Coastal Carolina: A Parent's Guide to Admissions, Cost & Outcomes
Officially Coastal Carolina University · Conway, South Carolina · Public · Open access · CDS 2024-2025
Admission at a glance
Common Data Set 2024-2025
- Test-optional
- Early Decision
- Early Action
- 21,028
- Applicants
- 15,828
- Admitted75%
- 2,677
- Enrolled
- 17%
- Yield rate
Selectivity
Open access75% admittedRanked #37 (tie) in Regional Universities South; Business Programs #262 (tie), Best Undergraduate Engineering Programs #140 (tie), Computer Science #396 (tie)U.S. News & World Report, Best Colleges 2027
Admission figures come from the 2024-2025 Common Data Set published by Coastal Carolina University (see the source), read on 2026-06-15.
Is Coastal Carolina a reach, target or safety for your student?
Enter a GPA and course load and the calculator places Coastal Carolina against it in about a minute. No account needed.
Coastal Carolina is a public university in Conway, South Carolina that admits about 75% of applicants, making it a open access school. The average family pays about $13,966 a year after financial aid, which matters more than the published sticker price. It is best known for Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness, Business Administration, Management and Operations and Marketing, its largest undergraduate programs by number of graduates. About 48% of students graduate within six years. Its most recent Clery Act report shows roughly 1.3 criminal offenses per 1,000 students.
Coastal Carolina is a public institution located in Conway, South Carolina. For the most recent reporting cycle, Coastal Carolina admits the majority of qualified applicants, with an overall admission rate of 75%. Admitted students typically post a median SAT of 1140 and an ACT composite around 23. The average net price after grants and scholarships is $13,966 per year, which is the figure most families actually pay rather than the published sticker price.
What GPA does my child need for Coastal Carolina?
54% of enrolled students at Coastal Carolina had a high school GPA of 3.75 or above, and the average was 3.8, according to its 2024-2025 Common Data Set.
Compare Coastal Carolina with the other schools on your list
Open Coastal Carolina in College Search to set it beside up to three other colleges on cost, admission odds and outcomes, and save it to a shortlist when you are ready.
What does Coastal Carolina weight in admissions?
Coastal Carolina reports these factor weights in its Common Data Set (2024-2025). What the weights mean
Very Important
2- Rigor of secondary school record
- Academic GPA
Important
1- Class rank
Considered
12- Standardized test scores
- Application essay
- Recommendations
- Extracurricular activities
- Talent/ability
- Character/personal qualities
- First generation status
- Alumni/ae relation
- Geographical residence
- State residency
- Volunteer work
- Work experience
Not Considered
3- Interview
- Religious affiliation/commitment
- Level of applicant's interest
SAT and ACT scores Coastal Carolina typically admits
The middle-50 SAT Math range is 520–600, with an EBRW midpoint near 560. The middle-50 ACT composite range is 21–26. Many applicants here submit scores; even slightly below the average can be competitive when combined with a strong GPA and curriculum.
| 25th percentile | 1070 |
| 50th percentile | 1140 |
| 75th percentile | 1210 |
| % submitting SAT | 23% |
| 25th percentile | 21 |
| 50th percentile | 23 |
| 75th percentile | 26 |
| % submitting ACT | 8% |
- • Test-optional: Standardized test scores are not required, but may be submitted and considered.
- • Test-optional ONLY with a 3.5+ weighted GPA; applicants below 3.5 must send SAT/ACT. Applicants 22+ exempt.
- • Checked for Fall 2027 applicants on Coastal Carolina's admissions site. Policies change; confirm before you apply.
Where admitted students ranked in their high school class
Class rank distribution gives parents a clear sense of how academically dominant a typical admitted student was within their own high school cohort, often a more meaningful signal than absolute GPA.
| Top 10% of class | 13% |
| Top 25% of class | 38% |
| Top 50% of class | 78% |
| % submitting class rank | 65% |
How much does Coastal Carolina actually cost?
Published tuition is $11,640 for in-state students and $29,628 for out-of-state, before grants and scholarships. Room and board adds roughly $12,146 annually. After need-based and merit aid, the average family pays a net price of $13,966 per year, and that is the number that actually matters for budgeting. Roughly 26% of students receive Pell Grants.
| In-state tuition | $11,460 |
| Out-of-state tuition | $29,448 |
| Room and board | $13,100 |
| Average net price (after aid) | $13,966 |
| Share of financial need metaverage, for students with need | 58% |
| Average need-based grant | $12,950 |
| Average merit award, no financial need706 first-year students received one | $6,413 |
| Graduates who borrowed | 70% |
| Average debt at graduationamong those who borrowed | $42,005 |
| Financial aid forms | FAFSA only (no CSS Profile)College Board 2026-27 list |
| Application fee | $45 (waivers available) |
Application deadlines and early decision data for Coastal Carolina
| Regular deadline | 2/1 |
| Reply deadline | May 1 or within 2 weeks if notified thereafter |
| Offers Early Decision | Yes |
| ED deadline | October 15 |
| ED acceptance rate | 77% |
| Offers Early Action | Yes |
| EA deadline | November 15 |
Will my child graduate from Coastal Carolina?
