University of South Carolina-Columbia

www.sc.edu/

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2021 Undergraduate Tuition

$12,288

2021 Average Net Price

$21,898

After Financial Aid

2019 Student Loan

1.64%

Default Rate

2021 Acceptance Rate

61.6%

42,045 Applicants

2021 Enrolled Students

35,471

89% Full-Time

2021 Graduation Rate

77.9%

4,014 Graduates

About

University of South Carolina-Columbia is a higher education institution located in Richland County, SC. In 2021, the most popular Bachelors Degree concentrations at University of South Carolina-Columbia were General Finance (553 degrees awarded), Other Public Health (492 degrees), and Experimental Psychology (338 degrees).

In 2021, 10,191 degrees were awarded across all undergraduate and graduate programs at University of South Carolina-Columbia. 57.4% of these degrees were awarded to women, and 42.6% awarded men. The most common race/ethnicity group of degree recipients was white (7,538 degrees), 7.99 times more than then the next closest race/ethnicity group, black or african american (944 degrees).

The median undergraduate tuition at University of South Carolina-Columbia is $12,288, which is $−16,704 less than the national average for Doctoral Universities ($28,992).

Photo by William Yeung

Doctoral Universities: Highest Research Activity Doctoral Universities

Costs

In 2021, the median undergraduate tuition at University of South Carolina-Columbia is $12,288, which is $−16,704 less than the national average for Doctoral Universities ($28,992).

After taking grants and loans into account, the average net price for students is $21,898.

In 2021, 82% of undergraduate students attending University of South Carolina-Columbia received financial aid through grants. Comparatively, 43% of undergraduate students received financial aid through loans.

Tuition Costs

$12,288

2021 Undergraduate Tuition

In 2021, the cost of tuition at University of South Carolina-Columbia was $12,288. The cost of tuition at University of South Carolina-Columbia is $−16,704 less than than the overall (public and private) national average for Doctoral Universities ($28,992).

This chart compares the tuition costs of University of South Carolina-Columbia (in red) with those of other similar universities.

Average Net Price

$21,898

2021 Value

0.523%

1 Year Growth

In 2021 University of South Carolina-Columbia had an average net price — the price paid after factoring in grants and loans — of $21,898. Between 2020 and 2021, the average net price of University of South Carolina-Columbia grew by 0.523%.

This chart compares the average net price of University of South Carolina-Columbia (in red) with that of other similar universities.

Average net price is calculated from full-time beginning undergraduate students who were awarded a grant or scholarship from federal, state or local governments, or the institution.

Other Student Expenses

$11,101

Room and Board

$1,085

Books and Supplies

The average yearly cost of room and board at University of South Carolina-Columbia was of $11,101 in 2021. The cost of room and board increased by 1.33% between 2020 and 2021.

During the same period, the average yearly cost of books and supplies was $1,085. The cost of books and supplies did not change during the same period.

This chart compares the average student costs at University of South Carolina-Columbia (in red) with that of similar universities.

Financial Aid by Income Level

82%

Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Grants

43%

Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Loans

82% of undergraduate students at University of South Carolina-Columbia received financial aid through grants or loans in 2021. This represents a growth of 0% with respect to 2020, when 82% of undergraduate students received financial aid.

This chart compares the average award discount at University of South Carolina-Columbia (in red) with that of other similar universities.

The average award discount is the ratio between the average grant or scholarship value, and the cost, which is the sum of out-of-state tuition, room, board, book, supplies, and other expenses.

Student Loan Default Rate

Cohort default rates only account for borrowers who default in the first three years, and some schools only have a small proportion of borrowers entering repayment. These rates should be interpreted with caution, as they may not be reflective of the entire school population.

1.64%

2019 Default Rate

108

Number of Defaults

In 2019 the default rate for borrower's at University of South Carolina-Columbia was 1.64%, which represents 108 out of the 6567 total borrowers.

A cohort default rate is the percentage of a school's borrowers who enter repayment on certain Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) Program or William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan (Direct Loan) Program loans during a particular federal fiscal year (FY), October 1 to September 30, and default or meet other specified conditions prior to the end of the second following fiscal year.

