Colleges › South Carolina › South Carolina State University

South Carolina State University

South Carolina State University is based in the town of Orangeburg, SC — a public campus in a small-town setting. It is one of the nation's historically Black colleges and universities — a federally recognized designation. The federal record identifies it as a land-grant institution.

Compare this school Find colleges

What could it cost?

Start with net price after grants, then read the published costs. Each chart names its academic year and the students it covers.

Net price by family income

key chart

Average annual cost after grants for each family-income band. These group averages are not personal price quotes.

IPEDS Income brackets, 2022–23

family-income band

$17,089

family income
under $30k

$17,509

$30–48k

$19,611

$48–75k

$24,555

$75–110k

$25,130

over $110k

Average net price

$18,0972023–24Skip to data table

Average annual attendance cost after grants for the reported student group. Your own aid offer and costs may differ.

Average net price at South Carolina State University rose from $13,058 (2008) to $18,097 (2023).

Average net price — data
Year	Net price
2008	$13,058
2009	$14,653
2010	$16,222
2011	$18,033
2012	$17,724
2013	$18,891
2014	$19,136
2015	$21,356
2016	$21,795
2017	$21,467
2018	$20,795
2019	$20,041
2020	$21,075
2021	$17,552
2022	$18,268
2023	$18,097

IPEDS 16 federal reports, 2008–2023

Total cost of attendance

$30,0152024–25Skip to data table

Estimated annual attendance budget before grants, including tuition, fees, housing, food and books. Not every expense is billed by the school.

Total cost at South Carolina State University rose from $19,320 (2009) to $30,015 (2024).

Total cost of attendance — data
Year	Cost
2009	$19,320
2010	$21,974
2011	$23,894
2012	$25,281
2013	$25,265
2014	$26,245
2015	$27,895
2016	$29,029
2017	$29,355
2018	$29,695
2019	$30,052
2020	$30,015
2021	$29,823
2022	$29,886
2023	$29,957
2024	$30,015

IPEDS Academic-year cost 2009–2024

Tuition (in-state vs out-of-state)

Skip to data table

Published tuition and fees before grants. Housing, food, books and other attendance costs are separate.

In-stateOut-of-state

Tuition — data
Year	In-state	Out-of-state
2000	$3,659	$7,192
2001	$4,096	$7,902
2002	$4,556	$8,820
2003	$5,570	$10,850
2004	$6,170	$12,978
2005	$6,480	$13,288
2006	$7,278	$14,322
2007	$7,318	$14,362
2008	$7,806	$15,298
2013	$9,776	$18,910
2014	$10,007	$19,856
2015	$10,088	$19,856
2016	$10,420	$20,500
2017	$10,740	$21,120
2018	$11,060	$21,750
2019	$11,060	$21,750
2020	$11,060	$21,750
2021	$11,060	$21,750
2022	$11,060	$21,750
2023	$11,060	$21,750

IPEDS Published price 2000–01 to 2023–24 (not adjusted for inflation)

Cost, size & completion summary

Cost, size & completion

South Carolina State University reports tuition of $11,060 for in-state students and $21,750 for out-of-state students. Check South Carolina State University’s residency rules, attendance budget and aid offer. Scorecard snapshot: 2026-06-10; historical charts show their own years.

At 2,934 undergrads, South Carolina State University is a mid-sized campus by U.S. standards.

36.6% of first-time, full-time bachelor's entrants completed at South Carolina State University within six years (2026-06-10 release). This measure excludes other student groups.

Do students finish — and what comes after?

Graduation, debt and earnings cover different groups. Read each chart's entering class or fiscal period; they are not one group's journey.

Six-year graduation rate

key chart

36.6%entered Fall 2018Skip to data table

The share of first-time, full-time bachelor's entrants who completed at this institution within six years. Other students are not included.

The six-year graduation rate at South Carolina State University fell from 46.6% (entered 1991) to 36.6% (entered 2018).

A six-year rate can only describe a class that entered six or more years ago — by definition the last point on the line is that old.

Six-year graduation rate — data
Year	Graduated within 6 yrs
1991 cohort	46.6%
1992 cohort	45.4%
1993 cohort	47.1%
1994 cohort	46.9%
1995 cohort	45.3%
1996 cohort	50.9%
1997 cohort	48.6%
1998 cohort	52.8%
1999 cohort	46.8%
2000 cohort	53.9%
2001 cohort	45.4%
2002 cohort	45.1%
2003 cohort	35.8%
2004 cohort	39.3%
2005 cohort	34.6%
2006 cohort	34.3%
2007 cohort	35.7%
2008 cohort	38.2%
2009 cohort	36%
2010 cohort	38.5%
2011 cohort	36%
2012 cohort	33.7%
2013 cohort	35.2%
2014 cohort	29.9%
2015 cohort	30.4%
2016 cohort	34.4%
2017 cohort	29.4%
2018 cohort	36.6%

IPEDS Entering cohorts 1991–2018

Median debt at exit (completers vs non-completers)

Historical student groups

key chart

Skip to data table

Median federal student loan debt when students left school, shown separately for those who completed and those who did not.

