University of South Carolina-Columbia
#8 Best Criminal Justice Colleges in South Carolina- Graduation Rate
- 78% B+
- Solid completion rate — most students graduate
- Earnings (10yr)
- $62,177 A-
- Well above the typical college graduate
- Net Price
- $22,811 D+
- 33% more than the typical college
- Acceptance Rate
- 60% B
- Accessible to most qualified applicants
Bottom line: A C+ overall grade — average outcomes for a U.S. college. 17.7× return on investment — every $1 spent returns $17.7 over 20 years. Ranked #8 in Best Criminal Justice Colleges in South Carolina.
Every $1 spent returns $17.7 over 20 years — debt pays back in ~under a year. Net gain: $1,520,090.
What The Data Says
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A C+ overall — outcomes above the typical U.S. college.
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Graduates earn 52% more than the national college median.
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A 78% graduation rate — 37% above the national average.
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Every $1 invested returns $17.7 over 20 years — an exceptional return.
Why University of South Carolina-Columbia Matters
University of South Carolina-Columbia is a public research university in Columbia, SC and its outcomes are not an accident. They are driven by a top-tier research enterprise and a well-connected, high-opportunity alumni network. The result: graduate earnings well above the typical college.
Interpretation generated from this school's federal outcomes, research, and mobility data.
Institutional Profile
- Institution Type
- Public Research University
- Carnegie Class
- R1 · Very High Research
- Enrollment
- 29,820
- Setting
- Urban
- Primary Strengths
- Business & Marketing, Health Professions, Biology & Biomedical, Communications
Why students choose University of South Carolina-Columbia
CollegeRanker Report Card
Graded on outcomes, against every U.S. college.
Each grade is this school's national percentile on a real outcome — earnings, value, mobility, and more.
How we grade →Admissions
Competitive — admits about 60% of applicants, with a middle-50% SAT of 1180–1360. Run your numbers in the admissions predictor below.
Check your odds →Net price + aid
Students pay about $22,811 a year after grants and scholarships — 33% above the typical U.S. college. See net price by family income below.
See cost & aid →Earnings + debt
Graduates earn a median of $62,177 ten years after enrolling — 52% above the typical college, against $21,500 in median debt.
See outcomes →Mobility + social capital
Strong cross-class social capital — an economic-connectedness score of 1.48 (Opportunity Insights).
See mobility →Overview
With an enrollment of nearly 30,000 students, the University of South Carolina-Columbia is ideal for those seeking a vibrant campus life alongside a solid education. It attracts a diverse group of students, particularly those interested in Business & Marketing, Health Professions, Biology & Biomedical, Communications, and Engineering. The acceptance rate of 60% suggests that while it’s attainable for many, it also maintains a standard that keeps the student body engaged and motivated.
Graduation here is a significant milestone, with a rate of 78% indicating that most students successfully complete their degrees. After ten years, graduates can expect to earn around $62,177, which reflects the value of their degree in the job market. This earning potential is important, especially when considering the affordability of education. With a net price of $22,811, many students find a manageable balance between their educational investment and future earnings.
Financially, students face a median debt of $21,500 upon graduation, which is a reasonable amount given the average earnings. The affordability is enhanced for those who qualify for Pell Grants, which benefit about 19% of the student body. Those who thrive at South Carolina-Columbia often embrace the bustling campus culture and diverse academic opportunities, setting themselves up for successful careers post-graduation.
Rankings
- #8 Best Criminal Justice Colleges in South Carolina
- #9 Best Communications Colleges in South Carolina
- #12 Best Computer Science Colleges in South Carolina
- #12 Best Data Science Colleges in South Carolina
- #17 Best Bachelor's Programs in South Carolina
- #17 Best Master's Programs in South Carolina
- #17 Best Biology Colleges in South Carolina
- #18 Best Business Colleges in South Carolina
Can I Get In?
How selective University of South Carolina-Columbia is — and how your numbers stack up.
Tool
Will I Be Accepted?
Enter your credentials to see your chances at this school.
Academics & Admissions
Is It Hard to Get Into University of South Carolina-Columbia? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
As a public institution in Columbia, South Carolina, University of South Carolina-Columbia offers a realistic path to admission, with roughly 60% of applicants receiving an offer. Admitted students typically arrive with an average SAT score near 1,297. The graduation rate is roughly 78%.