Admissions

University of South Carolina-Columbia received 42,045 undergraduate applications in 2021, which represents a 20.3% annual growth. Out of those 42,045 applicants, 25,884 students were accepted for enrollment, representing a 61.6% acceptance rate.

There were 35,471 students enrolled at University of South Carolina-Columbia in 2021. 38% of first-time enrollees submitted SAT scores with their applications.

University of South Carolina-Columbia has an overall enrollment yield of 23.9%, which represents the number of admitted students who ended up enrolling.

Acceptance Rate

61.6%

Acceptance Rate in 2021

25,884

Accepted Out of 42,045

In 2021, the undergraduate acceptance rate of University of South Carolina-Columbia was 61.6% (25,884 admissions from 42,045 applications). This is lower than the acceptance rate of 2020, which was 68.4%. Between 2020 and 2021, the number of applicants grew by 20.3%, while admissions grew by 8.33%..

This chart compares the acceptance rate of University of South Carolina-Columbia (in red) with that of other similar universities, and the chart below shows the acceptance rate by gender.

SAT Scores

38%

Submission Percentage (2021)

2,345

Scores Submitted (2021)

38% of enrolled first-time students at University of South Carolina-Columbia in 2021 submitted SAT scores with their applications.

This chart shows the SAT scores for the 25th and 75th percentile of applicants broken out into each section of the test that their are evaluated on.

Enrollment

University of South Carolina-Columbia had a total enrollment of 35,471 students in 2021. The full-time enrollment at University of South Carolina-Columbia is 31,575 students and the part-time enrollment is 3,896. This means that 89% of students enrolled at University of South Carolina-Columbia are enrolled full-time.

The enrolled student population at University of South Carolina-Columbia, both undergraduate and graduate, is 70.9% White, 9.62% Black or African American, 5.11% Hispanic or Latino, 3.95% Two or More Races, 3.9% Asian, 0.164% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 0.093% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders.

Students enrolled at University of South Carolina-Columbia in full-time Undergraduate programs are most commonly White Female (41.2%), followed by White Male (33%) and Black or African American Female (4.91%). Students enrolled in full-time Graduate programs are most commonly White Female (36.2%), followed by White Male (24.2%) and Black or African American Female (7.12%).

Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment

89%

Full-Time Enrollment

The total enrollment at University of South Carolina-Columbia in 2021, both undergraduate and graduate, is 35,471 students. The full-time enrollment at University of South Carolina-Columbia is 31,575 and the part-time enrollment is 3,896. This means that 89% of students enrolled at University of South Carolina-Columbia are enrolled full-time compared with 76.6% at similar Doctoral Universities.

This chart shows the full-time vs part-time enrollment status at University of South Carolina-Columbia (in red) compares to similar universities.

Retention Rate over Time

87%

2021 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. The retention rate for full-time undergraduates at University of South Carolina-Columbia was 87%. Compared with the full-time retention rate at similar Doctoral Universities (84%), University of South Carolina-Columbia had a retention rate higher than its peers.

This chart shows the retention rate over time at University of South Carolina-Columbia (highlighted in red) compares to similar universities.

Enrollment by Race & Ethnicity

Most Common Race or Ethnicity (2021)

White
25,141 enrolled students
Black or African American
3,413 enrolled students
Hispanic or Latino
1,811 enrolled students

The enrolled student population at University of South Carolina-Columbia is 70.9% White, 9.62% Black or African American, 5.11% Hispanic or Latino, 3.95% Two or More Races, 3.9% Asian, 0.164% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 0.093% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders. This includes both full-time and part-time students as well as graduate and undergraduates. By comparison, enrollment for all Doctoral Universities is 48.9% White, 15.1% Hispanic or Latino, and 9.56% Black or African American.

Any student who is studying in the United States on a temporary basis is categorized as a "Non-Resident Alien", and the share of those students are shown in the chart below. Additionally, 514 students (1.45%) did not report their race.

Graduates

In 2021, 1,509 more women than men received degrees from University of South Carolina-Columbia. The most common race/ethnicity group of degree recipients at University of South Carolina-Columbia is white (7,538 degrees awarded). There were 7.99 times more white recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, black or african american (944 degrees).

