programs.
Summed across program completion records in our extract.
College of Charleston graduates earn a median of $56,416 ten years after entry
Finding Earnings, debt, and program mix define the financial profile of College of Charleston.
Evidence Median earnings 10 years after entry: $56,416. Median federal loan debt: $23,250. Average net price used in cost models: $18,960.
Method College Scorecard median earnings (10-year), median debt, and EDsmart ROI / payback models using campus net price.
Interpretation Institution-wide ROI and debt ratios summarize campus averages; program choice still drives individual outcomes.
Limitation Salary reflects median earnings ten years after entry; ROI is not program-specific.
Key takeaway College of Charleston graduates report median earnings of $56,416 ten years after entry—an institution-wide outcomes signal, not a program guarantee.
Return on Investment
Debt and 4-year net cost vs. cumulative 10-year median earnings for College of Charleston.
Top Programs by Completions
Largest 10 programs by IPEDS completions (78 reported codes; aggregate/unknown CIP buckets excluded).
IPEDS award counts for the largest programs at College of Charleston.
Employment Outcomes
Median earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after entry for College of Charleston graduates.
How financially powerful is this institution?
Finding: federal finance and Scorecard instructional fields for College of Charleston—endowment assets (fiscal year 2023), instructional staffing and expenditure. Compared with state, regional, and U.S. medians from EDsmart Data institutional financials.
Institutional endowment
$128.6M
End-of-year assets · Fiscal year 2023
- South Carolina median 10× the median ($12.8M)
- Southeast median 6.6× the median ($19.4M)
- U.S. median 4.9× the median ($26.4M)
- South Carolina median 1.8× the median ($7,041)
- Southeast median 1.3× the median ($9,308)
- U.S. median near the median ($12,100)
Instructional Resources
- Full-time faculty share: 64.6%
- South Carolina median 3.8 pp above median (60.7%)
- Southeast median 5.1 pp above median (59.4%)
- U.S. median 6.6 pp above median (58.0%)
- Average faculty salary (monthly): $10,384
- South Carolina median 1.5× the median ($6,831)
- Southeast median 1.5× the median ($6,825)
- U.S. median 1.4× the median ($7,615)
- Instructional expenditure per FTE: $10,229
- South Carolina median 1.3× the median ($8,125)
- Southeast median 1.5× the median ($6,602)
- U.S. median 1.4× the median ($7,288)
Instructional metrics from College Scorecard. Peer medians are campus-level; see the institutional financials deep dive. Detailed non-instructional staff counts are not included here.
College of Charleston at a glance
College of Charleston
College of Charleston is a public institution in Charleston, SC, classified as Master's Colleges and Universities: Small Programs.
- Largest programs (IPEDS awards)
- Business Administration and Management, GeneralSpeech Communication and RhetoricPsychology, General
- Largest enrollment groups
- White or Caucasian78.9%Hispanic or Latino7.7%Black or African American5.3%
Schools near College of Charleston
Other campuses in Charleston, SC when available, plus nearby institutions in South Carolina.
Similar schools
Peers matched by the same EDsmart outcomes grade (Grade C) within South Carolina, then by similar ownership and admissions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is COFC located?
College of Charleston is located in Charleston, SC. The institution is also known as COFC.
What is COFC's acceptance rate?
The acceptance rate at College of Charleston (COFC) is 60.0% among first-time degree-seeking students reporting admissions data. IPEDS reports 26,683 applicants and 19,212 admits in the latest admissions cycle in our extract.
What is COFC's tuition?
College of Charleston tuition (published undergraduate sticker price) is $12,978 in the latest College Scorecard data. Average net price after grant aid is $18,960 for undergraduates receiving Title IV aid.
How much does COFC cost?
Reported tuition is $12,978 and average net price is $18,960 in the latest College Scorecard data. On-campus room and board is estimated at $14,332 annually.
What explains COFC's return on investment in EDsmart Data?
EDsmart Data models ROI using campus average net price ($18,960), completion (65.8% within 150% of normal time where reported), and median earnings ten years after entry ($56,416). High completion and strong mid-career earnings relative to net cost raise modeled ROI; the estimate is institution-wide and not program-specific. Debt-to-earnings ratios, when available, further contextualize borrowing pressure. Limitations include suppressed fields, program mix, and labor-market variation over time.
What is the student body demographics at COFC?
College of Charleston reports undergraduate enrollment of about 11,616 students, White (78.9%), Hispanic or Latino (7.7%) in federal College Scorecard data.
How many first-generation students attend COFC?
About 20.1% of students at College of Charleston are first-generation college students.
What test scores do students need for College of Charleston?
Among enrolled students who submitted scores, College of Charleston reports midpoint SAT about 1247 and midpoint ACT about 26.
What do graduates of College of Charleston earn?
Median earnings are $43,821 six years after entry and $56,416 ten years after entry.
What is the graduation rate at College of Charleston?
The 150%-time completion rate is 65.8% for the cohort reported to the College Scorecard.
How much debt do College of Charleston students have?
Median federal loan debt among completers is $23,250.
Is College of Charleston public or private?
College of Charleston is a public institution located in Charleston, SC.
Data Sources
This page uses data from the following sources:
- College Scorecard - U.S. Department of Education
- Institutional characteristics, costs, completion rates, and earnings data
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: collegescorecard.ed.gov
- Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)
- Employment and wage data by occupation
- Latest data: May 2024
- Source: bls.gov/oes
- O*NET Online - U.S. Department of Labor
- Occupational skills, knowledge, abilities, and work activities
- Database version: 28.0 (August 2023)
- Source: onetcenter.org
- IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) - National Center for Education Statistics
- Institutional data, completions, enrollment, and financial aid
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: nces.ed.gov/ipeds
- Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS)
- Demographic and workforce data
- Latest data: 2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates
- Source: census.gov/acs
- Related geography & profiles
- South Carolina college profile
- South Carolina college costs
- South Carolina colleges by ROI
- University of South Carolina-Columbia vs Clemson University vs College of Charleston
- Charleston, South Carolina city profile
- Southeast regional profile
- Suburban college profile
- Campus-setting profiles
- All state profiles
- Regional profiles
- National benchmarks
- School directory
- All schools in South Carolina
Data Processing: All data has been processed, cleaned, and aggregated for presentation. Where specific data points are unavailable, estimates are based on available data and clearly marked.
Last Updated: Data reflects the most recent available information as of January 2025.
Methodology & Data Scope
This profile uses institution-level fields from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, merged with IPEDS directory attributes where needed for locale, ownership, and program completions.
Benchmark rows compare this campus to NCES locale-type medians (for example Suburban) from our processed location extract. Implied U.S. medians are derived from locale-vs-national percentage fields in that extract—not a separate national Scorecard table.