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Charleston, SC · Clemson, SC
| College of Charleston | Clemson University | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | ||
| Price after aid (average) | $18,960/yr | $22,253/yr |
| Price after aid (family income under $30k) | $12,133/yr | $13,607/yr |
| Typical loan debt at graduation | $23,250 | $21,500 |
| Price after aid ($30k–$48k income) | $13,406/yr | $14,109/yr |
| Price after aid ($48k–$75k income) | $16,797/yr | $18,851/yr |
| Price after aid ($75k–$110k income) | $20,089/yr | $24,833/yr |
| Price after aid (income over $110k) | $24,996/yr | $27,922/yr |
| Typical loan payment after graduation | $246/mo | $228/mo |
| Room & board (on campus) | $14,332/yr | $13,284/yr |
| Room & board (off campus) | $14,091/yr | $13,284/yr |
| Borrowers who default | 0% | 0% |
| Books & supplies | $1,530/yr | $1,456/yr |
| Other living costs (on campus) | $4,849/yr | $5,520/yr |
| Sticker price (before aid) | $32,362/yr | $35,015/yr |
| Tuition (in-state) | $12,978/yr | $15,554/yr |
| Tuition (out-of-state) | $38,296/yr | $40,866/yr |
| Students with Pell Grants | 19% | 15% |
| Students taking federal loans | 38% | 31% |
| Getting in | ||
| Students who get accepted | 60% | 38% |
| SAT range (middle 50%) | 1140–1310 | 1240–1410 |
| SAT average | 1247 | 1353 |
| ACT range (middle 50%) | 25–30 | 28–32 |
| ACT sections (middle 50%) | English 24–31 · Math 21–27 | English 26–34 · Math 26–31 |
| Admissions data from | Fall 2023 | Fall 2023 |
| Applications received | 26,683 | 60,122 |
| Students accepted | 19,212 | 22,879 |
| Students who enrolled | 2,637 | 4,494 |
| Accepted students who enroll | 14% | 20% |
| Enrolled who sent SAT scores | 21% | 39% |
| Enrolled who sent ACT scores | 11% | 21% |
| High-school GPA | Required | Required |
| High-school transcript | Required | Required |
| Essay | Optional (considered if sent) | Optional (considered if sent) |
| Recommendation letters | Optional (considered if sent) | Optional (considered if sent) |
| Class rank | Required | Optional (considered if sent) |
| College-prep program | Required | Required |
| Demonstrated competencies | Not considered | Optional (considered if sent) |
| Work experience | Optional (considered if sent) | Optional (considered if sent) |
| English proficiency test | Required | Required |
| Other admission tests | Not considered | Not considered |
| Legacy considered | Not considered | Optional (considered if sent) |
| SAT/ACT policy | Optional (considered if sent) | Optional (considered if sent) |
| Graduation & earnings | ||
| Students who graduate | 66% | 87% |
| Freshmen who come back | 82% | 93% |
| Typical earnings 10 years in | $56,416/yr | $71,513/yr |
| Earnings range 10 years in | $35,817–$81,379 | $46,322–$100,350 |
| Finish within 8 years (anywhere) | 63% | 85% |
| White students graduating | 67% | 88% |
| Black students graduating | 57% | 78% |
| Hispanic students graduating | 68% | 83% |
| Asian students graduating | 76% | 84% |
| Typical earnings 6 years in | $43,821/yr | $58,311/yr |
| Earn more than a HS grad | 71% | 83% |
| Graduate on time | 57% | 68% |
| Pell students who graduate | 61% | 80% |
| First-gen students who finish | 56% | 71% |
| Low-income students who finish | 54% | 67% |
| Students who transfer out | 25% | 9.2% |
| Typical earnings 8 years in | $50,232/yr | $65,822/yr |
| Majors & programs | ||
| Top 3 programs | Business, Management & Marketing 28% · Biological & Biomedical Sciences 11% · Communication & Journalism 9% | Business, Management & Marketing 26% · Engineering 16% · Social Sciences 9% |