These predict outcomes at Coastal Carolina better than its acceptance rate does. How to read retention and graduation rates
Most popular majors at Coastal Carolina
The most popular undergraduate programs at Coastal Carolina, measured by the number of students who actually graduate each year, are Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness, Business Administration, Management and Operations and Marketing. Across all programs, Coastal Carolina confers roughly 1,107 bachelor's degrees a year. Graduates of its Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness program report a median income of about $46,652 five years after entering college. What these figures mean
| Major | Graduates / year | Median earnings (5 yrs out) |
|---|---|---|
| Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness | 198 | $46,652 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | 191 | $59,876 |
| Marketing | 154 | $63,667 |
| Communication and Media Studies | 134 | $49,719 |
| Psychology, General | 127 | $45,124 |
| Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology | 117 | $41,398 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | 95 | $43,180 |
| Intelligence, Command Control and Information Operations | 91 | $49,288 |
Is Coastal Carolina safe? Campus crime & safety
In its most recent Clery Act report (2024), Coastal Carolina disclosed 13 total criminal offenses across its campus and surrounding public property, about 1.3 per 1,000 students. That figure includes 0 violent offenses and 3 reported sexual assaults or VAWA offenses. Why per-1,000 rates, not counts
What is campus life like at Coastal Carolina?
About 48% of undergraduates at Coastal Carolina live in campus housing, so a meaningful share of students commute or live off campus. Residential rate and Greek participation shape day-to-day social life and are worth weighing alongside academics and cost.
Other colleges in South Carolina parents ask about
Next steps for Coastal Carolina
Common questions parents ask about Coastal Carolina
What GPA do I need for Coastal Carolina?
54% of enrolled students at Coastal Carolina had a high school GPA of 3.75 or above, and the average was 3.8, according to its 2024-2025 Common Data Set.
What SAT or ACT score does Coastal Carolina typically admit?
The middle-50 SAT Math range is 520–600, with an EBRW midpoint near 560. The middle-50 ACT composite range is 21–26.
How much does Coastal Carolina actually cost after financial aid?
The average net price at Coastal Carolina after grants and scholarships is $13,966 per year, against a published in-state tuition of $11,640 and $29,628 out of state. Budget against the net figure.
Is Coastal Carolina realistic for my child?
Coastal Carolina admits 75% of applicants, so 520–600 SAT Math is target range and below 520 is a reach. Then check the $13,966 average net price against what your family can carry.
What is the acceptance rate at Coastal Carolina?
Coastal Carolina accepts about 75% of applicants out of roughly 21,028 who apply each year. It admits the majority of qualified applicants.
Is Coastal Carolina test-optional?
Yes. Coastal Carolina is test-optional for Fall 2027 applicants, so SAT and ACT scores are not required, but strong scores can still be submitted and will be considered. Test-optional ONLY with a 3.5+ weighted GPA; applicants below 3.5 must send SAT/ACT. Applicants 22+ exempt.
What is the graduation rate at Coastal Carolina?
About 48% of students at Coastal Carolina graduate within six years. 77% of freshmen return for sophomore year. Graduation rate predicts real outcomes better than acceptance rate.
Does applying Early Decision improve my chances at Coastal Carolina?
Coastal Carolina's Early Decision acceptance rate is about 77%, compared with its overall rate of 75%. Applying ED can meaningfully improve admission odds, but it is a binding commitment to enroll if accepted.
What does Coastal Carolina look for in applicants?
Coastal Carolina rates course rigor and GPA as "very important" in its Common Data Set. These are the factors the admissions committee weighs most heavily when reviewing an application.
Is Coastal Carolina a public or private school, and where is it located?
Coastal Carolina is a public institution located in Conway, South Carolina.
What are the most popular majors at Coastal Carolina?
The largest undergraduate majors at Coastal Carolina by annual graduates are Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness, Business Administration, Management and Operations and Marketing. The school awards about 1,107 bachelor's degrees a year in total. These figures come from federal IPEDS completion data.
Is Coastal Carolina safe? What is its campus crime rate?
Coastal Carolina reported 13 total criminal offenses in its most recent Clery Act disclosure (2024), roughly 1.3 per 1,000 students. Compare the per-1,000 rate rather than the raw total, since larger schools report more incidents.
What is campus life like at Coastal Carolina?
At Coastal Carolina, 48% of undergraduates live on campus, according to its most recent Common Data Set.
Sources: the 2024-2025 Common Data Set submitted by Coastal Carolina University, the College Scorecard and IPEDS, and Clery Act disclosures. What each source covers