CompletedLeft without degree

Each point combines two years. Neighboring points share one year, so changes should be read with that overlap in mind.

These two-year windows closed before today's students borrowed — they describe past cohorts, not the current price of a degree.

Median debt at exit — data
Year	Completed	Left without degree
Left school in fiscal years 1997 and 1998 (FY1997/98)	$15,577	$3,937
Left school in fiscal years 1998 and 1999 (FY1998/99)	$15,416	$3,977
Left school in fiscal years 1999 and 2000 (FY1999/00)	$16,000	$6,625
Left school in fiscal years 2000 and 2001 (FY2000/01)	$17,125	$8,250
Left school in fiscal years 2001 and 2002 (FY2001/02)	$17,125	$6,081
Left school in fiscal years 2002 and 2003 (FY2002/03)	$17,500	$4,625
Left school in fiscal years 2003 and 2004 (FY2003/04)	$19,000	$5,250
Left school in fiscal years 2004 and 2005 (FY2004/05)	$21,250	$6,125
Left school in fiscal years 2005 and 2006 (FY2005/06)	$22,634	$5,901
Left school in fiscal years 2006 and 2007 (FY2006/07)	$23,063	$6,625
Left school in fiscal years 2007 and 2008 (FY2007/08)	$24,750	$7,500
Left school in fiscal years 2008 and 2009 (FY2008/09)	$25,250	$7,500
Left school in fiscal years 2009 and 2010 (FY2009/10)	$26,781	$9,500
Left school in fiscal years 2010 and 2011 (FY2010/11)	$30,250	$10,000
Left school in fiscal years 2011 and 2012 (FY2011/12)	$31,750	$9,500
Left school in fiscal years 2012 and 2013 (FY2012/13)	$33,750	$9,500
Left school in fiscal years 2013 and 2014 (FY2013/14)	$34,750	$9,500
Left school in fiscal years 2014 and 2015 (FY2014/15)	$33,505	$9,500
Left school in fiscal years 2015 and 2016 (FY2015/16)	$33,206	$9,500
Left school in fiscal years 2016 and 2017 (FY2016/17)	$32,073	$11,000
Left school in fiscal years 2017 and 2018 (FY2017/18)	$31,000	$10,250
Left school in fiscal years 2018 and 2019 (FY2018/19)	$31,000	$11,000
Left school in fiscal years 2019 and 2020 (FY2019/20)	$31,000	$12,200
Left school in fiscal years 2020 and 2021 (FY2020/21)	$31,000	$12,250

NSLDS GRAD_DEBT_MDN / WDRAW_DEBT_MDN, merged FY periods · via College Scorecard

Earnings after entry

Historical student groups

Median annual earnings after entering college, for federally aided students who were working and not enrolled when measured.

Entered: academic years 2013–14 or 2014–15

$30,064

6 years after entry

Entered: academic years 2011–12 or 2012–13

$34,470

8 years after entry

Entered: academic years 2009–10 or 2010–11

$38,262

10 years after entry

Each figure covers a different group of students who entered college in the stated years. Earnings were measured in the same two years; these are not one group followed over time.

Measured in 2020–21, adjusted for inflation to 2022 dollars. Each figure pools two entering academic years.

Treasury Pooled entering cohorts · Scorecard 2020–21 historical file

What does the admissions record show?

Rates and score ranges describe a past admissions cycle. Submitted scores are not cutoffs or a prediction of admission.

Admissions snapshot & test policies

South Carolina State University admitted 9,102 of 11,017 applicants in Fall 2024. The 82.6% rate describes that application pool.

82.6%

acceptance rate · Fall 2024 admissions cycle

rate trend $11,060 in-state tuition · 2023–24 2,934 undergraduates · Fall 2024

Tests not considered · Fall 2024

Not sure where you stand? Estimate your GPA →

Admissions

In the Fall 2024 cycle, South Carolina State University received 11,017 applications and admitted 9,102 (82.6%), with 1,042 enrolling.

South Carolina State University did not consider scores in the Fall 2024 admissions cycle. No score range is displayed for South Carolina State University under that historical policy.

Check current requirements with admissions.

