About
The University of South Carolina is a public research university in Columbia, South Carolina, United States. Founded in 1801 as South Carolina College, it is the flagship of the University of South Carolina System and the largest university in the state by enrollment. Its main campus is on over 359 acres (145 ha) in downtown Columbia, close to the South Carolina State House. The university is classified among "R1: Doctoral Universities with Highest Research Activity". It houses the largest collection of Robert Burns and Scottish literature materials outside Scotland and the world's largest Ernest Hemingway collection.
Admissions & acceptance rate
First-time freshman admissions: how selective the college is, and how many admitted students choose to enroll.
Graduation rate & outcomes
Completion, retention, and the equity gap between Pell and non-Pell students.
Pell equity
Non-Pell students graduate at a 11.9-point higher rate than Pell recipients.
Source: IPEDS Graduation Rates (GR) — Pell/SSL cohort, 2024 cohort.
Program outcomes
Federal Program Performance Data: how each program's graduate earnings and debt measure up under Financial Value Transparency and Gainful Employment.
Of 243 Title IV programs, 84 pass the federal Gainful Employment test and 0 fail. 159 have graduate earnings too small to publish, so they carry no pass/fail verdict.
Pass / fail distribution
- Passing84 · 34.6%
- No Data159 · 65.4%
- Failing0 · 0.0%
Severity spectrum
Tiers band programs by how far graduate earnings sit above or below the benchmark, from Critical (below −15%) through Safe (above +25%). No data means earnings were privacy-suppressed.
Earnings premium gap
Graduate earnings versus the federal benchmark, worst gaps first.
Debt vs earnings
Median completer debt against median graduate earnings, highest burden first.
Accreditation status & history
Who accredits the institution, current standing, and any past actions.
Accreditation Commission for Midwifery Education
Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on Colleges
Programmatic accreditations · 21
Action history · 47
- Nov 2025Renewal of AccreditationAmerican Bar Association, Council of the Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar · Law (LAW) - Professional schools
- Oct 2025Grant Substantive Change: OtherSouthern Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on Colleges
- Oct 2025Grant Substantive Change: OtherSouthern Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on Colleges
- Oct 2025Grant Substantive Change: ProgramSouthern Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on Colleges
- Jul 2025Renewal of AccreditationAmerican Psychological Association, Commission on Accreditation · School Psychology (SCPSY) - PhD Doctoral programs
Tuition & cost
What families actually pay, broken down by family income.
Net price by family income
Negative values mean aid exceeds the published cost of attendance for that income band.
Federal aid volume & trends
Pell grants and federal Direct Loan volume disbursed to students, and how they've trended.
In AY 2024–25, 7,069 students received $43.5M in Pell grants, alongside $254.3M in federal Direct Loans.
Pell recipients · 5-year trend
Loan volume by type · AY 2024–25
Loan awards count each loan type a student holds, not unique borrowers; one student may carry several (e.g. subsidized and unsubsidized), so the per-type figures are the reliable detail.
Student loan default rate
The share of student borrowers who default on federal loans within three years, against the national benchmark.
Of 6,567 borrowers who entered repayment, 108 (1.6%) defaulted within three years — below the 2.3% national rate.
Default rate vs national, by cohort
* Cohorts 2020 and later read near 0% because the federal COVID-19 payment pause (CARES Act) suspended defaults nationwide. These years reflect a national policy, not institutional performance; the 2019 cohort is the last measured under normal repayment.
Academic programs at SC
Top program areas ranked by completions.
Top program families by completions
Enrollment trends & demographics
Fall headcount, 12-month unduplicated enrollment, and student body composition.
Gender split
Race / ethnicity composition
Athletics & Title IX gender equity
How athletic participation, aid, and spending are split between men and women.
Men vs women · spending splits
Sport-by-sport · 12
Campus safety & crime statistics
Reported on-campus crimes over the last three years, including violence and hate crimes.
3-year trend
Criminal offenses by type
By location
- On campus54
- Non-campus4
- Public property2
Includes 24 in residence halls (a subset of on-campus, not added to the total).
VAWA offenses
Hate crimes by bias
- Race2
- National origin2
- Religion1
Arrests vs disciplinary referrals
Residence-hall fires
- 650 Lincoln - Building A (Devi1 fireHeating equipmentDamage $100-$999
- 650 Lincoln - Building B (Blos1 fireMachinery/IndustrialDamage $1,000-$9,999
- 650 Lincoln - Building D1 fireElectricalDamage $100-$999
Data quality: 5 reports were later determined unfounded across the reporting period and are excluded from the totals above.
Student-faculty ratio
Student-to-faculty ratio and instructional staff counts.
SC vs Peer comparison
The peer institutions SC selected for federal comparison reporting.
