University of South Carolina-Columbia
Columbia, SC 29208
About University of South Carolina-Columbia
University of South Carolina-Columbia (USC) is a public research university in Columbia, South Carolina, enrolling about 29,820 students. Admission is moderately selective for first-time degree-seeking undergraduates reporting admissions data to the Education Department. The acceptance rate is about 60.15% in the latest College Scorecard admissions data. Median earnings about ten years after entry reach about $62,177 among students who received federal aid.
Key findings
- University of South Carolina-Columbia charges about 2.3× the national public median tuition ($12,688).
- Versus the South Carolina median, sticker tuition is 2% below.
- Completion within 150% of normal time is 78.82%.
- Median earnings 10 years after entry are $62,177.
Research findings
Finding
Modeled return on investment at University of South Carolina-Columbia is strong.
Estimated ROI reaches about 581% 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
University of South Carolina-Columbia awards credentials across a wide program mix.
IPEDS completions cover more than 166 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of South Carolina-Columbia | $12,688 | $22,811 | 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 University of South Carolina-Columbia really?
Key findings
- University of South Carolina-Columbia charges about 2.3× the national public median tuition ($12,688).
- Versus the South Carolina median, sticker tuition is 2% below.
University of South Carolina-Columbia tuition
Published undergraduate tuition $12,688
Finding University of South Carolina-Columbia charges about 2.3× the national public median tuition.
Evidence Published tuition is $12,688. That is about 2.3× the national public median ($5,512). Versus the South Carolina median ($12,978), sticker tuition is 2% below. Versus the U.S. median ($11,900), sticker is 7% 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 University of South Carolina-Columbia versus school-type, state, locale, and U.S. medians.
Evidence: average net price at University of South Carolina-Columbia versus state, locale, and U.S. medians.
What undergraduates typically pay
Finding Average net price at University of South Carolina-Columbia is $22,811.
Evidence College Scorecard average net price is $22,811 (cost of attendance minus average grant aid for aided undergraduates). That is about $11,435 above the South Carolina median net price. Versus suburban campuses, net price runs $4,763 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 University of South Carolina-Columbia, average net price exceeds published tuition alone because net price uses a fuller cost-of-attendance base.
University of South Carolina-Columbia: research record
Canonical EDsmart Data findings for University of South Carolina-Columbia—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
$12,688
Out-of-state tuition
$35,972
Avg. net price
$22,811
Net price by family income
| Income bracket | Avg. annual net price |
|---|---|
| $0–$30,000 | $12,634 |
| $30,001–$48,000 | $14,953 |
| $48,001–$75,000 | $19,859 |
| $75,001–$110,000 | $24,478 |
| $110,001+ | $28,125 |
Sticker tuition × four years (estimate, no room/board): $50,752. 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 University of South Carolina-Columbia is known for
Top program completions
- Finance, General493
- Public Health, General426
- Experimental Psychology394
- Biology/Biological Sciences, General391
- Business Administration and Management, General379
See earnings & programs for more.
Admissions landscape
- Broad access — most applicants are admitted.
- Yield: 25% of admitted students enrolled.
- Average SAT: 1297
- Midpoint ACT: 29
See Admissions for the full funnel.
Is University of South Carolina-Columbia a good school?
Data-framed fit—not a prestige rating.
University of South Carolina-Columbia 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 University of South Carolina-Columbia.
Campus
Location
Columbia, SC
City / state
- ZIP
- 29208
- NCES locale
- Suburb
Compared with Suburban campuses nationally, net price is 26% above the median for Suburban campuses ($18,048 median).
Control
Institution type
Public
Control
- Region
- Southeast
- Carnegie
- Doctoral Universities: Very High Research Activity
Size
Enrollment
29,820
Total enrollment
- Undergraduate
- 31,742
- Graduate
- 8,345
- Full-time share
- 97%
Student aid
Debt & aid
$21,500
Median federal loan debt
- Pell grant share
- 19.11%
Total Cost, Aid & Default
Total Cost of Attendance
Tuition vs average net price after aid for University of South Carolina-Columbia.
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 University of South Carolina-Columbia 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 University of South Carolina-Columbia 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 | $10,816 | $28,528 | $16,523 |
| 2014 | $11,158 | $29,440 | $17,622 |
| 2015 | $11,482 | $30,298 | $18,555 |
| 2016 | $11,454 | $30,882 | $19,095 |
| 2017 | $11,862 | $31,962 | $19,519 |
| 2018 | $12,616 | $33,298 | $19,219 |
| 2019 | $12,688 | $33,928 | $20,509 |
| 2020 | $12,688 | $33,928 | $20,559 |
| 2021 | $12,688 | $33,928 | $20,796 |
| 2022 | $12,688 | $33,928 | $21,044 |
| 2023 | $12,688 | $34,934 | $24,532 |
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 1297 (middle 50% not reported)
Midpoint 29 (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
University of South Carolina-Columbia reported total enrollment of about 29,820 students in the latest College Scorecard extract. The student body is about 41% male and 59% female. Enrollment by race and ethnicity includes White (72.3%), Black or African American (9.7%), and Hispanic or Latino (6.8%). About 19.11% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants. Roughly 19.5% of students are first-generation college students.
Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment
97.3% Full-Time Enrollment
The total enrollment at University of South Carolina-Columbia in 2024 is 29,820 students.
Undergraduate enrollment is about 31,742 students. Graduate enrollment is about 8,345 students.
Full-time vs part-time enrollment comparison.
Retention Rate over Time
92.2%
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
69.70% 100% Completion Time
78.82% 150% Completion Time
In 2024, 69.70% of students graduating from University of South Carolina-Columbia completed their program within 100% "normal time".
Completion rates over time compared to similar institutions.
Completions by Sex (Top Programs)
- Finance, General: 72% male / 28% female
- Public Health, General: 16% male / 84% female
- Experimental Psychology: 19% male / 81% 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.
University of South Carolina-Columbia graduates earn a median of $62,177 ten years after entry
Finding Earnings, debt, and program mix define the financial profile of University of South Carolina-Columbia.
Evidence Median earnings 10 years after entry: $62,177. Median federal loan debt: $21,500. Average net price used in cost models: $22,811.
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 University of South Carolina-Columbia graduates report median earnings of $62,177 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 University of South Carolina-Columbia.
Top Programs by Completions
Largest 10 programs by IPEDS completions (166 reported codes; aggregate/unknown CIP buckets excluded).
IPEDS award counts for the largest programs at University of South Carolina-Columbia.
Employment Outcomes
Median earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after entry for University of South Carolina-Columbia graduates.
How financially powerful is this institution?
Finding: federal finance and Scorecard instructional fields for University of South Carolina-Columbia—endowment assets (fiscal year 2023), instructional staffing and expenditure. Compared with state, regional, and U.S. medians from EDsmart Data institutional financials.
Institutional endowment
$717.9M
End-of-year assets · Fiscal year 2023
- South Carolina median 56× the median ($12.8M)
- Southeast median 37× the median ($19.4M)
- U.S. median 27× the median ($26.4M)
- South Carolina median 2.8× the median ($7,041)
- Southeast median 2.1× the median ($9,308)
- U.S. median 1.6× the median ($12,100)
Instructional Resources
- Full-time faculty share: 75.1%
- South Carolina median 14.4 pp above median (60.7%)
- Southeast median 15.6 pp above median (59.4%)
- U.S. median 17.1 pp above median (58.0%)
- Average faculty salary (monthly): $12,414
- South Carolina median 1.8× the median ($6,831)
- Southeast median 1.8× the median ($6,825)
- U.S. median 1.6× the median ($7,615)
- Instructional expenditure per FTE: $14,139
- South Carolina median 1.7× the median ($8,125)
- Southeast median 2.1× the median ($6,602)
- U.S. median 1.9× 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.
University of South Carolina-Columbia at a glance
University of South Carolina-Columbia
University of South Carolina-Columbia is a public institution in Columbia, SC, classified as Doctoral Universities: Very High Research Activity.
- Largest programs (IPEDS awards)
- Finance, GeneralPublic Health, GeneralExperimental Psychology
- Largest enrollment groups
- White or Caucasian72.3%Black or African American9.7%Hispanic or Latino6.8%
Schools near University of South Carolina-Columbia
Other campuses in Columbia, SC when available, plus nearby institutions in South Carolina.
Similar schools
Peers matched by the same EDsmart outcomes grade (Grade B) within South Carolina, then by similar ownership and admissions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is USC located?
University of South Carolina-Columbia is located in Columbia, SC. The institution is also known as USC.
What is USC's acceptance rate?
The acceptance rate at University of South Carolina-Columbia (USC) is 60.2% among first-time degree-seeking students reporting admissions data. IPEDS reports 46,682 applicants and 28,706 admits in the latest admissions cycle in our extract.
What is USC's tuition?
University of South Carolina-Columbia tuition (published undergraduate sticker price) is $12,688 in the latest College Scorecard data. Average net price after grant aid is $22,811 for undergraduates receiving Title IV aid.
How much does USC cost?
Reported tuition is $12,688 and average net price is $22,811 in the latest College Scorecard data. On-campus room and board is estimated at $13,534 annually.
What explains USC's return on investment in EDsmart Data?
EDsmart Data models ROI using campus average net price ($22,811), completion (78.8% within 150% of normal time where reported), and median earnings ten years after entry ($62,177). 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 USC?
University of South Carolina-Columbia reports undergraduate enrollment of about 31,742 students, White (72.3%), Black or African American (9.7%) in federal College Scorecard data.
How many first-generation students attend USC?
About 19.5% of students at University of South Carolina-Columbia are first-generation college students.
What test scores do students need for University of South Carolina-Columbia?
Among enrolled students who submitted scores, University of South Carolina-Columbia reports midpoint SAT about 1297 and midpoint ACT about 29.
What do graduates of University of South Carolina-Columbia earn?
Median earnings are $50,621 six years after entry and $62,177 ten years after entry.
What is the graduation rate at University of South Carolina-Columbia?
The 150%-time completion rate is 78.8% for the cohort reported to the College Scorecard.
How much debt do University of South Carolina-Columbia students have?
Median federal loan debt among completers is $21,500.
Is University of South Carolina-Columbia public or private?
University of South Carolina-Columbia is a public institution located in Columbia, 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
- Columbia, 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.