Clemson University acceptance rate and your odds of getting in
Clemson University, a public university in South Carolina, reports a 38% acceptance rate and sits in the selective band. In practice that means it admits a minority of applicants, so a strong application is judged against an applicant pool that is already self-selected.
Use this page to see what Clemson University weighs, where it ranks among South Carolina schools, and how a profile like yours is likely to land. Admitted students post a 75th-percentile SAT around 1400, a useful checkpoint for where your scores sit, though it is a reference range and not a cutoff.
1210?
Clemson University admitted 22,879 of 60,122 first-year applicants for fall 2023, an acceptance rate of 38.3%. The middle 50% of enrolled students scored 1240 to 1410 on the SAT and 28 to 32 on the ACT.
Source: IPEDS admissions survey, fall 2023. Updated October 27, 2026.
What do students study at Clemson University?
Bachelor's degrees awarded by field in 2023 (IPEDS completions). Each field has its own page with the school's numbers, the model's major adjustment, and peers offering it.
Will I get into Clemson University?
Direct answers to what applicants ask about getting into Clemson University, plus a free way to calculate your own odds.
What are my chances of getting into Clemson University?
Your odds at Clemson University are not the same as its 38% acceptance rate. Your real odds depend on how your GPA, course rigor, test scores, and activities compare to its admitted students. Run your profile through the free CollegeCalcAI calculator to get a personalized acceptance percentage for Clemson University in about three minutes, with no account needed to start.
Is Clemson University hard to get into?
Clemson University is selective: it admits a minority of applicants, with about a 38% acceptance rate. A solid academic record puts you in good position, and the rest of your profile can tip the result either way.
What GPA do you need to get into Clemson University?
There is no hard GPA cutoff at Clemson University, but admitted students commonly present roughly a 3.5 to 3.9 GPA. Clemson University reads your GPA alongside the rigor of your courses, so a challenging schedule matters as much as the number itself.
Your chances at Clemson University by GPA and SAT
Estimated chance of admission at Clemson University for plain profiles, from the same model as the calculator. Unweighted GPA, 3 AP courses, Regular Decision, no legacy, athletic or first-generation hook. The last column is test-optional (no score sent).
What are my chances at Clemson University with a 3.5 GPA and a 1330 SAT?
About 51% (Likely), by CollegeCalcAI's deterministic model, for an applicant with a 3.5 unweighted GPA and a 1330 SAT, the middle of Clemson University's admitted range, applying Regular Decision without a hook. A 3.8 GPA with a 1410 SAT comes out near 71%. Courses, activities, essays and the application round move the number; the free calculator includes them.
Estimates, not guarantees. Get yours with your real courses and activities. Assistants and developers can fetch this table from the free API: /api/v1/colleges/clemson-university.
How to get into Clemson University
Built from Clemson University's admitted class and what it reports weighing. The typical-admit GPA and SAT are CollegeCalcAI's modeled figures, not published cutoffs.
There is no formula that guarantees a spot at Clemson University, but the applicants who get in tend to do the same four things. Here is what the numbers say each one looks like.
CollegeCalcAI's modeled typical admit at Clemson University carries about a 3.58 core GPA and a 1360 SAT, in the most rigorous schedule available. Landing at or above it makes you competitive; the rest of the file decides.
The admitted middle 50% is 1240 to 1410 SAT (28 to 32 ACT). Submit a score at 1325 or higher; below 1240, apply test-optional if the policy allows.
Clemson University rates rigor of secondary school record, academic GPA, and class rank highest in its own Common Data Set. Put your depth there: and a transcript whose rigor rises through junior year.
Most public universities read early applicants first without a binding commitment. Apply by Clemson University's early or priority deadline (confirm dates at www.clemson.edu), and if you are out of state, know that residency changes both the bar and the price.
How many students apply to Clemson University, and how many get in?
Clemson University admitted 22,879 of the 60,122 students who applied for fall 2023, which works out to 38.1%. 4,494 enrolled. Only about 20% of admitted students enrolled, so the school admits several students for every seat it expects to fill, which is why its acceptance rate reads higher than its selectivity feels. Clemson University enrolls about 23,300 undergraduates in total, 54% of them women, with a student-to-faculty ratio of 16 to 1.
Source: U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS 2023 admissions and enrollment.
What SAT and ACT scores do you need for Clemson University?
Admitted students at Clemson University post SAT scores of 1240 to 1410 in the middle 50%, with an average of 1353. On the ACT the middle 50% runs from 28 to 32. A score above 1410 puts you in the top quarter of admits and turns the test into an asset; a score below 1240 puts you in the bottom quarter, where the rest of the application has to carry more weight. Clemson University is test-optional: scores are considered if you submit them but not required. Send a score at or above the middle of the admitted range; otherwise apply without one and let your transcript lead.