A larger shape on any axis means this institution outperforms its peers on that dimension. For acceptance rate and net price, lower raw values are inverted so "more selective" and "more affordable" appear larger.
| Carnegie | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SubjectUniversity of South Carolina-Columbia | 79% | — | 38,532 | $22,811 | R1 Research |
| 87% | 38.3% | 29,077 | $22,253 | R1 Research | |
| 74% | 41.6% | 38,728 | $18,976 | R1 Research | |
| 90% | 37.7% | 43,146 | $13,936 | R1 Research | |
| 71% | 92.9% | 34,709 | $18,851 | R1 Research | |
| 83% | 59.7% | 31,726 | $22,383 | R1 Research | |
| 75% | 78.5% | 31,543 | $20,268 | R1 Research | |
| Peer group median | 79% | 50.7% | 34,709 | $20,268 |
Institutions like SC
Explore the federal data for institutions in SC's comparison group.
- R1 ResearchSouth Carolina
Clemson University
Grad rate87%Admit rate38.3%Enrollment29,077Net price$22,253View data - R1 ResearchTennessee
The University of Tennessee-Knoxville
Grad rate74%Admit rate41.6%Enrollment38,728Net price$18,976View data - R1 ResearchGeorgia
University of Georgia
Grad rate90%Admit rate37.7%Enrollment43,146Net price$13,936View data - R1 ResearchKentucky
University of Kentucky
Grad rate71%Admit rate92.9%Enrollment34,709Net price$18,851View data - R1 ResearchMassachusetts
University of Massachusetts-Amherst
Grad rate83%Admit rate59.7%Enrollment31,726Net price$22,383View data - R1 ResearchMissouri
University of Missouri-Columbia
Grad rate75%Admit rate78.5%Enrollment31,543Net price$20,268View data
SC Institutional Research office
The IR team responsible for the institution's federal reporting.
We provide many different types of information about the University of South Carolina, along with tools for easy data access.
Visit IR office page- Donald MilesOIRAA Executive Director and SACSCOC Liaison
- Scott SmithDirector of Information Resources
- Alexis McCoyAccreditation Coordinator
Research funding
External research funding from NSF, NIH, HERD, and federal spending sources.
Common Data Set
SC's own annual Common Data Set: the most detailed self-reported reference for selectivity, cost, outcomes, and the student body.
Source publications
Reports & documents (6)
Dashboards, factbooks, data dictionaries, and other reference material published by the IR office.
- Data definitionDashboards Data Dictionary - Institutional Research, Assessment, and Analytics | University of South CarolinaThe University of South Carolina offers a comprehensive data dictionary for its institutional research, assessment, and analytics dashboards. This resource defines key variables and their sources across categories such as degrees awarded, enrollment, and workforce data. Contact information is provided for further inquiries.sc.edu
- Data dictionaryData Dictionary - Office of Institutional Research, Assessment, and Analytics | University of South CarolinaThis Data Dictionary provides a comprehensive list of variables used by the Office of Institutional Research, Assessment, and Analytics at the University of South Carolina. It covers performance metrics like ACT and SAT scores, as well as demographic details such as gender, citizenship, and major. The dictionary also includes historical prerequisites and program codes for detailed data analysis.oiraa.dw.sc.edu
- DFR reportIPEDS Data Feedback Report 20242024nces.ed.gov
- FactbookUniversity of South Carolina Fact Book2016This page provides access to online Fact Books published by the Office of Institutional Research, Assessment, and Analytics at the University of South Carolina. Available editions span from the 2000-2001 to the 2016-2017 academic years, with formats including both html and pdf for earlier mini fact books. It serves as a resource for historical data and institutional metrics.oiraa.dw.sc.edu
- GlossaryDashboards Data Dictionary - Institutional Research, Assessment, and Analytics | University of South CarolinaThe University of South Carolina's Dashboards Data Dictionary offers structured definitions of variables used in the USC Data Dashboards, covering areas like degrees awarded, enrollment, and workforce statistics. It includes details like academic year terms, the definition of degrees, residency status, employee classifications, and more, with sources attributed to the Office of Institutional Research, Assessment, and Analytics, USC Banner ODS, and the SC Commission on Higher Education.sc.edu
- Strategic planStrategic Priorities | University of South Carolina2023The University of South Carolina's 2023-2028 strategic plan outlines their commitment to excellence in education and operational practices. The plan emphasizes enhancing the student experience, advancing research and scholarship for community impact, and elevating service delivery. USC's strategic initiatives aim to promote inclusivity, accessibility, and innovative practices to better serve students, faculty, and the broader community.sc.edu
Frequently asked questions about University of South Carolina-Columbia
Quick answers to the questions most often asked about SC.
What is the graduation rate at University of South Carolina-Columbia?
How many students attend University of South Carolina-Columbia?
What is the average net price at University of South Carolina-Columbia?
What is the yield rate at University of South Carolina-Columbia?
Where is University of South Carolina-Columbia located?
Who runs Institutional Research at University of South Carolina-Columbia?
About the data on this page
Every figure comes from an official federal or public source. Here is each one and the release it is currently on.
Have a question this page can’t answer?
Ask Clema anything about University of South Carolina-Columbia and its peers — plain language in, cited answers out, in minutes instead of days.
Free for teams up to 3 · No credit card