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University of South Carolina-Columbia Logo
University of South Carolina-Columbia
Snapshot
Status
Public
Acceptance Rate
64%
SAT Range
1180-1380
ACT Range
27-32
Student/Faculty Ratio
23:1
Total Enrollments
35,653
Total Cost
$51,179
Net Average Cost of Attendance
$22,427
Main Address
Columbia-Campus
Columbia, SC 29208
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Rankings
Overall Rankings
Library Science
#3 of 66
Parks, Recreation, Leisure, Fitness, And Kinesiology
#8 of 943
Communication, Journalism, And Related Programs
#38 of 1,213
Business, Management, Marketing, And Related Support Services
#52 of 1,782
History
#60 of 1,212
Foreign Languages, Literatures, And Linguistics
#63 of 902
Philosophy And Religious Studies
#66 of 1,024
Liberal Arts And Sciences, General Studies And Humanities
#73 of 931
Overall Scores
A-
Admissions & Acceptance
A
Retention & Graduation
B+
Instructors & Faculty
B+
Financial Resources

Read more about our ranking methodology.

Contact Info
Contact & Location
Phone Number
(803) 777-7000
Website
www.sc.edu
Location
Columbia-Campus
Columbia, SC 29208
Setting
Midsized City
Key Info, Costs & Aid
Selectivity
Acceptance Rate (2022)
Completion Rate (2022)
Student Body
Total Enrollments (2022) 35,653
Women 58%
Men 42%
Total Enrollments (2022) 35,653
White 70%
Black or African American 10%
Hispanic or Latino 5%
International (Non-Citizen) 5%
Asian 4%
Multiracial 4%
Unknown 2%
Native American 0%
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander 0%
Costs
In State Tuition (2022)
$12,288
Out of State Tuition (2022)
$33,528
Books
$1,085
On Campus Room & Board
$11,780

* These statistics utilize the most recently released data from IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System)

Degree Overview
Degrees
Total Awards (2022) 10,680
Bachelor's 70%
Master's 18%
Doctoral 8%
Certificate 3%
Associate's 0%
Total Awards (2022) 10,680
Business 27%
Healthcare 16%
Education and Liberal Arts 14%
Human and Social Sciences 12%
Mathematics and Science 8%
Engineering 6%
Legal and Law 6%
Communication and Media 4%
Art and Design 3%
Computer Technology 3%
Explore Majors

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Sources for school statistics and data include U.S. Department of Education's National Center for Education Statistics and the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System. Data may vary depending on school and academic year.

Find Online Schools
Online Programs
Program
Associate's
Bachelor's
Master's
Certificate
Doctoral
Aerospace, Aeronautical, And Astronautical/Space Engineering, General
 
 
 
 
Curriculum And Instruction
 
 
 
 
Education, General
 
 
 
 
Education, Other
 
 
 
 
Educational Leadership And Administration, General
 
 
 
 
Educational/Instructional Technology
 
 
 
 
Engineering/Industrial Management
 
 
 
 
Management Information Systems, General
 
 
 
 
Non-Profit/Public/Organizational Management
 
 
 
 
Nuclear Engineering
 
 
 
 
Nursing Practice
 
 
 
 
Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, And Administration, Other
 
 
 
 
Reading Teacher Education
 
 
 
 
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research And Clinical Nursing, Other
 
 
 
Social Work
 
 
 
 
Accreditation
Accreditation
Accredited By
Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on Colleges
Specialized Accreditations
Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education
  • Pharmacy (PHAR) - Professional degree programs
American Bar Association, Council of the Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar
  • Law (LAW) - Professional schools
American Physical Therapy Association, Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education
  • Physical Therapy (PT) - Professional programs for the physical therapist
American Psychological Association, Commission on Accreditation
  • Clinical Psychology (CLPSY) - PhD Doctoral programs
  • Professional Psychology (IPSY) - Predoctoral internship programs (Counseling and Human Development Center - Byrnes Building)
  • School Psychology (SCPSY) - PhD Doctoral programs
American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology
  • Speech-Language Pathology (SLP) - Graduate degree programs
Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Management Education
  • Health Services Administration (HSA) - Graduate programs in health services administration
Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education
  • Nursing (CNURED) - Nursing education programs at the baccalaureate degree levels
  • Nursing (CNURED) - Nursing education programs at the graduate degree levels
  • Nursing (CNDNP) - Nursing education programs at the doctorate degree levels
Commission on English Language Program Accreditation
  • English Language (English Language (English Programs for Internationals Intensive English Program))
Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs
  • Nurse Anesthesia (ANEST) - Institutions and programs at the master's degree, post master's certificate or doctoral degree levels
Council on Education for Public Health
  • Public Health (PHBG) - Baccalaureate and Graduate level school of public health
Liaison Committee on Medical Education
  • Medicine (MED) - Programs leading to the M.D. degree (Medicine)
National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education
  • Teacher Education (TED) - Baccalaureate and graduate programs for the preparation of teachers and other professional personnel for elementary and secondary schools

Source data obtained from U.S. Department of Education's Office of Post-secondary Education (OPE)

Alumni & Student Reviews
University of South Carolina-Columbia Logo
4.10715 Based on 7 Reviews
Career Preparation
A-
Students and Culture
A-
Facilities
A
Activities and Groups
A-
Career Preparation

What letter grade would you give your school on how well it prepares students for a career in the real world?