Source: College Scorecard (U.S. Department of Education), release 2026-06-10.
What Clemson University looks for
What Clemson University weighs most heavily in its admissions review, informed by its reported Common Data Set.
The factors that carry the most weight at Clemson University are rigor of secondary school record, academic GPA, and class rank. Solid grades in a challenging schedule do most of the work here, with the rest of the application providing context. These ratings come from Clemson University's reported Common Data Set, so the full chart below reflects what the school itself says it values, not a generic guess.
SAT score positioning at Clemson University
How common SAT scores sit relative to the admitted middle. This is context, not a probability. Your full profile determines the real estimate.
How much does Clemson University cost after financial aid?
The full sticker price at Clemson University (tuition, fees, housing, food, books) is about $35,015 a year. Tuition and fees are $15,554 for SC residents and $40,866 for out-of-state students, a $25,312 gap that makes residency the single biggest lever on cost. What families actually pay is different: the average net price after grants and scholarships is $22,253 a year, and it ranges from $13,607 for families earning under $30,000 to $27,922 for families earning over $110,000. 15% of undergraduates receive a federal Pell Grant.
Source: College Scorecard (U.S. Department of Education), release 2026-06-10. Net price is what students receiving aid paid after grants, by family income.
What do Clemson University graduates earn, and how many graduate?
Median earnings for Clemson University students ten years after entry are $71,513 ($58,311 at the six-year mark). 87% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years, and 93% return for a second year. Among graduates who borrowed, median federal debt at graduation is $21,500; 31% of undergraduates take federal loans.
Source: College Scorecard (U.S. Department of Education), release 2026-06-10. Earnings cover students who received federal aid.
How Clemson University compares in South Carolina
Clemson University ranks #1 most selective of 32 schools in South Carolina in our database.
Among the 32 South Carolina schools we track, Clemson University ranks the most selective by acceptance rate. Nothing else in the state is harder to get into; the next tier down includes Furman University at 43%. As a public university, residency matters: in-state applicants generally see meaningfully better odds than the headline rate suggests.
Similar to Clemson University
Schools with a similar selectivity profile, worth comparing as you build a balanced list.
Applicants targeting Clemson University often weigh University of Georgia, Binghamton University, and University of Washington, which sit at a similar level. Running the same profile against each one in the free calculator is the fastest way to see where you are a reach, a match, or a likely.
Frequently asked questions
What is Clemson University's acceptance rate?
Clemson University admitted 22,879 of 60,122 applicants for the fall 2023 entering class, an acceptance rate of 38.1% (U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS). 20% of admitted students enrolled.
What SAT score do you need for Clemson University?
The middle 50% of admitted students scored 1240 to 1410 on the SAT and 28 to 32 on the ACT. A score above 1410 is in the top quarter of admits. Clemson University is test-optional, so only submit a score that helps.
Is Clemson University test-optional?
Yes. Clemson University reports that test scores are considered but not required. Submit a score at or above the middle of the admitted range; otherwise apply without one.
How much does Clemson University cost after financial aid?
The average net price at Clemson University, what students receiving aid paid after grants and scholarships, is $22,253 a year against a sticker price of about $35,015. Families earning under $30,000 paid about $13,607 on average.
What do Clemson University graduates earn?
Median earnings ten years after entering Clemson University are $71,513 a year among students who received federal aid, and 87% of students graduate within six years (College Scorecard).
What does Clemson University value most in applicants?
Based on its admissions profile, Clemson University weighs rigor of secondary school record, academic GPA, and class rank most heavily. The full factor breakdown is on this page.
Does Clemson University favor in-state applicants?
As a public university, Clemson University generally admits in-state applicants at a higher rate than out-of-state applicants, so your home state affects your odds. CollegeCalcAI applies an in-state residency boost when you select your state.
How can I improve my chances at Clemson University?
Focus on the highest-leverage parts of your application: course rigor and GPA trajectory first, then test scores, then a focused leadership or activity spike. CollegeCalcAI's Power-Ups quantify how much each change would move your odds at Clemson University specifically.
Is Clemson University a target or a reach for an average applicant?
For an applicant whose GPA and scores sit near Clemson University's admitted range, it generally reads as a target rather than a reach. Run your exact profile through the free calculator to see your personal verdict.
Acceptance rate, application counts, admitted test ranges, cost, and outcomes reflect publicly reported federal data (U.S. Department of Education: IPEDS 2023 and the College Scorecard) and each school's Common Data Set; figures are rounded and lag the current cycle by one to two years, so confirm deadlines and policies on the school's own site. The typical-admit GPA and SAT are CollegeCalcAI's modeled estimates. Estimates from CollegeCalcAI are a planning tool computed by a fixed, transparent model, not a guarantee of any admission decision.