Clemson acceptance rate, cost and outcomes
Clemson University · Public · Clemson, SC · 22,875 undergraduates (IPEDS fall 2023)
Clemson admitted 38.1% of applicants for fall 2023, down from 57.9% in 2013. South Carolina residents pay $15,854 in tuition and fees for 2025-26; out-of-state students pay $42,378.
Admit rate, 2013 to 2023
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| Fall | Admit rate | Applicants | Admitted |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 57.9% | 18,500 | 10,706 |
| 2014 | 51.5% | 20,756 | 10,694 |
| 2015 | 51.3% | 22,396 | 11,483 |
| 2016 | 50.5% | 23,506 | 11,881 |
| 2017 | 47.2% | 26,242 | 12,380 |
| 2018 | 47.2% | 28,845 | 13,613 |
| 2019 | 51.3% | 29,070 | 14,900 |
| 2020 | 61.9% | 28,600 | 17,715 |
| 2021 | 49.2% | 47,007 | 23,138 |
| 2022 | 43.0% | 52,819 | 22,704 |
| 2023 | 38.1% | 60,122 | 22,879 |
Applications went from 18,500 in fall 2013 to 60,122 in fall 2023. Admit rate = admitted ÷ applicants. Source: IPEDS fall admissions.1
What families actually pay
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| Family income | Net price / year, 2024-25 |
|---|---|
| $0 to $30,000 | $14,943 |
| $30,001 to $48,000 | $14,638 |
| $48,001 to $75,000 | $16,669 |
| $75,001 to $110,000 | $22,127 |
| Over $110,000 | $27,922 |
| Tuition and fees, in-state (2025-26) | $15,854 |
| Tuition and fees, out-of-state (2025-26) | $42,378 |
| Cost of attendance (2024-25) | $35,250 |
| Average net price, students with federal aid (2024-25) | $22,032 |
Net price is the cost of attendance minus grants, for first-time full-time students with federal aid paying the in-state rate, 2024-25. Tuition is 2025-26. Source: College Scorecard.2
SAT and ACT
Middle 50% (25th to 75th percentile) of enrolled first-year students who submitted scores: 39% submitted the SAT, 21% the ACT. Source: IPEDS fall 2023.1
Similar public colleges
| College | Admit rate | Tuition and fees |
|---|---|---|
| University of South Carolina SC | 61.5% | $12,688 in-state |
| College of Charleston SC | 72.0% | $12,978 in-state |
| Coastal Carolina SC | 80.2% | $11,640 in-state |
Same state and type first, then the nearest admit rate. Fall 2023 and 2025-26 figures.
What the numbers say
For fall 2013 Clemson admitted 57.9% of its applicants; for fall 2023 the share was 38.1%.1 That is a decline of 19.8 percentage points, with the rate going down in 7 of the 10 annual changes between 2013 and 2023.1 The exception was a jump to 61.9% for fall 2020, after which the rate fell every year to 38.1% for fall 2023.1 Clemson's applicant pool grew 225% over the decade, from 18,500 to 60,122, and it admitted 22,879 students for fall 2023.1
It was test-optional for fall 2023; the middle 50% of ACT submitters scored 28 to 32.1
South Carolina residents pay $15,854 in tuition and fees for 2025-26 and out-of-state students pay $42,378.2 The resident price is above the $11,670 median of the state's 12 public bachelor's colleges.2 Net price varies less by income than at many universities: in 2024-25 aided families earning up to $30,000 paid $14,943 on average and those earning over $110,000 paid $27,922.2
For students who entered Clemson in 2019, the 6-year graduation rate is 88%, and median earnings 10 years after entry are $79,064.2
Every number on this page, with its source field
| Figure | Value | File, field, year |
|---|---|---|
| Applicants | 60,122 | IPEDS ADM2023, APPLCN, fall 20231 |
| Admitted | 22,879 | IPEDS ADM2023, ADMSSN, fall 20231 |