The most common Bachelor's Degree concentration at University of South Carolina-Columbia is General Finance (553 degrees awarded), followed by Other Public Health (492 degrees) and Experimental Psychology (338 degrees).

In 2021, the most specialized majors across all degree types at University of South Carolina-Columbia, meaning they have significantly more degrees awarded in that concentration than the national average across all institutions, are Library Science (121 degrees awarded), Cultural & Gender Studies (73 degrees), and Communications (533 degrees).

Common Jobs by Major

Physicians

Most Common Job

The most common jobs for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at University of South Carolina-Columbia are Physicians (392,616 people), Other managers (224,899 people), Elementary & middle school teachers (160,526 people), Postsecondary teachers (146,744 people), and Registered nurses (100,207 people).

The most specialized majors at University of South Carolina-Columbia in 2021 are Library Science (121 degrees awarded), Cultural & Gender Studies (73 degrees), Communications (533 degrees), Biology (721 degrees), and Parks, Recreation, & Leisure (275 degrees) (as of 2021).

Highest Paying Jobs by Major

Surgeons

Highest Paying Job

The highest paying jobs for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at University of South Carolina-Columbia are Surgeons, Media and communication workers, all other, Securities, commodities, & financial services sales agents, Nuclear medicine technologists and medical dosimetrists, and Physicians

The most specialized majors at University of South Carolina-Columbia are Library Science (121 degrees awarded), Cultural & Gender Studies (73 degrees), Communications (533 degrees), Biology (721 degrees), and Parks, Recreation, & Leisure (275 degrees) (as of 2021).

Common Industries by Major

General medical and surgical hospitals, and specialty (except psychiatric and substance abuse) hospitals

Most Common Industry

The most common industries for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at University of South Carolina-Columbia are General medical and surgical hospitals, and specialty (except psychiatric and substance abuse) hospitals (537,449 people), Colleges, universities & professional schools, including junior colleges (400,968 people), Elementary & secondary schools (373,449 people), Offices of physicians (203,095 people), and Computer Systems Design (150,896 people).

Majors Awarded

IPEDS uses the Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) standard, so the categories may not match the exact concentrations offered by University of South Carolina-Columbia.

Most Common (2021)

General Finance
553 degree-majors awarded
Other Public Health
492 degree-majors awarded
Experimental Psychology
338 degree-majors awarded

In 2021, the most common bachelors degree concentration at University of South Carolina-Columbia was General Finance with 553 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of degree-majors recipients from bachelors degree programs at University of South Carolina-Columbia according to their major.

Sex Breakdown for Common Majors

4,341

Degrees Awarded to Men

in 2021

5,850

Degrees Awarded to Women

in 2021

In 2021, 4,341 degrees were awarded to men at University of South Carolina-Columbia, which is 0.742 times less than the number of degrees awarded to females (5,850).

This chart displays the sex disparity between the top 5 majors at University of South Carolina-Columbia by degrees awarded.

Most Common Male Majors

In 2021, 375 degrees were awarded to men at University of South Carolina-Columbia in General Finance, which is 2.11 times more than the 178 female recipients with that same degree.

Most Common Female Majors

In 2021, 392 degrees were awarded to men at University of South Carolina-Columbia in Other Public Health, which is 3.92 times more than the 100 male recipients with that same degree.

Time to Complete

64%

100% Completion Time

76%

150% Completion Time

In 2021, 64% of students graduating from University of South Carolina-Columbia completed their program within 100% "normal time" (i.e. 4 years for a 4-year degree). Comparatively, 76% completed their degrees within 150% of the normal time, and 78% within 200%.

The following chart shows these completion rates over time compared to the average for the Doctoral Universities Carnegie Classification group.

Graduation rate is defined as the percentage of full-time, first-time students who received a degree or award within a specific percentage of "normal time" to completion for their program.

Graduation Rate by Race and Sex

Showing demographic groups with ≥ 5 graduating students.

White Female

Highest Graduation Rate (81.7%)

The student demographic with the highest graduation rate in 2021 at University of South Carolina-Columbia is Female and White (81.7% graduation rate). Across all Doctoral Universities, Asian Female students have the highest graduation rate (72.9%).

