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Charleston, SC · Columbia, SC
| Citadel Military College of South Carolina | University of South Carolina-Columbia | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | ||
| Price after aid (average) | $20,723/yr | $22,811/yr |
| Price after aid (family income under $30k) | $15,430/yr | $12,634/yr |
| Typical loan debt at graduation | $21,096 | $21,500 |
| Price after aid ($30k–$48k income) | $16,456/yr | $14,953/yr |
| Price after aid ($48k–$75k income) | $18,140/yr | $19,859/yr |
| Price after aid ($75k–$110k income) | $20,620/yr | $24,478/yr |
| Price after aid (income over $110k) | $24,047/yr | $28,125/yr |
| Typical loan payment after graduation | $224/mo | $228/mo |
| Room & board (on campus) | $9,705/yr | $13,534/yr |
| Room & board (off campus) | $22,275/yr | $13,594/yr |
| Borrowers who default | 0% | 0% |
| Books & supplies | $9,741/yr | $1,438/yr |
| Other living costs (on campus) | $2,448/yr | $4,530/yr |
| Sticker price (before aid) | $33,880/yr | $31,638/yr |
| Tuition (in-state) | $12,570/yr | $12,688/yr |
| Tuition (out-of-state) | $38,508/yr | $35,972/yr |
| Students with Pell Grants | 20% | 19% |
| Students taking federal loans | 36% | 41% |
| Getting in | ||
| Students who get accepted | 23% | 60% |
| SAT range (middle 50%) | 1085–1285 | 1180–1360 |
| SAT average | 1208 | 1297 |
| ACT range (middle 50%) | 22–27 | 26–32 |
| ACT sections (middle 50%) | English 17–25 · Math 18–25 | English 25–34 · Math 24–30 |
| Admissions data from | Fall 2023 | Fall 2023 |
| Applications received | 2,883 | 46,682 |
| Students accepted | 2,828 | 28,706 |
| Students who enrolled | 661 | 7,319 |
| Accepted students who enroll | 23% | 26% |
| Enrolled who sent SAT scores | 13% | 32% |
| Enrolled who sent ACT scores | 9% | 17% |
| High-school GPA | Required | Required |
| High-school transcript | Required | Optional (considered if sent) |
| Essay | Not considered | Required |
| Recommendation letters | Optional (considered if sent) | Not considered |
| Class rank | Optional (considered if sent) | Optional (considered if sent) |
| College-prep program | Required | Required |
| Demonstrated competencies | Not considered | Not considered |
| Work experience | Not considered | Not considered |
| English proficiency test | Not considered | Required |
| Other admission tests | Not considered | Not considered |
| Legacy considered | Optional (considered if sent) | Not considered |
| SAT/ACT policy | Optional (considered if sent) | Optional (considered if sent) |
| Graduation & earnings | ||
| Students who graduate | 75% | 79% |
| Freshmen who come back | 86% | 92% |
| Typical earnings 10 years in | $72,085/yr | $62,177/yr |
| Earnings range 10 years in | $48,175–$94,558 | $41,018–$93,729 |
| Finish within 8 years (anywhere) | 71% | 76% |
| White students graduating | 79% | 80% |
| Black students graduating | 62% | 72% |
| Hispanic students graduating | 63% | 74% |
| Asian students graduating | 78% | 86% |
| Typical earnings 6 years in | $60,168/yr | $50,621/yr |
| Earn more than a HS grad | 85% | 78% |
| Graduate on time | 68% | 70% |
| Pell students who graduate | 75% | 69% |
| First-gen students who finish | 72% | 67% |
| Low-income students who finish | 74% | 65% |
| Students who transfer out | 17% | 15% |
| Typical earnings 8 years in | $67,667/yr | $57,722/yr |
| Majors & programs | ||
| Top 3 programs | Business, Management & Marketing 30% · Engineering 21% · Military Technologies 14% | Business, Management & Marketing 26% · Health Professions 12% · Biological & Biomedical Sciences 11% |
| Most popular program | Business, Management & Marketing — 30% of degrees | Business, Management & Marketing — 26% of degrees |
| 2nd most popular program | Engineering — 21% of degrees | Health Professions — 12% of degrees |
| 3rd most popular program | Military Technologies — 14% of degrees | Biological & Biomedical Sciences — 11% of degrees |
| 4th most popular program | Parks, Recreation & Fitness — 7% of degrees | Communication & Journalism — 7% of degrees |
