University of South Carolina-Columbia

Columbia, SC

School Background

2022 Undergraduate Enrollment: 26,430
Graduate Enrollment: 8,607
Doctoral Universities: Very High Research Activity
Highest degree awarded: Graduate
Religious Affiliation: None

Campus Details

Medium City (100k-250k)
Four-year, large, primarily residential // full-time, more selective, higher transfer-in

Applicant and Admittance Traits

2022 Admission Rate: 61.56%

Male/Female: 44% / 56% (2017)

First generation college students: 19.5% (2017)
Percentage of students who are married when enrolled: 2.3% (2017)
Percentage of students who are veterans: 0.2% (2017)

Test scores for admission: Considered but not required
2022 Median Admit SAT: 1,286
SAT 25th Percentile - 75th: 1150 - 1360

2022 Median Admit ACT: 29
ACT 25th Percentile - 75th: 26 - 31

Appliants applying to 2+ schools: 62.7% (2017)
Appliants applying to 3+ schools: 42.1% (2017)
Appliants applying to 4+ schools: 31.4% (2017)
Appliants applying to 5+ schools: 22.8% (2017)

Ethnicity Information

White: 74.2%
Black: 8.7%
Hispanic: 5.5%
Asian: 4.1%
American Indian/Alaska Native: 0.2%
Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander: 0.1%
2+ races: 4.2%
Non-resident alien: 2.0%
Unknown race: 1.0%

Costs & Fees

2022 Average Tuition & Fees (Room/Board/Books): $28,856
In-State tuition: $12,688
Out-of-State tuition: $33,928

Estimated books and supplies: $1,085 (2022)
Estimated on-campus room & board: $10,990 (2022)
Estimated on-campus other fees: $4,386 (2022)

Estimated off-campus room & board: $11,239 (2022)
Estimated off-campus other fees: $4,386 (2022)

Average Family Income: $101,041 (2017)
Median Family Income: $74,190 (2017)

Scholarships & Financial Aid

Percentage of students receiving Pell Grant: 19.6%
Percentage of students with Federal Loans: 43.1%

Median federal loan debt at graduation: $21,500 (2021)
Median federal loan payment: $228 (2021)

Household Income Net Cost
0-$30k $12,610
$30k-48k $16,370
$48k-75k $19,976
$75k-110k $22,375
$110k+ $24,716

Graduate Outcomes & Job Placements

4-year graduation rate: 67%
6-year graduation rate: 78%

1 year post-graduation workforce participation: 96.0% (2020)

Loans

Median federal debt for graduates: $21,500 (2021)
Median federal debt for non-graduates: $7,750 (2021)

Median federal debt for first-generation graduates: $18,625 (2021)
Median federal debt for Pell grant recipient graduates: $19,500 (2021)

Ability to Repay Loans

Graduates, % of Loans in Repayment
(Non-delinquent/default)
Percentage
@1 Year 69.7% (2015)
@3 year 75.9% (2017)
@5 year 82.6% (2017)


1-year Graduate % of Loans being Repaid (Non-delinquent/default) - Pell Grant Recipients: 50.4% (2015)
1-year Graduate % of Loans being Repaid - 1st Generation Attendees: 52.6% (2015)

Earnings Power

Median earnings, 1 year post graduation: $41,702 (2020)
Median earnings, 4 years post graduation: $52,987 (2020)