The department of education defines graduation rate as the percentage of full-time, first-time students who received a degree or award within 150% of "normal time" to completion.

The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) categorizes any student who is studying in the United States on a temporary basis as a "Non-Resident Alien", and the graduation rate of those students is shown in the chart below. Additionally, 0.473% of graduates (19 students) did not report their race.

Race & Ethnicity by Share

Most Common Student Race or Ethnicity (2021)

White
7,538 degrees awarded
Black or African American
944 degrees awarded
Hispanic or Latino
439 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity at University of South Carolina-Columbia is white (7,538 degrees awarded). There were 7.99 times more white recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, black or african american (944 degrees).

0.922% of degree recipients (94 students) did not report their race.

Race & Ethnicity by Sex

Most Common Sex Demographic (2021)

White Female
4,337 degrees awarded
White Male
3,201 degrees awarded
Black or African American Female
622 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity and sex grouping at University of South Carolina-Columbia is white female (4,337 degrees awarded). There were 1.35 times more white female recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, white male (3201 degrees).

Operations

University of South Carolina-Columbia has an endowment valued at nearly $760M, as of the end of the 2021 fiscal year. The return on its endowment was of 4.85M (0.639%) compared to the 10.4% average return (40.5M on 388M) across all Doctoral Universities.

In 2021, University of South Carolina-Columbia had a total salary expenditure of 1.23B. University of South Carolina-Columbia employs 448 Professors, 448 Associate professors and 316 Assistant professors. Most academics at University of South Carolina-Columbia are Male Professor (306), Female Associate professor (225), and Male Associate professor (223).

The most common positions for non-instructional staff at University of South Carolina-Columbia are: Management, with 975 employees, Office and Administrative Support, with 733 employees, and Community, Social Service, Legal, Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports and Media with 478 employees.

Endowment

$760M

2021 Endowment

24.4%

growth from 2020

University of South Carolina-Columbia has an endowment valued at about $760M, as of the end of the 2021 fiscal year. The endowment of University of South Carolina-Columbia grew 24.4% from the previous year. The value of their endowment was $372M higher than than the median endowment of Doctoral Universities according to the Carnegie Classification grouping.

This line chart shows how the endowment at University of South Carolina-Columbia (in red) compares to that of some similar universities.

The small bar chart below shows the endowment quintiles for all universities in the Doctoral Universities: Highest Research Activity Carnegie Classification grouping.

Government Grants and Contracts

Grants & Contracts

$143M - Federal
$97.1M - State
$403k - Local

As of 2021, University of South Carolina-Columbia received $143M in grants and contracts from the federal government, $97.1M from state grants and contracts, and $403k from local grants and contracts.

Salary Expenditure

$543M

2021 Salaries

2.61%

growth from 2020

In 2021, University of South Carolina-Columbia paid a median of $543M in salaries, which represents 44.1% of their overall expenditure ($1.23B) and a 2.61% growth from the previous year.

The median for similar Doctoral Universities is 234M (42.8% of overall expenditures).

Instructional Salaries

$158M

Instructional Salaries

1,463

Number of Employees

In 2021, University of South Carolina-Columbia paid a total of $158M to 1,463 employees working as instructors, which represents 29.2% of all salaries paid.

This is compared to a median of $71M (30.3%) for similar Doctoral Universities.

Occupations by Share

Professor

Most Common Instructor

448 Employees

Management

Most Common Non-Instructional Employee

975 Employees

In 2021, the most common positions for instructional staff at University of South Carolina-Columbia were Professor with 448 employees, Associate professor with 448 employees, and Assistant professor with 316 employees.

In 2021, the most common positions for non-instructional staff at University of South Carolina-Columbia were Management with 975 employees, Office and Administrative Support with 733 employees, and Community, Social Service, Legal, Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports and Media with 478 employees.

Instructors by Academic Rank and Sex

Most Common Demographic (2021)

Male Professor
Female Associate professor
Male Associate professor

In 2021, the most common demographic for instructional staff at University of South Carolina-Columbia was Male Professor with 306 employees, Female Associate professor with 225 employees, and Male Associate professor with 223 employees.

This chart shows the sex split between each academic rank present at University of South Carolina-Columbia.