Claflin University Acceptance Rate & Tuition (2026)
Claflin University is a private research university in Orangeburg, South Carolina, enrolling about 1,706 students. Admission is moderately selective for first-time degree-seeking undergraduates reporting admissions data to the Education Department. The acceptance rate is about 64.93% in the latest College Scorecard admissions data. Median earnings about ten years after entry reach about $40,304 among students who received federal aid.
Key Facts
- 2024 Undergraduate Tuition: $18,282
- 2024 Average Net Price: $17,800 After Financial Aid
- 2024 Acceptance Rate: 64.93% Moderate Selectivity
- 2024 Enrolled Students: 1,706 93.5% Full-Time
- 2024 Graduation Rate: 51.60%
- Carnegie Classification: Baccalaureate Colleges: Diverse Fields
- First-Generation Students: 32.4%
- Tuition trend: In-state tuition increase of 0.0% from 2022 to 2023 (College Scorecard).
- Net price trend: Average net price increase of 6.4% from 2022 to 2023 (College Scorecard).
- Full-Time Faculty: 72.0%
- Undergraduate Enrollment: 1,833
- Applicants (IPEDS): 6,999
- Room & Board: $9,480 annual estimate
Claflin University: what the data shows
Common questions about Claflin University, answered from College Scorecard and IPEDS in this repository.
Where is Claflin University?
Claflin University is located in Orangeburg, SC (ZIP 29115-4498).
NCES locale classification: Town distant.
Is Claflin University public or private?
Claflin University is a Private Non-profit institution.
How much does Claflin University cost?
Published tuition: $18,282.
Average net price after aid: $17,800.
| Family income band | Avg. net price |
|---|---|
| Family income $0–$30,000 | $16,354 |
| $30,001–$48,000 | $21,118 |
| $48,001–$75,000 | $22,279 |
| $75,001–$110,000 | $23,502 |
| $110,001+ | $25,071 |
Sticker tuition × four years (estimate, no room/board): $73,128.
How hard is it to get into Claflin University?
Admission rate: 64.93%.
Scorecard does not publish admitted-student GPA for most institutions.
How big is Claflin University?
Total enrollment: 1,706 students.
Undergraduate enrollment: 1,833 students.
Graduate enrollment: 121 students.
About 93% enroll full-time in our extract.
What is the graduation rate at Claflin University?
150%-time completion rate: 51.60%.
First-year retention: 75.5%.
What do graduates of Claflin University earn?
Median earnings: $29,227 six years after entry; $40,304 ten years after entry (College Scorecard).
How much debt do students have?
Median federal loan debt among completers: $29,000.
73.49% of students receive Pell grants.
What is Claflin University known for?
Largest IPEDS program completions at this institution:
- Psychology, General (69 completions)
- Biology/Biological Sciences, General (31 completions)
- Criminal Justice/Safety Studies (31 completions)
- Business Administration and Management, General (29 completions)
- Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse (25 completions)
- Early Childhood Program Administration (15 completions)
- Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness, General (13 completions)
- Mass Communication/Media Studies (11 completions)
- Computer Engineering, General (11 completions)
- Family Practice Nurse/Nursing (11 completions)
See ROI & Programs for more.
Is Claflin University a good school?
We do not score schools on opinion. Federal data in our extract show admission rate 64.93%; completion rate 51.60%; median earnings $40,304 at 10 years; net price $17,800. Compare these figures to your cost, aid, and career goals.
Tuition & Cost
Tuition Costs
$18,282
2024 Undergraduate Tuition
In 2024, the cost of tuition at Claflin University was $18,282.
Tuition comparison with similar institutions.
Average Net Price
$17,800
2024 Value
In 2024 Claflin University had an average net price — the price paid after factoring in grants and loans — of $17,800.
Average net price comparison with similar institutions.
Total Cost of Attendance
$71,200 Estimated 4-Year Total Cost
$17,800 Average Annual Net Price (after aid)
$73,128 4-Year Tuition
$9,480 Room & Board (annual, on-campus estimate)
$950 Books & Supplies (annual estimate)
$28,712 Estimated Annual Sticker (tuition + room/board + books)
$114,848 Estimated 4-Year Sticker (before aid)
4-year total cost breakdown for Claflin University.
Financial Aid by Income Level
73.49% Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Grants
73.55% Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Loans
Financial aid distribution by income level.
Student Loan Default Rate
0.00%
3-year cohort default rate (College Scorecard)
The published 3-year cohort default rate for borrowers at Claflin University 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 Claflin University 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 | $15,010 | $15,010 | $16,578 |
| 2014 | $15,010 | $15,010 | $19,987 |
| 2015 | $15,520 | $15,520 | $21,426 |
| 2016 | $16,158 | $16,158 | $19,149 |
| 2017 | $16,480 | $16,480 | $19,962 |
| 2018 | $16,854 | $16,854 | $19,396 |
| 2019 | $17,192 | $17,192 | $18,136 |
| 2020 | $17,046 | $17,046 | $20,806 |
| 2021 | $17,046 | $17,046 | $19,308 |
| 2022 | $17,046 | $17,046 | $19,951 |
| 2023 | $17,046 | $17,046 | $21,232 |
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.
Acceptance Rate & Admissions
Acceptance Rate
64.93% Acceptance Rate
6,999 Total Applicants
5,078 Students Admitted
456 First-Time Students Enrolled
8.98% Yield (enrolled ÷ admitted)
This institution has a moderate acceptance rate, accepting most qualified applicants.
Acceptance rate compared to national average.
Test Scores
Test score data is not available for this institution.
Average SAT and ACT scores for admitted students.
Academic Requirements
GPA requirements are not published by this institution. Contact the admissions office for specific academic requirements.
Estimated GPA and test score ranges.