Popular Majors

Type of Degree Major 2022 Graduates Median Federal Debt Median Monthly Payment 1yr Median Earnings (monthly gross) 4yr Median Earnings (monthly gross)
Doctoral Degree Criminology. 3
Bachelor's Degree Radio, Television, and Digital Communication. 56 $21,500 $228 $32,810 ($2,734) $44,406 ($3,701)
Bachelor's Degree Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication. 232 $24,250 $244 $39,637 ($3,303) $54,570 ($4,548)
Graduate/Professional Certificate Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication. 2
Bachelor's Degree Computer and Information Sciences, General. 210 $25,250 $246 $61,660 ($5,138) $78,153 ($6,513)
Bachelor's Degree Information Science/Studies. 9
Master's Degree Computer Science. 19
Master's Degree Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management. 1
Graduate/Professional Certificate Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management. 7
Master's Degree Education, General. 29 $345 $45,407 ($3,784)
Doctoral Degree Education, General. 2
Doctoral Degree Curriculum and Instruction. 98 $629 $70,158 ($5,847)
Master's Degree Educational Administration and Supervision. 95 $367 $52,866 ($4,406) $62,806 ($5,234)
Doctoral Degree Educational Administration and Supervision. 2
Graduate/Professional Certificate Educational Administration and Supervision. 17
Master's Degree Educational/Instructional Media Design. 5
Doctoral Degree Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research. 1
Doctoral Degree Social and Philosophical Foundations of Education. 1
Master's Degree Special Education and Teaching. 10 $47,591 ($3,966)
Doctoral Degree Special Education and Teaching. 1
Master's Degree Computer Engineering. 12
Master's Degree English Language and Literature, General. 6
Doctoral Degree English Language and Literature, General. 13 $54,626 ($4,552)
Master's Degree Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies. 7
Bachelor's Degree Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities. 116 $26,000 $207 $31,366 ($2,614) $35,031 ($2,919)
Master's Degree Library Science and Administration. 113 $439 $43,303 ($3,609) $45,826 ($3,819)
Doctoral Degree Library Science and Administration. 4
Graduate/Professional Certificate Library Science and Administration. 2
Bachelor's Degree Biology, General. 288 $24,620 $228 $26,502 ($2,209) $45,891 ($3,824)
Master's Degree Biology, General. 19 $29,147 ($2,429)
Doctoral Degree Biology, General. 8 $69,826 ($5,819)
Graduate/Professional Certificate Biology, General. 11
Bachelor's Degree Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology. 57 $26,300 $246 $26,131 ($2,178)
Master's Degree Genetics. 8
Bachelor's Degree Physiology, Pathology and Related Sciences. 233 $25,000 $246 $25,862 ($2,155) $53,389 ($4,449)
Master's Degree Physiology, Pathology and Related Sciences. 7
Master's Degree Biomathematics, Bioinformatics, and Computational Biology. 1
Doctoral Degree Biomathematics, Bioinformatics, and Computational Biology. 1
Bachelor's Degree Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology. 59 $18,896 $201 $23,236 ($1,936) $37,752 ($3,146)
Master's Degree Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology. 11
Doctoral Degree Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology. 9
Bachelor's Degree Mathematics. 35 $22,700 $234 $47,155 ($3,930) $69,584 ($5,799)
Master's Degree Mathematics. 4
Doctoral Degree Mathematics. 11
Master's Degree Applied Mathematics. 5
Bachelor's Degree Statistics. 16
Master's Degree Statistics. 4
Doctoral Degree Statistics. 8
Graduate/Professional Certificate Statistics. 16
Graduate/Professional Certificate Museology/Museum Studies. 3
Bachelor's Degree Health and Physical Education/Fitness. 177 $25,000 $228 $39,703 ($3,309) $55,909 ($4,659)
Master's Degree Health and Physical Education/Fitness. 42 $343 $41,796 ($3,483) $53,189 ($4,432)
Doctoral Degree Health and Physical Education/Fitness. 2
Bachelor's Degree Philosophy. 14 $25,000 $30,831 ($2,569)
Master's Degree Philosophy. 2
Doctoral Degree Philosophy. 8
Bachelor's Degree Religion/Religious Studies. 9
Bachelor's Degree Chemistry. 51 $25,046 $247 $34,983 ($2,915) $55,534 ($4,628)
Master's Degree Chemistry. 4
Doctoral Degree Chemistry. 29 $67,028 ($5,586)
Bachelor's Degree Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences. 21 $26,500 $246 $40,243 ($3,354)
Master's Degree Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences. 9
Doctoral Degree Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences. 2
Bachelor's Degree Physics. 6
Doctoral Degree Economics. 3
Bachelor's Degree Geography and Cartography. 25 $23,250 $228 $40,648 ($3,387) $48,306 ($4,026)
Master's Degree Geography and Cartography. 9
Doctoral Degree Geography and Cartography. 4
Bachelor's Degree International Relations and National Security Studies. 51 $20,500 $200 $24,663 ($2,055) $49,363 ($4,114)
Bachelor's Degree Political Science and Government. 157 $25,000 $228 $32,103 ($2,675) $49,917 ($4,160)
Master's Degree Political Science and Government. 4
Doctoral Degree Political Science and Government. 5
Bachelor's Degree Sociology. 37 $27,000 $268 $30,897 ($2,575) $41,963 ($3,497)
