College of Charleston Acceptance Rate & Tuition (2026)
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 Facts
- 2024 Undergraduate Tuition: $12,978
- 2024 Average Net Price: $18,960 After Financial Aid
- 2024 Acceptance Rate: 60.03% Moderate Selectivity
- 2024 Enrolled Students: 10,558 95.6% Full-Time
- 2024 Graduation Rate: 65.83%
- Carnegie Classification: Master's Colleges and Universities: Small Programs
- First-Generation Students: 20.1%
- Tuition trend: In-state tuition increase of 0.0% from 2022 to 2023 (College Scorecard).
- Net price trend: Average net price increase of 4.4% from 2022 to 2023 (College Scorecard).
- Full-Time Faculty: 64.6%
- Average SAT Score: 1247
- Undergraduate Enrollment: 11,616
- Applicants (IPEDS): 26,683
- Room & Board: $14,332 annual estimate
College of Charleston: what the data shows
Common questions about College of Charleston, answered from College Scorecard and IPEDS in this repository.
Where is College of Charleston?
College of Charleston is located in Charleston, SC (ZIP 29424-0001).
NCES locale classification: Suburb.
Is College of Charleston public or private?
College of Charleston is a Public institution.
How much does College of Charleston cost?
Published tuition: $12,978 in-state, $38,296 out-of-state.
Average net price after aid: $18,960.
| Family income band | Avg. net price |
|---|---|
| Family income $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.
How hard is it to get into College of Charleston?
Admission rate: 60.03%.
Among enrollees who submitted scores: average SAT 1247 and midpoint ACT 26.
Scorecard does not publish admitted-student GPA for most institutions.
How big is College of Charleston?
Total enrollment: 10,558 students.
Undergraduate enrollment: 11,616 students.
Graduate enrollment: 1,046 students.
About 96% enroll full-time in our extract.
What is the graduation rate at College of Charleston?
150%-time completion rate: 65.83%.
First-year retention: 82.0%.
What do graduates of College of Charleston earn?
Median earnings: $43,821 six years after entry; $56,416 ten years after entry (College Scorecard).
How much debt do students have?
Median federal loan debt among completers: $23,250.
18.83% of students receive Pell grants.
What is College of Charleston known for?
Largest IPEDS program completions at this institution:
- Business Administration and Management, General (254 completions)
- Speech Communication and Rhetoric (191 completions)
- Psychology, General (189 completions)
- Biology/Biological Sciences, General (168 completions)
- Public Health Education and Promotion (103 completions)
- Marketing/Marketing Management, General (89 completions)
- Political Science and Government, General (82 completions)
- Exercise Physiology and Kinesiology (74 completions)
- History, General (68 completions)
- Finance, General (66 completions)
See ROI & Programs for more.
Is College of Charleston a good school?
We do not score schools on opinion. Federal data in our extract show admission rate 60.03%; completion rate 65.83%; median earnings $56,416 at 10 years; net price $18,960. Compare these figures to your cost, aid, and career goals.
Tuition & Cost
Tuition Costs
$12,978
2024 Undergraduate Tuition
In 2024, the cost of tuition at College of Charleston was $12,978.
Tuition comparison with similar institutions.
Average Net Price
$18,960
2024 Value
In 2024 College of Charleston had an average net price — the price paid after factoring in grants and loans — of $18,960.
Average net price comparison with similar institutions.
Total Cost of Attendance
$75,840 Estimated 4-Year Total Cost
$18,960 Average Annual Net Price (after aid)
$51,912 4-Year In-State Tuition
$153,184 4-Year Out-of-State Tuition
$14,332 Room & Board (annual, on-campus estimate)
$1,530 Books & Supplies (annual estimate)
$28,840 Estimated Annual Sticker (tuition + room/board + books)
$115,360 Estimated 4-Year Sticker (before aid)
4-year total cost breakdown for College of Charleston.
Financial Aid by Income Level
18.83% Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Grants
38.04% 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 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.
Acceptance Rate & Admissions
Acceptance Rate
60.03% Acceptance Rate
26,683 Total Applicants
19,212 Students Admitted
2,637 First-Time Students Enrolled
13.73% Yield (enrolled ÷ admitted)
This institution has a moderate acceptance rate, accepting most qualified applicants.
Acceptance rate compared to national average.
Test Scores
SAT Average: 1247
ACT Average: 26
Average SAT and ACT scores for admitted students.
Academic Requirements
Estimated GPA Range: 3.3 - 3.5
Estimated Median GPA: 3.40
Note: GPA requirements are estimated based on admission selectivity and test scores. Actual requirements may vary.
Estimated GPA and test score ranges.
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
The largest enrollment share in our College Scorecard extract is White at 78.9%.
Shares are for total enrollment (undergraduate and graduate combined when reported).
College Scorecard student demographics.
Graduates & Outcomes
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
Combined IPEDS award counts across reported programs; largest group: White.
Summed across program completion records in our extract.
ROI & Programs
Financial value and program information for College of Charleston.
Return on Investment
$23,250 Median Student Debt
$56,416 Median Annual Earnings (10 years)
41.21% Debt-to-Earnings Ratio
643.88% Return on Investment
4.1 years Estimated Payback Period
Financial value analysis for College of Charleston.
Top Programs by Completions
10 largest programs by IPEDS completions (of 78 reported codes; aggregate/unknown CIP buckets excluded).
1. Business Administration and Management, General: 254 completions
2. Speech Communication and Rhetoric: 191 completions
3. Psychology, General: 189 completions
4. Biology/Biological Sciences, General: 168 completions
5. Public Health Education and Promotion: 103 completions
6. Marketing/Marketing Management, General: 89 completions
7. Political Science and Government, General: 82 completions
8. Exercise Physiology and Kinesiology: 74 completions
9. History, General: 68 completions
Most popular programs at College of Charleston.
Employment Outcomes
Employment outcome data is not available for this institution.
Earnings outcomes for College of Charleston graduates.
Operations
Instructional staffing and expenditure indicators for College of Charleston from College Scorecard (not a full IPEDS finance statement).
Instructional Resources
- Full-time faculty share: 64.6%
- Average faculty salary (Scorecard): $10,384
- Instructional expenditure per FTE: $10,229
Endowment and detailed non-instructional staff counts require IPEDS Finance/HR surveys and are not in this extract.
Scorecard instructional metrics where reported.
About
College of Charleston is a public institution located in Charleston, SC, classified as Master's Colleges and Universities: Small Programs. In the latest IPEDS completions in our extract, the largest programs by awards were Business Administration and Management, General, Speech Communication and Rhetoric, Psychology, General. Enrollment is approximately 10,558 students. Student body composition includes White (78.9%), Hispanic or Latino (7.7%), Black or African American (5.3%). The admission rate is 60.03%. Average SAT scores for admitted students are 1247. The 150%-time completion rate is 65.83%. Approximately 18.83% of students receive Pell Grants. About 20.1% of students are first-generation college students.
Institution Type
Public
Carnegie Classification: Master's Colleges and Universities: Small Programs
Location
Charleston, SC 29424-0001
Region: Southeast
Insights and Analysis
Diverse Program Offerings: With over 78 distinct degree programs, College of Charleston provides students with a wide range of academic options. This diversity allows students to explore various fields and find programs that align with their interests and career goals.
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.
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 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.
Is College of Charleston an HBCU?
No. College of Charleston is not flagged as an HBCU in the IPEDS institutional directory.
Is College of Charleston a tribal college?
No. College of Charleston is not flagged as a tribal college in IPEDS.
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
- 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
- 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.