Enrollment & Student Demographics
Claflin University reported total enrollment of about 1,706 students in the latest College Scorecard extract. The student body is about 29% male and 71% female. Enrollment by race and ethnicity includes Black or African American (89.2%), Race/ethnicity unknown (5.0%), and White (2.4%). About 73.49% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants. Roughly 32.4% of students are first-generation college students.
Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment
93.5% Full-Time Enrollment
The total enrollment at Claflin University in 2024 is 1,706 students.
Undergraduate enrollment is about 1,833 students. Graduate enrollment is about 121 students.
Full-time vs part-time enrollment comparison.
Retention Rate over Time
75.5%
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
The largest enrollment share in our College Scorecard extract is Black or African American at 89.2%.
Shares are for total enrollment (undergraduate and graduate combined when reported).
College Scorecard student demographics.
Graduates & Outcomes
Time to Complete
40.60% 100% Completion Time
51.60% 150% Completion Time
In 2024, 40.60% of students graduating from Claflin University completed their program within 100% "normal time".
Completion rates over time compared to similar institutions.
Completions by Sex (Top Programs)
- Psychology, General: 13% male / 87% female
- Biology/Biological Sciences, General: 13% male / 87% female
- Criminal Justice/Safety Studies: 16% male / 84% female
IPEDS completions by sex for the five largest programs (aggregate CIPs excluded).
Completions by Race & Ethnicity
Combined IPEDS award counts across reported programs; largest group: Black or African American.
Summed across program completion records in our extract.
ROI & Programs
Financial value and program information for Claflin University.
Return on Investment
$29,000 Median Student Debt
$40,304 Median Annual Earnings (10 years)
71.95% Debt-to-Earnings Ratio
466.07% Return on Investment
7.2 years Estimated Payback Period
Financial value analysis for Claflin University.
Top Programs by Completions
10 largest programs by IPEDS completions (of 37 reported codes; aggregate/unknown CIP buckets excluded).
1. Psychology, General: 69 completions
2. Biology/Biological Sciences, General: 31 completions
3. Criminal Justice/Safety Studies: 31 completions
4. Business Administration and Management, General: 29 completions
5. Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse: 25 completions
6. Early Childhood Program Administration: 15 completions
7. Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness, General: 13 completions
8. Mass Communication/Media Studies: 11 completions
9. Computer Engineering, General: 11 completions
Most popular programs at Claflin University.
Employment Outcomes
Employment outcome data is not available for this institution.
Earnings outcomes for Claflin University graduates.
Operations
Instructional staffing and expenditure indicators for Claflin University from College Scorecard (not a full IPEDS finance statement).
Instructional Resources
- Full-time faculty share: 72.0%
- Average faculty salary (Scorecard): $7,329
- Instructional expenditure per FTE: $10,302
Endowment and detailed non-instructional staff counts require IPEDS Finance/HR surveys and are not in this extract.
Scorecard instructional metrics where reported.
About
Claflin University is a private non-profit institution located in Orangeburg, SC, classified as Baccalaureate Colleges: Diverse Fields. In the latest IPEDS completions in our extract, the largest programs by awards were Psychology, General, Biology/Biological Sciences, General, Criminal Justice/Safety Studies. Enrollment is approximately 1,706 students. Student body composition includes Black or African American (89.2%), Race/ethnicity unknown (5.0%), White (2.4%). The admission rate is 64.93%. The 150%-time completion rate is 51.60%. Approximately 73.49% of students receive Pell Grants. About 32.4% of students are first-generation college students.
Institution Type
Private Non-profit
Carnegie Classification: Baccalaureate Colleges: Diverse Fields
Location
Orangeburg, SC 29115-4498
Region: Southeast
Insights and Analysis
Claflin University provides educational opportunities for students seeking higher education. Prospective students should carefully evaluate all factors including costs, outcomes, and program offerings when making their enrollment decisions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Claflin University located?
Claflin University is located in Orangeburg, SC.
What is Claflin University's acceptance rate?
The acceptance rate at Claflin University is 64.9% among first-time degree-seeking students reporting admissions data. IPEDS reports 6,999 applicants and 5,078 admits in the latest admissions cycle in our extract.
How much does Claflin University cost?
Reported tuition is $18,282 and average net price is $17,800 in the latest College Scorecard data. On-campus room and board is estimated at $9,480 annually.
What is the student body demographics at Claflin University?
Claflin University reports undergraduate enrollment of about 1,833 students, Black or African American (89.2%), Race/ethnicity unknown (5.0%) in federal College Scorecard data.
How many first-generation students attend Claflin University?
About 32.4% of students at Claflin University are first-generation college students.
What do graduates of Claflin University earn?
Median earnings are $29,227 six years after entry and $40,304 ten years after entry.
What is the graduation rate at Claflin University?
The 150%-time completion rate is 51.6% for the cohort reported to the College Scorecard.
How much debt do Claflin University students have?
Median federal loan debt among completers is $29,000.
Is Claflin University public or private?
Claflin University is a private nonprofit institution located in Orangeburg, SC.
Is Claflin University an HBCU?
Yes. Claflin University is flagged as a historically Black college or university (HBCU) in IPEDS.
Is Claflin University a tribal college?
No. Claflin University is not flagged as a tribal college in IPEDS.
Is Claflin University a Hispanic-serving institution (HSI)?
Using a 25% Hispanic enrollment threshold on College Scorecard demographics, Claflin University does not meet that proxy (reported share 0.8%).
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 costs
- South Carolina colleges by ROI
- Orangeburg, South Carolina city profile
- Southeast regional profile
- 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 for this profile is sourced from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard dataset, which provides comprehensive information on institutions of higher education in the United States.
All financial figures are adjusted for inflation and represent the most recent available data. Graduation rates and completion times are calculated according to federal standards.