South Carolina State University
Tuition, net price, acceptance rate, graduation rate, and graduate salary · Orangeburg, South Carolina
Net price / year
$18,097
after grants & scholarships
higher than 82% of public 4-year colleges
Acceptance rate
83%
Graduation rate
33%
within 150% of normal time
lower than 78% of public 4-year colleges
Median earnings
$46,691
4 years after graduating
lower than 92% of public 4-year colleges
South Carolina State University at a glance
- What is the tuition at South Carolina State University?
- In-state undergraduate tuition and fees are $11,060 for the 2024-25 academic year, or $21,750 for out-of-state students.
- What is the cost of attendance at South Carolina State University?
- The average cost of attendance is $30,015 a year before financial aid (2023-24), counting tuition, books, housing and other living expenses.
- What is the net price at South Carolina State University?
- The average net price for in-state students is $18,097 a year after grants and scholarships (2023-24).
- What is the acceptance rate at South Carolina State University?
- About 83% of applicants were admitted (fall 2024).
- Is South Carolina State University test optional?
- Test policy reported to the federal government: Tests neither required nor recommended.
- What is the graduation rate at South Carolina State University?
- 33% of first-time, full-time students finish within 150% of normal time, or 6 years (entering classes through fall 2018).
- How much do graduates of South Carolina State University earn?
- The median graduate earns $46,691 four years after finishing, among graduates working and not enrolled (2024 dollars).
Key takeaways
- The earnings premium over a typical high-school graduate would cover the estimated net cost in about 6.1 years of work (not counting income forgone while studying).
- At $18,097 a year, the average net price is higher than 82% of public 4-year colleges.
- Families earning under $30,000 pay about $16,846 a year on average, versus $24,523 for families earning over $110,000.
- Graduates earn a median $46,691 four years after finishing, less than 92% of public 4-year colleges.
- 70% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants, a sign the school serves many lower-income students.
Tuition and cost of attendance at South Carolina State University
Average net price (in-state)
$18,097 per year
Cost of attendance minus average grants and scholarships, for first-time full-time students receiving federal aid.
Estimate your own price with the South Carolina State University net price calculator ↗
Estimated total net cost
$72,388
Net price × 4 years, at today's prices and assuming on-time completion. Your actual cost depends on your aid.
Net price by family income
Average yearly net price for students receiving federal aid.
- $0–30k $16,846
- $30–48k $16,968
- $48–75k $20,449
- $75–110k $22,587
- $110k+ $24,523
Where the sticker price goes· Cost of attendance $30,015
- Tuition & fees$11,060
- Books & supplies$2,000
- Room & board$9,000
- Other expenses$8,000
- Tuition & fees (in-state)
- $11,060
- Tuition & fees (out-of-state)
- $21,750
South Carolina State University acceptance rate and admissions
Acceptance rate
Share of applicants admitted.
Test policy: Tests neither required nor recommended
Graduation rate and salary after graduating from South Carolina State University
Graduation rate
33%
First-time, full-time students finishing within 150% of normal time.
Retention rate
57%
Full-time first-years who return the next fall.
Typical monthly payment
$329
On a standard 10-year federal plan.
Years of earnings premium to cover cost
6.1 years
Net cost ÷ (graduate earnings − high-school graduate earnings). Excludes income forgone while studying and assumes today's earnings. A rough guide, not a prediction.
Earnings vs debt
Of graduates working and not enrolled, in 2024 dollars.
- Debt-to-earnings
- 0.7×Median debt divided by median earnings 4 years after graduating.
- Share of pay going to loans
- 8.4%
- 3-year loan default rate
- 0%
Outcomes by student group
The Scorecard reports some outcomes separately for groups of students. A group is left out when it is too small to report. These are school-level figures and say nothing about any individual student.
Completion within 150% of normal time, by group
Share of students who entered in 2018 and completed within 150% of normal time (six years at a four-year college, three at a two-year college).
All students, same entering cohort: 37%
Group rates and the all-student rate come from the same 2018 entering cohort, so they can be compared directly. Groups at small colleges can rest on very few students. Data period: Entering cohort 2018 (IPEDS).
Earnings ten years after entry
All students who entered this college, whether or not they graduated, in 2022 dollars, ten years after entry.
