University of South Carolina acceptance rate and your odds of getting in
With an acceptance rate near 60%, University of South Carolina is a moderately selective public university in South Carolina. Because it admits more applicants than it rejects, admission turns on the strength of your whole profile rather than any one number.
Use this page to see what University of South Carolina 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 1350, a useful checkpoint for where your scores sit, though it is a reference range and not a cutoff.
What do students study at University of South Carolina?
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 University of South Carolina?
Direct answers to what applicants ask about getting into University of South Carolina, plus a free way to calculate your own odds.
What are my chances of getting into University of South Carolina?
University of South Carolina admits most qualified applicants (around 60%), but that overall rate is not your personal chance. 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 University of South Carolina in about three minutes, with no account needed to start.
Is University of South Carolina hard to get into?
University of South Carolina is moderately selective: it admits more applicants than it rejects, with about a 60% acceptance rate. Meeting the academic basics gives most qualified applicants a realistic shot.
What GPA do you need to get into University of South Carolina?
There is no hard GPA cutoff at University of South Carolina, but admitted students often present roughly a 3.2 to 3.7 GPA. University of South Carolina reads your GPA alongside the rigor of your courses, so a challenging schedule matters as much as the number itself.
Your chances at University of South Carolina by GPA and SAT
Estimated chance of admission at University of South Carolina 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 University of South Carolina with a 3.1 GPA and a 1270 SAT?
About 69% (Likely), by CollegeCalcAI's deterministic model, for an applicant with a 3.1 unweighted GPA and a 1270 SAT, the middle of University of South Carolina's admitted range, applying Regular Decision without a hook. A 3.4 GPA with a 1360 SAT comes out near 90%. 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/university-of-south-carolina.
How to get into University of South Carolina
Built from University of South Carolina's admitted class and what it reports weighing. The typical-admit GPA and SAT are CollegeCalcAI's modeled figures, not published cutoffs.
Here is how to get into University of South Carolina, built from what its admitted class actually looks like and what the school says it weighs.
CollegeCalcAI's modeled typical admit at University of South Carolina carries about a 3.34 core GPA and a 1310 SAT, in the most rigorous schedule available. Meeting it puts you in the admitted range for most applicants.
The admitted middle 50% is 1180 to 1360 SAT (26 to 32 ACT). Submit a score at 1270 or higher; below 1180, apply test-optional if the policy allows.
University of South Carolina rates rigor of secondary school record, academic GPA, and standardized test scores 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 University of South Carolina's early or priority deadline (confirm dates at www.sc.edu), and if you are out of state, know that residency changes both the bar and the price.
How many students apply to University of South Carolina, and how many get in?
For the fall 2023 entering class, University of South Carolina received 46,682 applications and admitted 28,706, an acceptance rate of 61.5%. 7,319 enrolled. Only about 25% 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. University of South Carolina enrolls about 29,820 undergraduates in total, 59% of them women, with a student-to-faculty ratio of 19 to 1.
Source: U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS 2023 admissions and enrollment.
What SAT and ACT scores do you need for University of South Carolina?
Admitted students at University of South Carolina post SAT scores of 1180 to 1360 in the middle 50%, with an average of 1297. On the ACT the middle 50% runs from 26 to 32. A score above 1360 puts you in the top quarter of admits and turns the test into an asset; a score below 1180 puts you in the bottom quarter, where the rest of the application has to carry more weight. University of South Carolina 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 University of South Carolina looks for
What University of South Carolina weighs most heavily in its admissions review, informed by its reported Common Data Set.
In its review, University of South Carolina leans most on rigor of secondary school record, academic GPA, and standardized test scores. Solid grades in a challenging schedule do most of the work here, with the rest of the application providing context. These ratings come from University of South Carolina'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 University of South Carolina
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 University of South Carolina cost after financial aid?
The full sticker price at University of South Carolina (tuition, fees, housing, food, books) is about $31,638 a year. Tuition and fees are $12,688 for SC residents and $35,972 for out-of-state students, a $23,284 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 $22,811 a year, and it ranges from $12,634 for families earning under $30,000 to $28,125 for families earning over $110,000. 19% 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 University of South Carolina graduates earn, and how many graduate?
Median earnings for University of South Carolina students ten years after entry are $62,177 ($50,621 at the six-year mark). 79% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years, and 92% return for a second year. Among graduates who borrowed, median federal debt at graduation is $21,500; 41% 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 University of South Carolina compares in South Carolina
University of South Carolina ranks #9 most selective of 32 schools in South Carolina in our database.
Among the 32 South Carolina schools we track, University of South Carolina ranks #9 most selective by acceptance rate. Schools like Clemson University (38%) and Furman University (43%) sit nearby, which makes South Carolina a useful frame for calibrating a balanced list. As a public university, residency matters: in-state applicants generally see meaningfully better odds than the headline rate suggests.
Similar to University of South Carolina
Schools with a similar selectivity profile, worth comparing as you build a balanced list.
Build around University of South Carolina with peers at a comparable selectivity, such as College of Charleston, University of Akron, and University of Massachusetts Amherst. 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 University of South Carolina's acceptance rate?
University of South Carolina admitted 28,706 of 46,682 applicants for the fall 2023 entering class, an acceptance rate of 61.5% (U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS). 25% of admitted students enrolled.
What SAT score do you need for University of South Carolina?
The middle 50% of admitted students scored 1180 to 1360 on the SAT and 26 to 32 on the ACT. A score above 1360 is in the top quarter of admits. University of South Carolina is test-optional, so only submit a score that helps.
Is University of South Carolina test-optional?
Yes. University of South Carolina 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 University of South Carolina cost after financial aid?
The average net price at University of South Carolina, what students receiving aid paid after grants and scholarships, is $22,811 a year against a sticker price of about $31,638. Families earning under $30,000 paid about $12,634 on average.
What do University of South Carolina graduates earn?
Median earnings ten years after entering University of South Carolina are $62,177 a year among students who received federal aid, and 79% of students graduate within six years (College Scorecard).
What does University of South Carolina value most in applicants?
Based on its admissions profile, University of South Carolina weighs rigor of secondary school record, academic GPA, and standardized test scores most heavily. The full factor breakdown is on this page.
Does University of South Carolina favor in-state applicants?
As a public university, University of South Carolina 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 University of South Carolina?
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 University of South Carolina specifically.
How does residency affect admission to University of South Carolina?
As a public university, University of South Carolina typically admits in-state students at a higher rate, and tuition differs sharply by residency. Select your home state in the calculator to fold the in-state effect into your estimate.
What are the admission requirements for University of South Carolina?
University of South Carolina reviews GPA, course rigor, test scores (where submitted), activities, and essays. With a more accessible acceptance rate, meeting the academic basics gives most qualified applicants a realistic shot.
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.