University of South Carolina-Columbia: A Parent's Guide to Admissions, Cost & Outcomes
Conway, South Carolina · Public · Open access · CDS 2024-2025
University of South Carolina-Columbia is a public university in Conway, South Carolina that admits about 80% of applicants, making it a open access school. The average family pays about $13,742 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.
University of South Carolina-Columbia is a public institution located in Conway, South Carolina. For the most recent reporting cycle, University of South Carolina-Columbia admits the majority of qualified applicants, with an overall admission rate of 80%. Admitted students typically post an average SAT of 1128 and an ACT composite around 23. The average net price after grants and scholarships is $13,742 per year, which is the figure most families actually pay rather than the published sticker price. For parents weighing whether University of South Carolina-Columbia is realistic for their teenager, the most useful planning step is comparing your child's current GPA and most recent SAT or ACT against these admitted-student ranges — not the headline acceptance rate alone.
What GPA does my child need for University of South Carolina-Columbia?
University of South Carolina-Columbia has a broadly accessible admissions profile, and most students who complete a standard college-prep curriculum with a 3.0 GPA or higher are competitive for admission. Parents tracking their child's GPA toward this tier of school can use Solyo's free calculator to see weighted, unweighted, and college-recalculated numbers side by side.
What does University of South Carolina-Columbia weight in admissions?
University of South Carolina-Columbia reports the following factor importance in its Common Data Set (2024-2025). These are the criteria the admissions committee weighs when reviewing applications.
- • Rigor of secondary school record
- • Academic GPA
- • Class rank
- • 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
- • Interview
- • Religious affiliation/commitment
- • Level of applicant's interest
SAT and ACT scores University of South Carolina-Columbia typically admits
The middle-50 SAT Math range is 520–600, with an EBRW midpoint near 560. The middle-50 ACT composite range is 20–26. 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.
- • Policy detail: Considered if submitted
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 University of South Carolina-Columbia 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 $11,418 annually. After need-based and merit aid, the average family pays a net price of $13,742 per year — the number that actually matters for budgeting. Roughly 27% of students receive Pell Grants, a useful indicator of how much need-based aid the school distributes.
| In-state tuition | $11,460 |
| Out-of-state tuition | $29,448 |
| Room and board | $13,100 |
| Average net price (after aid) | $13,742 |
| Application fee | $45 (waivers available) |
Application deadlines and early decision data for University of South Carolina-Columbia
| Regular deadline | 2/1 |
| Reply deadline | May 1 or within 2 weeks if notified thereafter |
| Offers Early Decision | Yes |
| ED deadline | 10/15 |
| ED acceptance rate | 77% |
| Offers Early Action | Yes |
| EA deadline | 11/15 |
Will my child graduate from University of South Carolina-Columbia?
Retention and graduation rates are the most overlooked numbers in college planning, but they predict actual outcomes far better than acceptance rate. They tell you whether admitted students stay and finish on time.
Most popular majors at University of South Carolina-Columbia
The most popular undergraduate programs at University of South Carolina-Columbia, 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, University of South Carolina-Columbia 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. Major popularity is a practical signal of where a school concentrates its teaching strength and where your child will find the deepest course offerings and peer community.
| 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 University of South Carolina-Columbia safe? Campus crime & safety
In its most recent Clery Act report (2024), University of South Carolina-Columbia 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. Per-1,000-student rates matter more than raw counts when comparing schools, because larger universities mechanically report more incidents. Under the federal Clery Act, every college that receives federal aid must publish these numbers annually.
Other colleges in South Carolina parents ask about
How parents track GPA toward selective schools like University of South Carolina-Columbia
Solyo helps parents track grades pulled directly from school emails, calculate GPA the same way colleges like University of South Carolina-Columbia recalculate it, and ask an AI college counselor specific questions about their teen's odds. The platform is built for parents — not students — and turns what's usually a fragmented planning process into a single dashboard.
Common questions parents ask about University of South Carolina-Columbia
What GPA do I need for University of South Carolina-Columbia?
University of South Carolina-Columbia has a broadly accessible admissions profile, and most students who complete a standard college-prep curriculum with a 3.0 GPA or higher are competitive for admission.
What SAT or ACT score does University of South Carolina-Columbia typically admit?
The middle-50 SAT Math range is 520–600, with an EBRW midpoint near 560. The middle-50 ACT composite range is 20–26.
How much does University of South Carolina-Columbia actually cost after financial aid?
The average net price at University of South Carolina-Columbia after grants and scholarships is $13,742 per year. That figure is more useful for budgeting than the published sticker price, because it reflects what families actually pay after aid is applied.
Is University of South Carolina-Columbia realistic for my child?
Compare your teen's current unweighted GPA and most recent SAT or ACT against the ranges above. If both numbers fall inside the school's middle-50, University of South Carolina-Columbia is a target school. If both fall below the 25th-percentile mark, treat it as a reach and balance the application list accordingly.
What is the acceptance rate at University of South Carolina-Columbia?
University of South Carolina-Columbia accepts about 80% of applicants out of roughly 21,028 who apply each year. It admits the majority of qualified applicants.
Is University of South Carolina-Columbia test-optional?
Yes. University of South Carolina-Columbia is test-optional, so SAT and ACT scores are not required, but strong scores can still be submitted and will be considered.
What is the graduation rate at University of South Carolina-Columbia?
About 48% of students at University of South Carolina-Columbia 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 University of South Carolina-Columbia?
University of South Carolina-Columbia's Early Decision acceptance rate is about 77%, compared with its overall rate of 80%. The ED rate is not materially higher here, so weigh the binding commitment carefully.
What does University of South Carolina-Columbia look for in applicants?
University of South Carolina-Columbia 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 University of South Carolina-Columbia a public or private school, and where is it located?
University of South Carolina-Columbia is a public institution located in Conway, South Carolina.
What are the most popular majors at University of South Carolina-Columbia?
The largest undergraduate majors at University of South Carolina-Columbia 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 University of South Carolina-Columbia safe? What is its campus crime rate?
University of South Carolina-Columbia 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.
Data sourced from the 2024-2025 Common Data Set submitted by University of South Carolina-Columbia, the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard and IPEDS, and Clery Act campus safety disclosures. Solyo extracts admissions data from official Common Data Set publications and refreshes it annually.