Typical range: middle half of students
25th percentile $22,900 · median $38,262 · 75th percentile $55,233
Median by family income
Median by sex
This is not the same as the graduates' earnings shown above. It covers everyone who entered, including students who left without a degree, ten years after entry and in 2022 dollars. The graduates' figure covers only completers, four years after finishing, in 2024 dollars. Do not compare the two directly.
Data period: Students who entered in academic years 2009-10 and 2010-11 (pooled), earnings measured in 2020 and 2021, 2022 dollars (Treasury).
Median federal student debt, by group
Median federal loan debt of students who borrowed, when they left school, by group.
By Pell Grant status
By first-generation status
By family income
By gender
Data period: Loans in fiscal years 2020 and 2021 (pooled, NSLDS).
Programs and majors at South Carolina State University ranked by earnings
| Program | Earnings, 4 yrs after | Earnings over time | Compared with the U.S. median for this field | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Computer and Information Sciences, General Bachelor's · Graduates: 16 Small sample | $66,821 | 1 yr$30,0824 yrs$66,8215 yrs$75,522 | U.S. median $92,374 U.S. middle half $64.2K–$128.2K · Below the U.S. median | $31,000 |
| Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians Bachelor's · Graduates: 21 Small sample | $63,129 | — | U.S. median $82,073 U.S. middle half $66.8K–$98.6K · Below the U.S. median | — |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations Bachelor's · Graduates: 34 | $48,108 | 1 yr$25,5184 yrs$48,1085 yrs$43,968 | U.S. median $68,257 U.S. middle half $47.6K–$93.6K · Below the U.S. median | $31,500 |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections Bachelor's · Graduates: 36 | $45,061 | 1 yr$32,5764 yrs$45,0615 yrs$45,814 | U.S. median $55,378 U.S. middle half $40.2K–$74.4K · Below the U.S. median | $27,000 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas Bachelor's · Graduates: 40 | $41,075 | 1 yr$30,6764 yrs$41,0755 yrs$40,526 | U.S. median $51,389 U.S. middle half $40.5K–$63.1K · Below the U.S. median | $31,000 |
| Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences, General Bachelor's · Graduates: 40 | $40,050 | 1 yr$29,6184 yrs$40,0505 yrs$35,649 | U.S. median $48,460 U.S. middle half $34.7K–$63K · Below the U.S. median | $32,625 |
| Bachelor's · Graduates: 36 | $37,940 | 1 yr$25,9384 yrs$37,9405 yrs$38,985 | U.S. median $57,214 U.S. middle half $38.9K–$79.2K · Below the U.S. median | $30,450 |
| Communication and Media Studies Bachelor's · Graduates: 36 | $33,586 | 4 yrs$33,5865 yrs$38,249 | U.S. median $56,359 U.S. middle half $39.6K–$76.1K · Below the U.S. median | $31,000 |
Earnings are for graduates working and not enrolled, 4 years after completing, in 2024 dollars.
The U.S. median and middle half (25th to 75th percentile) are for graduates of the same field and credential level at all colleges, 4 years after completing.
The 1-year, 4-year and 5-year figures come from different graduating cohorts and dollar years (1-year: AY2018-19 and AY2019-20 graduates, 2022 dollars; 4-year: AY2017-18 and AY2018-19 graduates, 2024 dollars; 5-year: AY2014-15 and AY2015-16 graduates, 2022 dollars), so read them as three separate measures, not a single career path.
Small samples are noisy: the Scorecard adds privacy noise to program figures and some rows are based on only a handful of graduates, so rows marked “small sample” can move a lot from year to year.
What students study
The largest fields among the degrees and certificates this college awarded, grouped by two-digit CIP code (the federal Classification of Instructional Programs). Fields under 1% are left out.
Share of degrees and certificates awarded, by field
A large share means many awards, not necessarily many students or higher earnings. Data period: Awards in academic year 2024-25 (IPEDS).
Who attends
A snapshot of the undergraduate student body as this college reported it to the federal government. Shares are shown as published; they can differ slightly from 100% because of rounding.