| 5th most popular program | Homeland Security & Protective Services — 6% of degrees | Psychology — 6% of degrees |
| Highest-paying major (1 year out) | Business Administration, Management and Operations — $75,902/yr | Business Administration, Management and Operations — $118,109/yr |
| Degrees in STEM | 30% | 23% |
| Campus & students | ||
| Undergrad enrollment | 2,705 | 29,820 |
| Students per professor | 11 : 1 | 19 : 1 |
| Graduate students | 1,056 | 8,345 |
| Average professor pay | $10,071/mo | $12,414/mo |
| Full-time professors | 70% | 75% |
| Fully online | No | No |
| Accredited by | Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges | Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges |
| Median family income | $70,469 | $74,190 |
| Setting | City (midsize) | City (midsize) |
| Location | Charleston, SC | Columbia, SC |
| Region | Southeast | Southeast |
| Founded | 1842 | 1801 |
| Public or private | Public | Public |
| Main degree offered | Bachelor's degrees | Bachelor's degrees |
| Carnegie classification | Master's Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs | Doctoral Universities: Very High Research Activity |
| Main or branch campus | Main campus | Main campus |
| International students | 0.8% | 1.2% |
| Men | 86% | 41% |
| Women | 14% | 59% |
| White students | 73% | 72% |
| Black students | 8.3% | 9.7% |
| Hispanic or Latino students | 9.7% | 6.8% |
| Asian students | 2.1% | 4.3% |
| Two or more races | 4.4% | 4.4% |
| Other / not reported | 1.7% | 1.2% |
| Special type | None | None |
| First-generation students | 19% | 20% |
| Part-time students | 5.8% | 2.7% |
| Students age 25+ | 9.6% | 2.8% |
| Spent on teaching per student | $10,016/yr | $14,139/yr |
| Endowment | $419.8M | $776.5M |
| Campus life | ||
| Campus data from | 2023 | 2023 |
| On-campus housing | Yes — dorms on campus | Yes — dorms on campus |
| Beds in campus housing | 2,372 | 9,956 |
| Required to live on campus | No | No |
| Room charge (campus housing) | No data reported | $7,750/yr |
| Meal plan charge | No data reported | $4,808/yr |
| Meal plan offered | Yes | Yes |
| Meals per week | 20 meals/week | No data reported |
| Academic calendar | Semester | Semester |
| Federal designation | None | None |
| Study abroad | Yes | Yes |
| Undergraduate research | Yes | No |
| ROTC | Yes — Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force | Yes — Army, Navy, Air Force |
| Accepts AP credit | Yes | Yes |
| Accepts dual-enrollment credit | No | No |
| Credit for life experience | No | No |
| Online classes | Yes | Yes |
| Whole degrees online | Yes | Yes |
| Weekend & evening classes | Yes | Yes |
| Teacher certification | Yes | Yes |
| Academic & career counseling | Yes | Yes |
| Job help while you study | Yes | Yes |
| Job placement for graduates | Yes | Yes |
| On-campus day care | No | Yes |
| Program for students with intellectual disabilities | No | No |
| Yellow Ribbon (GI Bill) school | Yes | Yes |
| Credit for military training | Yes | Yes |
| Student veteran organization | Yes | Yes |
| Tuition payment plan | No | No |
| Guaranteed (locked) tuition | No | No |
| Prepaid tuition plan | No | No |
| Athletics | ||
| Athletics data from | 2024-25 | 2024-25 |
| College sports level | NCAA Division I-FCS | NCAA Division I-FBS |
| Football team | Yes | Yes |
| Varsity teams | 12 | 18 |
| Student athletes | 311 | 571 |
| Athletic scholarships | $6.7M | $13.8M |
| Athletics budget | $20.0M | $203.3M |
| Athletics revenue | $23.0M | $204.6M |
| Recruiting spend | $185,771 | $3.4M |
Data: U.S. Department of Education — College Scorecard 2026-06-10, EADA athletics, IPEDS admissions — each on its own survey year. Campus life: IPEDS institutional characteristics, retrieved from the Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-BY 1.0). Founding year, logo, campus photo and links via Wikidata / Wikipedia. SHMACS is an independent tool and is not affiliated with or endorsed by any institution shown.