Acceptance rate

82.6%Fall 2024Skip to data table

The share of applicants offered a spot — lower means more selective; read it alongside the score ranges below.

Acceptance rate — data
Year	Acceptance rate
Fall 2001	39.8%
Fall 2002	55.5%
Fall 2003	—
Fall 2004	52.9%
Fall 2005	81.5%
Fall 2006	81.5%
Fall 2007	79%
Fall 2008	91.8%
Fall 2009	75.4%
Fall 2010	78.2%
Fall 2011	95.8%
Fall 2012	97.1%
Fall 2013	—
Fall 2014	84.5%
Fall 2015	94.9%
Fall 2016	86.2%
Fall 2017	78.3%
Fall 2018	53.2%
Fall 2019	66.4%
Fall 2020	94.1%
Fall 2021	87.6%
Fall 2022	83.9%
Fall 2023	81.7%
Fall 2024	82.6%

IPEDS Fall cycles 2001–2024

SAT range (section sums, 25th–75th)

800–1050Fall 2021 · submittersSkip to data table

Sums of the reading/writing and math percentiles among enrolled submitters — not percentiles of total SAT scores or admission cutoffs.

SAT range (section sums) — data
Year	25th	75th
Fall 2001	760	960
Fall 2002	730	920
Fall 2003	750	950
Fall 2004	760	940
Fall 2005	750	950
Fall 2006	740	910
Fall 2007	750	926
Fall 2008	740	940
Fall 2009	740	940
Fall 2010	763	948
Fall 2011	760	930
Fall 2012	750	890
Fall 2013	825	852
Fall 2014	730	900
Fall 2015	680	840
Fall 2016	680	873
Fall 2017	840	980
Fall 2018	860	1010
Fall 2019	840	990
Fall 2020	800	1000
Fall 2021	800	1050

IPEDS Fall 2001–2021, submitters only

ACT middle 50%

15–19Fall 2021 · submittersSkip to data table

The middle half of enrolled ACT submitters, using published composite-score percentiles — not admission cutoffs.

ACT middle 50% — data
Year	25th	75th
Fall 2001	15	19
Fall 2002	14	17
Fall 2003	15	18
Fall 2004	15	18
Fall 2005	15	18
Fall 2006	15	17
Fall 2007	15	18
Fall 2008	15	17
Fall 2009	15	18
Fall 2010	15	18
Fall 2011	15	19
Fall 2012	15	18
Fall 2013	17	19
Fall 2014	15	18
Fall 2015	14	17
Fall 2016	14	17
Fall 2017	15	18
Fall 2018	15	18
Fall 2019	15	17
Fall 2020	14	18
Fall 2021	15	19

IPEDS Fall 2001–2021, submitters only

What is the campus like?

Enrollment counts a campus population; retention follows first-years returning. Their dates and populations are shown separately.

Undergraduate enrollment

2,934Fall 2024Skip to data table

Reported undergraduate enrollment. This count does not measure class size or teaching access.

Undergraduate enrollment at South Carolina State University fell from 3,394 (Fall 2002) to 2,934 (Fall 2024).

Undergraduate enrollment — data
Year	Undergraduates
Fall 2002	3,394
Fall 2003	3,412
Fall 2004	3,436
Fall 2005	3,839
Fall 2006	3,802
Fall 2007	4,289
Fall 2008	4,075
Fall 2009	3,831
Fall 2010	3,716
Fall 2011	3,706
Fall 2012	3,230
Fall 2013	2,876
Fall 2014	2,753
Fall 2015	2,410
Fall 2016	2,499
Fall 2017	2,489
Fall 2018	2,415
Fall 2019	2,122
Fall 2020	2,012
Fall 2021	2,063
Fall 2022	2,351
Fall 2023	2,757
Fall 2024	2,934

IPEDS Fall headcounts 2002–2024

First-year retention (full-time)

56%Fall 2023 cohortSkip to data table

The share of the reported first-time student group who returned the following year. This rate does not explain why others left.

First-year retention at South Carolina State University fell from 73% (Fall 2002) to 56% (Fall 2023).