Race and ethnicity
- White 1.2%
- Black or African American 90.4%
- Hispanic or Latino 0.1%
- Asian 0.2%
- American Indian or Alaska Native 0.2%
- Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.1%
- Two or more races 4.3%
- U.S. nonresident 0.1%
- Race and ethnicity unknown 3.4%
Federal reporting categories. Students who are not U.S. citizens or permanent residents are counted as nonresident, and students who did not report are counted as unknown. Data period: Fall 2024 (IPEDS).
Gender
- Men 45.4%
- Women 54.6%
Federal reporting uses two categories. Data period: Fall 2024 (IPEDS).
Students aged 25 or older
5%
of undergraduates
Many adult students work or have families while enrolled. Data period: Fall 2023 (IPEDS).
Students and campus
- Undergraduate enrollment
- 2,934
- Part-time students
- 8%
- Receive Pell Grants
- 70%
- Receive federal loans
- 67%
- Students per faculty member
- 19 : 1
- Setting
- Town
Similar colleges
Schools of a similar type, price, size and outcomes.
-
Lander University
Greenwood, SC
Net price $15,363Earnings $47,003
-
Winthrop University
Rock Hill, SC
Net price $15,343Earnings $48,693
-
University of South Carolina Beaufort
Bluffton, SC
Net price $14,656Earnings $49,235
-
Francis Marion University
Florence, SC
Net price $11,386Earnings $52,141
-
Black Hills State University
Spearfish, SD
Net price $15,911Earnings $48,243
-
SUNY at Fredonia
Fredonia, NY
Net price $15,897Earnings $52,192
Where it ranks
This college appears in the top 50 of these TuitionScope rankings.
Guides worth reading
Plain-language explainers that help you read the numbers on this page.
More in South Carolina
In South Carolina
National rankings
Frequently asked questions
How much is tuition at South Carolina State University?
For the 2024-25 academic year, South Carolina State University reported undergraduate tuition and fees of $11,060 for in-state students and $21,750 for out-of-state students. These are published prices before grants and scholarships; what you pay depends on your aid.
What is the cost of attendance and net price at South Carolina State University?
The average cost of attendance at South Carolina State University is $30,015 a year (2023-24), counting tuition, books, housing and other living expenses. After grants and scholarships, the average net price is $18,097 a year. That is higher than 82% of public 4-year colleges.
How much financial aid do students at South Carolina State University get?
70% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants. 67% receive federal loans. The average net price runs from $16,846 a year for families earning under $30,000 to $24,523 for families earning over $110,000 (2023-24).
What is the acceptance rate at South Carolina State University?
South Carolina State University admitted about 83% of applicants in fall 2024. That means most applicants are admitted.
What are the graduation rate and retention rate at South Carolina State University?
33% of first-time, full-time students at South Carolina State University finish within 150% of normal time. 57% of full-time first-years return the next fall.
How much do South Carolina State University graduates earn after graduation?
The median graduate earns $46,691 four years after finishing, among graduates working and not enrolled in further study (2024 dollars). One year after finishing, the median is $30,829.
Is South Carolina State University worth it?
There is no single answer: it depends on your major, your aid and whether you finish. For South Carolina State University, the data shows this. The earnings premium over a typical high-school graduate would cover the estimated net cost in about 6.1 years of work. Graduates who borrowed have a median debt of $31,000, about 0.7 times their median earnings four years after finishing. 33% of first-time, full-time students finish within 150% of normal time. These are averages, not predictions, and they do not count income forgone while studying.
How much debt do South Carolina State University graduates have?
Graduates who borrowed have a median federal-loan debt of $31,000, or about $329 a month on a 10-year plan.
Sources and data periods
All figures come from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard (June 2026 release). Periods differ by measure:
- Average net price: AcadYr 2023-24, reported in IPEDS DCY2024-25
- Acceptance rate: Fall 2024, reported in IPEDS DCY2024-25
- Graduation rate: Fall 2018 or AcadYr 2018-19 cohort (differs by institutional calendar), reported in IPEDS DCY2024-25 pooled with previous years (# of total pooled years found in POOLYRS)
- Median earnings: Treasury AY2017-18, AY2018-19 pooled cohort measured in CY2022, CY2023, inflation adjusted to 2024 dollars
- Median graduate debt: NSLDS FY2020, FY2021 pooled cohorts
Some figures are blank because the school did not report them or the group was too small to publish. How we calculate things