Master's Degree Sociology. 3
Doctoral Degree Sociology. 1
Master's Degree Social Sciences, Other. 4
Bachelor's Degree Dance. 12 $25,509 ($2,126)
Bachelor's Degree Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft. 10
Master's Degree Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft. 12
Bachelor's Degree Film/Video and Photographic Arts. 86 $25,750 $239 $24,822 ($2,069) $33,768 ($2,814)
Master's Degree Film/Video and Photographic Arts. 3
Bachelor's Degree Fine and Studio Arts. 54 $27,000 $245 $25,566 ($2,131) $32,724 ($2,727)
Master's Degree Fine and Studio Arts. 6
Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma Music. 17
Bachelor's Degree Music. 48 $27,000 $286 $36,426 ($3,036) $40,181 ($3,348)
Master's Degree Accounting and Related Services. 75 $233 $59,502 ($4,959) $80,664 ($6,722)
Bachelor's Degree Business/Managerial Economics. 76 $25,000 $246 $55,310 ($4,609) $75,178 ($6,265)
Bachelor's Degree Finance and Financial Management Services. 557 $25,000 $246 $58,593 ($4,883) $79,318 ($6,610)
Bachelor's Degree Hospitality Administration/Management. 190 $26,000 $228 $34,463 ($2,872) $45,324 ($3,777)
Master's Degree Hospitality Administration/Management. 4
Doctoral Degree Hospitality Administration/Management. 1
Master's Degree Human Resources Management and Services. 37 $346 $97,860 ($8,155) $111,528 ($9,294)
Bachelor's Degree International Business. 131 $25,174 $267 $66,784 ($5,565) $89,299 ($7,442)
Master's Degree International Business. 82 $466 $78,062 ($6,505) $109,100 ($9,092)
Graduate/Professional Certificate Management Information Systems and Services. 42
Bachelor's Degree Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods. 275 $22,922 $239 $64,140 ($5,345) $80,943 ($6,745)
Bachelor's Degree Natural Resources Conservation and Research. 38 $25,500 $254 $36,391 ($3,033) $49,481 ($4,123)
Bachelor's Degree Area Studies. 23 $20,125 $207
Bachelor's Degree Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies. 11
Graduate/Professional Certificate Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies. 7
Bachelor's Degree Communication and Media Studies. 52 $25,500 $239 $28,432 ($2,369)
Doctoral Degree Communication and Media Studies. 3
Bachelor's Degree Journalism. 82 $26,000 $231 $34,356 ($2,863) $46,183 ($3,849)
Master's Degree Journalism. 16
Bachelor's Degree Computer Engineering. 46 $27,000 $272 $66,826 ($5,569) $75,680 ($6,307)
Master's Degree Student Counseling and Personnel Services. 31 $445 $41,769 ($3,481) $49,798 ($4,150)
Doctoral Degree Student Counseling and Personnel Services. 5
Graduate/Professional Certificate Student Counseling and Personnel Services. 39
Bachelor's Degree Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods. 144 $26,000 $260 $36,839 ($3,070) $38,005 ($3,167)
Master's Degree Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods. 31 $347 $42,156 ($3,513) $43,896 ($3,658)
Doctoral Degree Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods. 1
Bachelor's Degree Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas. 27 $23,780 $232 $37,717 ($3,143) $38,368 ($3,197)
Master's Degree Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas. 23 $380 $45,158 ($3,763) $47,722 ($3,977)
Doctoral Degree Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas. 3
Master's Degree Aerospace, Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering. 7
Bachelor's Degree Biomedical/Medical Engineering. 50 $26,000 $244 $59,496 ($4,958) $71,054 ($5,921)
Master's Degree Biomedical/Medical Engineering. 5
Doctoral Degree Biomedical/Medical Engineering. 5
Bachelor's Degree Chemical Engineering. 67 $27,000 $278 $70,116 ($5,843) $86,093 ($7,174)
Master's Degree Chemical Engineering. 4
Doctoral Degree Chemical Engineering. 6
Doctoral Degree Physiology, Pathology and Related Sciences. 5
Bachelor's Degree Civil Engineering. 67 $27,000 $276 $65,946 ($5,496) $76,849 ($6,404)
Master's Degree Civil Engineering. 9
Doctoral Degree Civil Engineering. 8
Doctoral Degree Computer Engineering. 9
Bachelor's Degree Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering. 49 $27,000 $286 $76,363 ($6,364) $84,115 ($7,010)
Master's Degree Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering. 11
Doctoral Degree Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering. 5
Bachelor's Degree Mechanical Engineering. 199 $25,000 $241 $68,054 ($5,671) $78,911 ($6,576)
Master's Degree Mechanical Engineering. 14
Doctoral Degree Mechanical Engineering. 11
Master's Degree Nuclear Engineering. 4
Doctoral Degree Nuclear Engineering. 1
Master's Degree Engineering-Related Fields. 13
Bachelor's Degree Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services. 1
Master's Degree Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services. 9
Doctoral Degree Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services. 4
Graduate/Professional Certificate Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services. 4
Bachelor's Degree Slavic, Baltic and Albanian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics. 13
Bachelor's Degree Germanic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics. 6