First-year retention — data
Year	Retention
Fall 2002 cohort	73%
Fall 2003 cohort	69%
Fall 2004 cohort	68%
Fall 2005 cohort	64%
Fall 2006 cohort	65%
Fall 2007 cohort	64%
Fall 2008 cohort	67%
Fall 2009 cohort	63%
Fall 2010 cohort	65%
Fall 2011 cohort	61%
Fall 2012 cohort	60%
Fall 2013 cohort	63%
Fall 2014 cohort	57%
Fall 2015 cohort	70%
Fall 2016 cohort	69%
Fall 2017 cohort	64%
Fall 2018 cohort	68%
Fall 2019 cohort	69%
Fall 2020 cohort	69%
Fall 2021 cohort	68%
Fall 2022 cohort	59%
Fall 2023 cohort	56%

IPEDS Full-time cohorts 2002–2023

More about South Carolina State University

70.5% of South Carolina State University's undergraduates carry Pell grants — the standard federal marker of lower-income enrollment. Carnegie classes South Carolina State University as a primarily residential campus of 2,934 undergraduates — and 56.5% of the reported first-time, full-time student group returned for a second year.

South Carolina State University reported not considering test scores in Fall 2024, when its admission rate was 82.6%. Review South Carolina State University's current requirements before applying; use the GPA calculator for your semester numbers.

Why some charts are marked “key chart”

key chart

Start with three useful questions: what costs were reported for families in your income band, how many first-time full-time students finished, and what federal debt borrowers held when leaving.

How South Carolina State University compares

State and national medians cover active bachelor-primary institutions, mixing public and private schools. Tuition uses in-state rates at public schools. These are broad reference points, not a ranking of similar schools or your likely bill.

Scorecard dates identify the release snapshot, not a shared measurement year. Earnings describe federally aided students who were working and not enrolled ten years after entry; cohorts and populations differ from the admissions and tuition figures.

Acceptance rate

Fall 2024 admissions cycle · IPEDS

South Carolina State University82.6%

South Carolina median72.5%

National median76.8%

Tuition (in-state)

Scorecard 2026-06-10 snapshot · published tuition before aid

South Carolina State University$11,060

South Carolina median$17,440

National median$19,591

Median earnings (10 yr)

Ten years after entry · Scorecard 2026-06-10 snapshot

South Carolina State University's snapshot: calendar years and dollar basis unverified.

South Carolina State University$38,262

South Carolina median$44,354

National median$53,781

View comparison data & dates

South Carolina State University, South Carolina and national reference values
Metric & basis	South Carolina State University	South Carolina median	National median
Acceptance rateFall 2024 admissions cycle · IPEDS	82.6%	72.5%	76.8%
Tuition (in-state)Scorecard 2026-06-10 snapshot · published tuition before aid	$11,060	$17,440	$19,591
Median earnings (10 yr)Ten years after entry · Scorecard 2026-06-10 snapshot	$38,262	$44,354	$53,781

Published earnings by bachelor's field of study

For South Carolina State University, these are federal subject groups (CIP), not departments. Median is the middle annual income.

South Carolina State University federal-aid recipients · graduated 2017–18 or 2018–19 · income measured 2022 or 2023 · inflation-adjusted to 2024 dollars. Definitions and limits.

View 8 fields & earnings

Bachelor's field of study (CIP category)	Median earnings, 4 yrs after completion
Computer and Information Sciences, General	$66,821
Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians	$63,129
Business Administration, Management and Operations	$48,108
Criminal Justice and Corrections	$45,061
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas	$41,075
Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences, General	$40,050
Biology, General	$37,940
Communication and Media Studies	$33,586

These 8 fields listed for South Carolina State University measure earnings after completion. The $38,262 institution-level snapshot above measures earnings after entry; it is not the same cohort or a total for these fields. 34 additional South Carolina State University fields have earnings withheld under federal privacy rules.

Frequently asked questions

What test-score data does South Carolina State University report?

South Carolina State University did not consider scores in Fall 2024: 82.6% admitted. Check current requirements.

What is South Carolina State University's acceptance rate?

82.6% in the Fall 2024 cycle — 9,102 admitted from 11,017 applicants.

How much does South Carolina State University cost?

In-state tuition is $11,060; out-of-state students pay $21,750. Fees, housing and aid move the real total in both directions.

What earnings data does South Carolina State University report?

Median earnings ten years after entry: $38,262. Major figures measure four years after completion. Source and date limits.

Similar colleges in South Carolina

Coastal Carolina University — 75.3% admitted
University of South Carolina-Upstate — 67.3% admitted
University of South Carolina-Union — 62.2% admitted
University of South Carolina-Sumter — 74.1% admitted

Run your own numbers

Data: IPEDS ADM2024 (Fall 2024 admissions, provisional) · IPEDS HD2024/IC2024 directory · College Scorecard 2026-06-10 release (institution and field-of-study files; earnings from Treasury records). Retrieved 2026-09-01. Chart dates follow this institution's available observations; the release date is not an academic year or an earnings year. Some records end earlier than others. Field-of-study cohort dates are shown with the table. Read the date and population definitions.