| Enrolled first-years | 4,494 | IPEDS ADM2023, ENRLT, fall 20231 |
| Undergraduates | 22,875 | IPEDS DRVEF2023, EFUG, fall 20234 |
| Admission policy | Selective (not open admission) | IPEDS IC2023, OPENADMP, 2023-243 |
| Test policy | Test-optional | IPEDS ADM2023, ADMCON7, fall 20231 |
| SAT reading/writing, 25th percentile | 620 | IPEDS ADM2023, SATVR25, fall 20231 |
| SAT reading/writing, 75th percentile | 690 | IPEDS ADM2023, SATVR75, fall 20231 |
| SAT math, 25th percentile | 610 | IPEDS ADM2023, SATMT25, fall 20231 |
| SAT math, 75th percentile | 700 | IPEDS ADM2023, SATMT75, fall 20231 |
| ACT composite, 25th percentile | 28 | IPEDS ADM2023, ACTCM25, fall 20231 |
| ACT composite, 75th percentile | 32 | IPEDS ADM2023, ACTCM75, fall 20231 |
| Enrolled students submitting SAT | 39% | IPEDS ADM2023, SATPCT, fall 20231 |
| Enrolled students submitting ACT | 21% | IPEDS ADM2023, ACTPCT, fall 20231 |
| Tuition and fees, in-state | $15,854 | College Scorecard, TUITIONFEE_IN, 2025-262 |
| Tuition and fees, out-of-state | $42,378 | College Scorecard, TUITIONFEE_OUT, 2025-262 |
| Cost of attendance | $35,250 | College Scorecard, COSTT4_A, 2024-252 |
| Average net price, students with federal aid | $22,032 | College Scorecard, NPT4_PUB, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income $0 to $30,000 | $14,943 | College Scorecard, NPT41_PUB, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income $30,001 to $48,000 | $14,638 | College Scorecard, NPT42_PUB, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income $48,001 to $75,000 | $16,669 | College Scorecard, NPT43_PUB, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income $75,001 to $110,000 | $22,127 | College Scorecard, NPT44_PUB, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income over $110,000 | $27,922 | College Scorecard, NPT45_PUB, 2024-252 |
| Graduation rate within 6 years | 88% | College Scorecard, C150_4, 2019 entrants2 |
| First-year retention | 93% | College Scorecard, RET_FT4, fall 2023 entrants2 |
| Undergraduates with a Pell grant | 18% | College Scorecard, PCTPELL, 2024-252 |
| Median earnings 10 years after entry | $79,064 | College Scorecard, MD_EARN_WNE_P10, 2022-232 |
| Median federal debt of graduates | $19,500 | College Scorecard, GRAD_DEBT_MDN, FY2024-252 |
| Median in-state tuition and fees, public colleges, South Carolina (N = 12) | $11,670 | College Scorecard, median TUITIONFEE_IN, public bachelor's institutions, 2025-262 |
Sources
- National Center for Education Statistics (NCES): IPEDS admissions files, fall 2013 to fall 2023 (IC2013, ADM2014, ADM2015, ADM2016, ADM2017, ADM2018, ADM2019, ADM2020, ADM2021, ADM2022, ADM2023). Checked 26 Oct 2026.
- U.S. Department of Education: College Scorecard, Most Recent Institution-Level Data (Most-Recent-Cohorts-Institution (release of 15 Oct 2026)). Data years: 2019 entrants, 2022-23, 2024-25, 2025-26, FY2024-25, fall 2023 entrants. Checked 25 Oct 2026.
- National Center for Education Statistics (NCES): IPEDS Institutional Characteristics 2023-24 (IC2023.zip). Data years: 2023-24. Checked 26 Oct 2026.
- National Center for Education Statistics (NCES): IPEDS Fall Enrollment, derived variables, fall 2023 (DRVEF2023.zip). Data years: 2023. Checked 26 Oct 2026.
AdmitFacts is not affiliated with Clemson, the U.S. Department of Education or NCES. Missing values are shown as Not reported, never estimated. The file field behind each figure is listed under "Every number on this page". How we build each page