- Acceptance Rate
- 60%
- Retention Rate
- 92%
- SAT Average
- 1297
- ACT Midpoint
- 29
- SAT Range
- 1180–1360
- ACT Range
- 26–32
- Full-Time Faculty
- 75%
- Faculty Salary (mo)
- $12,414
- Student–Faculty Ratio
- 18:1
- Diversity Index
- 0.46
- First-Gen Students
- 20%
- Applicants
- 42,188
- Admitted
- 27,022
Inside the Admissions Office
School-reported Common Data Set · 2024-25
The acceptance rate tells you how hard University of South Carolina-Columbia is to get into. Its Common Data Set tells you what happens once you are admitted: how many students say yes, how many arrived without test scores, and whether applying early tilts the odds. 23% of admitted students go on to enroll here, making it a school most admitted students ultimately pass on.
- Yield Rate
- 23%
- of admits enroll
- Submitted SAT
- 29%
- of enrolled freshmen
- Submitted ACT
- 15%
- of enrolled freshmen
There is an early lane. University offers Early Action, so you can apply ahead of the regular deadline and hear back sooner without committing to enroll.
Test-optional, in practice. Only about 44% of enrolled freshmen submitted an SAT or ACT score, so a strong application without test scores is genuinely competitive here, not a long shot.
Can I Afford It?
What you'll actually pay after grants and aid — not the sticker price.
Cost & Financial Aid
How Much Does It Cost to Attend University of South Carolina-Columbia? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at University of South Carolina-Columbia is $35,972, but few families pay that. The number to watch is net price, what students actually pay each year after federal grants and institutional scholarships. Here it averages about $22,811. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $12,634 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $21,500 in federal student loans.
- In-State Tuition
- $12,688
- Out-of-State
- $35,972
- Avg Net Price
- $22,811
- Median Debt
- $21,500
- Pell Grant Rate
- 19%
- Federal Loan Rate
- 41%
What Families Actually Pay
- Family Income $0–$30K
- $12,634
- Family Income $30K–$48K
- $14,953
- Family Income $48K–$75K
- $19,859
- Family Income $110K+
- $28,125
What Happens After?
Earnings, debt, and where graduates actually land.
Students Like You
Tell us a little about yourself to see what students like you have typically experienced at University of South Carolina-Columbia — the net price for your income, your admission odds, and the outcomes that follow. These are patterns from federal data, not predictions.
Graduate Outcomes
Is University of South Carolina-Columbia Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of University of South Carolina-Columbia earn a median of $62,177, roughly in line with the national average for college graduates.
- 6 Years After Entry
- $50,621
- 8 Years
- $57,722
- 10 Years
- $62,177
- Debt-to-Earnings
- 0.35x
- Earning > $25K
- 73%
Earnings Trajectory
Graduation by Timeframe
- 100% (3,205)
- 65%
- 100% (3,205)
- 65%
- 100% (3,205)
- 65%
- 100% (3,205)
- 65%
How University Compares
Dot right of center = above national average.
Net Price by Family Income
What families actually pay after aid, by income bracket.
College ROI Calculator
Is University of South Carolina-Columbia Worth It?
A data-driven look at the return on your educational investment — using real federal data.
Yes — for most students, University of South Carolina-Columbia delivers a positive return. Over four years, the typical net price is $22,811/year ($91,244 total). Graduates earn $62,177 at ten years, and over a 20-year career we project $1,611,334 in total earnings — a net gain of $1,520,090 (17.7× your investment). The median debt is $21,500, which takes less than a year to pay back at typical earnings. With a 78% graduation rate, the path to that return is well-tested. This is a exceptional ROI compared to national averages.
- Total Cost (4yr)
- $91,244
- Projected 20yr Earnings
- $1,611,334
- Net Return
- $1,520,090
- ROI Multiple
- 17.7×
- Cost Per Year
- $22,811
- Median Debt
- $21,500
- Debt Payback
- Less than 1 yr
- Graduation Rate
- 78%
Does It Change Lives?
Mobility, social capital, and innovation — does it move people up?