Master's Degree Germanic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics. 1
Bachelor's Degree Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics. 25 $23,189 $239 $22,367 ($1,864) $50,389 ($4,199)
Master's Degree Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics. 2
Doctoral Degree Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics. 1
Bachelor's Degree Classics and Classical Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics. 2
First Professional Degree Law. 203 $1,312 $54,513 ($4,543) $78,338 ($6,528)
Bachelor's Degree English Language and Literature, General. 107 $26,000 $257 $24,306 ($2,026) $39,823 ($3,319)
Doctoral Degree Physics. 7
Master's Degree Physical Sciences, Other. 4
Bachelor's Degree Research and Experimental Psychology. 261 $24,250 $228 $27,194 ($2,266) $39,456 ($3,288)
Master's Degree Research and Experimental Psychology. 2
Doctoral Degree Research and Experimental Psychology. 2
Master's Degree Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology. 9
Doctoral Degree Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology. 17
Bachelor's Degree Criminal Justice and Corrections. 204 $25,000 $217 $33,100 ($2,758) $43,883 ($3,657)
Master's Degree Criminal Justice and Corrections. 4
Master's Degree Public Administration. 18 $51,429 ($4,286)
Bachelor's Degree Social Work. 49 $24,000 $228 $24,876 ($2,073) $40,123 ($3,344)
Master's Degree Social Work. 229 $466 $41,230 ($3,436) $48,412 ($4,034)
Doctoral Degree Social Work. 1
Graduate/Professional Certificate Social Work. 8
Bachelor's Degree Anthropology. 28 $23,687 $191 $20,526 ($1,711) $28,454 ($2,371)
Master's Degree Anthropology. 2
Doctoral Degree Anthropology. 4
Bachelor's Degree Economics. 80 $24,062 $227 $41,363 ($3,447) $57,679 ($4,807)
Master's Degree Economics. 12
Master's Degree Music. 28 $437 $28,762 ($2,397) $28,810 ($2,401)
Doctoral Degree Music. 19 $51,602 ($4,300)
Graduate/Professional Certificate Music. 3
Master's Degree Communication Disorders Sciences and Services. 61 $751 $56,154 ($4,680) $60,643 ($5,054)
Doctoral Degree Communication Disorders Sciences and Services. 1
Master's Degree Health and Medical Administrative Services. 34 $511 $60,278 ($5,023) $76,272 ($6,356)
Bachelor's Degree Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions. 40 $27,000 $285 $38,661 ($3,222) $45,243 ($3,770)
Master's Degree Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions. 45 $967 $48,582 ($4,049)
First Professional Degree Medicine. 179 $2,399 $57,922 ($4,827) $106,839 ($8,903)
Graduate/Professional Certificate Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions. 18 $630 $43,289 ($3,607)
Bachelor's Degree Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration. 57
Doctoral Degree Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration. 1
First Professional Degree Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration. 106 $1,285 $99,857 ($8,321) $125,398 ($10,450)
Bachelor's Degree Public Health. 317 $24,958 $228 $29,573 ($2,464) $43,924 ($3,660)
Graduate/Professional Certificate Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods. 98
Master's Degree Public Health. 49 $623 $48,146 ($4,012) $58,904 ($4,909)
Doctoral Degree Public Health. 25 $84,004 ($7,000)
Graduate/Professional Certificate Public Health. 1
Master's Degree Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions. 5
Doctoral Degree Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions. 19 $1,263 $64,967 ($5,414) $75,087 ($6,257)
Graduate/Professional Certificate Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions. 2
Bachelor's Degree Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing. 223 $24,250 $248 $65,944 ($5,495) $66,230 ($5,519)
Master's Degree Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing. 210 $502 $97,806 ($8,151) $139,887 ($11,657)
Doctoral Degree Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing. 35 $710 $96,216 ($8,018)
Graduate/Professional Certificate Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing. 18 $121,418 ($10,118)
Bachelor's Degree Business Administration, Management and Operations. 393 $26,000 $239 $44,837 ($3,736) $57,877 ($4,823)
Master's Degree Business Administration, Management and Operations. 197 $466 $102,247 ($8,521) $124,913 ($10,409)
Doctoral Degree Business Administration, Management and Operations. 8
Bachelor's Degree Accounting and Related Services. 157 $25,826 $268 $53,308 ($4,442) $72,537 ($6,045)
Bachelor's Degree Marketing. 457 $23,750 $246 $49,609 ($4,134) $62,400 ($5,200)
Bachelor's Degree Real Estate. 44 $22,500 $228 $45,469 ($3,789)
Bachelor's Degree Insurance. 146 $25,995 $267 $58,461 ($4,872) $73,714 ($6,143)
Bachelor's Degree General Sales, Merchandising and Related Marketing Operations. 130 $24,979 $246 $38,355 ($3,196) $53,030 ($4,419)
Bachelor's Degree History. 73 $22,550 $217 $26,976 ($2,248) $43,166 ($3,597)
Master's Degree History. 9
Doctoral Degree History. 8


Campus Resources

Average faculty salary: $102,393
Full time faculty: 71%

Undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio: 18.0

School's endowment start of year: $610,313,618 (2022)
School's endowment end of year: $759,523,221 (2022)