3.8571428571429 Based on 6 Reviews
A- Excellent

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Students and Culture

What letter grade would you give the students/culture at your school?

4.1428571428571 Based on 3 Reviews
A- Excellent

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Facilities

What letter grade would you give the facilities at your school.

4.4285714285714 Based on 5 Reviews
A Excellent

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Activities and Groups

What overall letter grade would you give the activities/groups at your school?

4 Based on 5 Reviews
A- Excellent

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Questions & Answers
Question
Who are the notable alumni?
1 Answer
Answered by: Universities.com

Do you know the origins of the band name Hootie & The Blowfish? The band members merged together the nicknames of two of their USC friends and the name stuck. Now you know! Darius Rucker, Hootie & The Blowfish front man turned country music star, is an alumnus of USC. So are the rest of the band members. Alumni are also professional athletes who play baseball, basketball, soccer, and football. Just a few graduates who were drafted into the NFL include Washington Redskins Cornerback Chris Culliver, Philadelphia Eagles Cornerback Sheldon Dion Brown, and San Diego Chargers Linebacker Melvin Ingram. Some have risen to top government positions. Senator Lindsey Graham and Representative Joe Wilson both graduated from the USC School of Law. Other graduates landed careers in the industry of flight. This includes Former CEO of United Airlines Glenn Tilton, Former CEO of Continental Airlines Larry Kellner, and David A. King, Director of Shuttle Processing for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's John F. Kennedy Space Center. Clearly students leave USC with many talents.

Question
What is the campus setting like?
1 Answer
Answered by: Universities.com

USC gushes with Southern charm and hospitality. Step onto the brick walkway and you’ll find yourself on the historic Horseshoe. That’s the stretch of campus that houses the original USC buildings. Trees create a shady canopy over the lushly landscaped campus as well as Gibbes Green, a peaceful hangout spot complete with Wi-Fi access. Fresh air and high-speed Internet make the perfect pair. When the weather is warm you can take a dip in the pool outside of “The Strom,” officially known as the Strom Thurmond Wellness and Fitness Center. Or if you’re looking for social and leadership activities stop by Russell House University Union. Here students can sign up for local weekly service trips or catch a game of laser tag. Russell House is the place to grab a fresh batch of chicken fingers every Wednesday. Why? It’s tradition! On Tuesdays students can stroll through the farmer’s market on Greene Street and stock up on sustainable products and produce. In fact, if sustainability is your style, consider living in Green Quad. It’s where 500 students learn and live green values while enjoying apartment-style housing and weekly yoga. Do you thrive on living an active and fast-paced lifestyle or prefer to keep it calm and mindful? Either way you can create your ideal college experience at USC.

Question
What are the online learning and extension/adult learning opportunities?
1 Answer
Answered by: Universities.com

You can enroll in online programs through Palmetto College. Palmetto is part of the USC system. They offer online bachelor’s degree completion programs in health promotion, nursing, organizational leadership, business administration, criminal justice, liberal studies, human services, and elementary education. You can also explore their online graduate program options. U.S. World & News Report ranked the graduate nursing program number one in the nation in 2016. For online graduate degrees, the school offers public health, teaching, health information technology, educational administration, and curriculum and instruction. Further, career changers and developing professionals alike can benefit from the university’s continuing education programs. For example, you could earn a grant writing certificate on-campus or a paralegal certificate online. Plus, you always have the option to take an individual online course to learn new information and skills just-because.

Question
What are the athletic highlights?
1 Answer
Answered by: Universities.com

The USC Gamecocks are “something to crow about.” For one, USC breeds national championship-winning equestrians. The equestrian team took the Southeastern Conference championships in 2013 and 2014 and landed their third national championship in 2015. The Gamecocks have collectively scored numerous conference championships in soccer, baseball, track and field, basketball, and golf. They’re also a team with a dream: to reduce the incidence of childhood obesity. USC partners with elementary schools to run the Active Gamecocks program, where kids who make time for regular physical activity can win free tickets to upcoming Gamecock events. These student-athletes also complete service activities throughout the year. They take time out of their busy training schedules to visit hospitalized veterans and read to children. A team that does good deeds together succeeds together, right?

Question
What are the school's academic highlights?
1 Answer
Answered by: Universities.com

It all starts with the Carolina Core. Every student, regardless of major, is required to take 10 core courses as an undergraduate. These courses will help you to build a strong foundation of communication, problem solving, analytical reasoning, and multicultural skills. You can put your skills to work by getting involved in a research project. USC is the only university in South Carolina to have been designated as one with high research activity by the Carnegie Foundation. Students can apply to be a Magellan Scholar and receive up to $3,000 in funding to research a topic of interest. Magellan Scholars have studied a little bit of everything: math anxiety, maternal mortality, sexual assault, ADHD diagnoses, and underwater cave mapping. Also, you can access additional Magellan research funds if you are a student in the Honors College. Like the online graduate nursing program, USC’s Honors College has been ranked number one in the nation. A This accomplishment appeared in the 2012 publication of A Review of Fifty Public Honors Programs. Honors College students have access to honors-designated dorms, scholarships, advisers, and courses. Where else could you take Football Writing or Knitting and Philosophy? All in all USC offers a solid education coupled with specialized support and a vibrant student life.