| Most popular program | Business, Management & Marketing — 28% of degrees | Business, Management & Marketing — 26% of degrees |
| 2nd most popular program | Biological & Biomedical Sciences — 11% of degrees | Engineering — 16% of degrees |
| 3rd most popular program | Communication & Journalism — 9% of degrees | Social Sciences — 9% of degrees |
| 4th most popular program | Psychology — 9% of degrees | Biological & Biomedical Sciences — 8% of degrees |
| 5th most popular program | Social Sciences — 7% of degrees | Health Professions — 6% of degrees |
| Highest-paying major (1 year out) | Accounting and Related Services — $70,310/yr | Industrial Engineering — $128,988/yr |
| Degrees in STEM | 19% | 32% |
| Campus & students | ||
| Undergrad enrollment | 10,558 | 23,300 |
| Students per professor | 16 : 1 | 16 : 1 |
| Graduate students | 1,046 | 5,676 |
| Average professor pay | $10,384/mo | $12,153/mo |
| Full-time professors | 65% | 88% |
| 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 | $58,643 | $78,377 |
| Setting | City (midsize) | Suburb (midsize) |
| Location | Charleston, SC | Clemson, SC |
| Region | Southeast | Southeast |
| Founded | 1770 | 1889 |
| Public or private | Public | Public |
| Main degree offered | Bachelor's degrees | Bachelor's degrees |
| Carnegie classification | Master's Colleges & Universities: Medium Programs | Doctoral Universities: Very High Research Activity |
| Main or branch campus | Main campus | Main campus |
| International students | 1% | 0.8% |
| Men | 32% | 46% |
| Women | 68% | 54% |
| White students | 79% | 76% |
| Black students | 5.3% | 5% |
| Hispanic or Latino students | 7.7% | 9.1% |
| Asian students | 1.9% | 2.9% |
| Two or more races | 3.9% | 3.9% |
| Other / not reported | 1.2% | 2.5% |
| Special type | None | None |
| First-generation students | 20% | 17% |
| Part-time students | 4.4% | 2.9% |
| Students age 25+ | 5.7% | 2.4% |
| Spent on teaching per student | $10,229/yr | $14,641/yr |
| Endowment | $147.5M | $1.1B |
| Campus life | ||
| Campus data from | 2023 | 2023 |
| On-campus housing | Yes — dorms on campus | Yes — dorms on campus |
| Beds in campus housing | 3,749 | 7,500 |
| Required to live on campus | No | No |
| Room charge (campus housing) | $9,032/yr | $8,026/yr |
| Meal plan charge | $5,000/yr | $4,846/yr |
| Meal plan offered | Yes | Yes |
| Meals per week | Varies by week | Varies by week |
| Academic calendar | Semester | Semester |
| Federal designation | None | Land-grant institution |
| Study abroad | Yes | Yes |
| Undergraduate research | No | Yes |
| ROTC | Yes — Army, Air Force | Yes — Army, 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 | No | No |
| 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 | Yes | Yes |
| Yellow Ribbon (GI Bill) school | Yes | Yes |
| Credit for military training | Yes | Yes |
| Student veteran organization | Yes | Yes |
| Tuition payment plan | Yes | Yes |
| Guaranteed (locked) tuition | No | No |
| Prepaid tuition plan | No | No |
| Athletics | ||
| Athletics data from | 2024-25 | 2024-25 |
| College sports level | NCAA Division I without football | NCAA Division I-FBS |
| Football team | No | Yes |
| Varsity teams | 19 | 17 |
| Student athletes | 399 | 564 |
| Athletic scholarships | $5.9M | $14.7M |
| Athletics budget | $25.5M | $186.1M |
| Athletics revenue | $25.5M | $186.1M |
| Recruiting spend | $295,142 | $5.1M |
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.