Institutional Finances
Data: NCES IPEDS
Top Programs
The fields University of South Carolina-Columbia awards the most degrees in, by share of completions. Where federal field-of-study data exists, we show what graduates in that major earned early in their careers. Each links to its degree guide — or see what someone with your income, scores, and major would pay and earn here in the Students Like You simulator.
- Business & Marketing 26% $84,095 early-career
- Health Professions 12% $71,773 early-career
- Biology & Biomedical 11% $37,278 early-career
- Communications 7% $47,453 early-career
- Psychology 6% $31,393 early-career
- Computer Science & IT 6% $74,405 early-career
- Social Sciences 5% $46,778 early-career
- Engineering 5% $85,376 early-career
Early-career median earnings by major (typically 1–2 years after completion, bachelor's level where available), in today's dollars (CPI-adjusted). Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard field of study. Distinct from the school-wide 10-year median; suppressed for small programs.
Top Careers
Where these majors tend to lead — common career paths for University of South Carolina-Columbia's most popular programs, ranked by median pay with our proprietary scorecard insights.
- CChief Executive Officer$189,520 · 3% growthAdaptable 64
- C+IT Manager$169,510 · 15% growthAdaptable 52
- C+Marketing Manager$156,580 · 8% growthAdaptable 64
- C+Cloud Architect$142,000 · 15% growthAdaptable 52
- B-Site Reliability Engineer$140,000 · 20% growthAdaptable 52
- CAdvertising Manager$138,730 · 6% growthAdaptable 64
- CSolutions Architect$138,000 · 12% growthAdaptable 52
- CHR Manager$136,350 · 5% growthAdaptable 64
Frequently Asked Questions
Is It Hard to Get Into University of South Carolina-Columbia? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
As a public institution in Columbia, South Carolina, University of South Carolina-Columbia offers a realistic path to admission, with roughly 60% of applicants receiving an offer. Admitted students typically arrive with an average SAT score near 1,297. The graduation rate is roughly 78%.
How Much Does It Cost to Attend University of South Carolina-Columbia? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at University of South Carolina-Columbia is $35,972, but few families pay that. The number to watch is net price, what students actually pay each year after federal grants and institutional scholarships. Here it averages about $22,811. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $12,634 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $21,500 in federal student loans.
Is University of South Carolina-Columbia Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of University of South Carolina-Columbia earn a median of $62,177, roughly in line with the national average for college graduates.
How Connected Is University of South Carolina-Columbia? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks
Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs high at University of South Carolina-Columbia. Its economic connectedness score is 1.48, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (0.04), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 6% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
Does University of South Carolina-Columbia offer Early Decision?
No. University of South Carolina-Columbia does not report a binding Early Decision plan, though it does offer a non-binding Early Action option (2024-25 Common Data Set).
Is University of South Carolina-Columbia really test-optional?
In practice, yes. Only about 44% of enrolled first-year students submitted an SAT or ACT score, so a strong application without test scores is genuinely competitive at University of South Carolina-Columbia (2024-25 Common Data Set).
What percentage of admitted students enroll at University of South Carolina-Columbia?
About 23% of admitted students choose to enroll at University of South Carolina-Columbia — its yield rate (2024-25 Common Data Set). Yield reflects how often a school wins when applicants weigh competing offers.
Compare University of South Carolina-Columbia
Similar Schools
Schools with similar outcomes, selectivity, and student profiles to University of South Carolina-Columbia.
- Auburn UniversityAuburn, AL · Close peer81% grad $65,337 earn 46% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical CollegeBaton Rouge, LA · Close peer70% grad $61,251 earn 73% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- The University of AlabamaTuscaloosa, AL · Close peer74% grad $59,221 earn 77% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- University of Massachusetts-AmherstAmherst, MA · Close peer83% grad $71,631 earn 60% acceptWhy: similar selectivity · similar grad rate · similar net price
- Oregon State UniversityCorvallis, OR · Close peer70% grad $64,010 earn 77% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- The University of Tennessee-KnoxvilleKnoxville, TN · Close peer74% grad $60,249 earn 42% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
Social Capital
Data: Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas
How Connected Is University of South Carolina-Columbia? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks
Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs high at University of South Carolina-Columbia. Its economic connectedness score is 1.48, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (0.04), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 6% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
Research Note