Coastal Carolina acceptance rate, cost and outcomes
Coastal Carolina University · Public · Conway, SC · 10,306 undergraduates (IPEDS fall 2023)
Coastal Carolina admitted 80.2% of applicants for fall 2023, up from 74.0% in 2013. South Carolina residents pay $11,640 in tuition and fees for 2025-26; out-of-state students pay $29,926.
Admit rate, 2013 to 2023
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| Fall | Admit rate | Applicants | Admitted |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 74.0% | 10,993 | 8,139 |
| 2014 | 63.6% | 14,799 | 9,412 |
| 2015 | 59.7% | 17,252 | 10,291 |
| 2016 | 61.2% | 17,768 | 10,871 |
| 2017 | 61.2% | 18,563 | 11,359 |
| 2018 | 69.6% | 14,057 | 9,777 |
| 2019 | 68.9% | 15,061 | 10,373 |
| 2020 | 70.4% | 14,152 | 9,970 |
| 2021 | 79.1% | 15,481 | 12,251 |
| 2022 | 78.6% | 17,161 | 13,493 |
| 2023 | 80.2% | 18,223 | 14,613 |
Applications went from 10,993 in fall 2013 to 18,223 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 | $11,069 |
| $30,001 to $48,000 | $11,943 |
| $48,001 to $75,000 | $13,047 |
| $75,001 to $110,000 | $18,002 |
| Over $110,000 | $21,700 |
| Tuition and fees, in-state (2025-26) | $11,640 |
| Tuition and fees, out-of-state (2025-26) | $29,926 |
| Cost of attendance (2024-25) | $28,982 |
| Average net price, students with federal aid (2024-25) | $15,287 |
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: 26% submitted the SAT, 9% the ACT. Source: IPEDS fall 2023.1
Similar public colleges
| College | Admit rate | Tuition and fees |
|---|---|---|
| College of Charleston SC | 72.0% | $12,978 in-state |
| University of South Carolina SC | 61.5% | $12,688 in-state |
| Clemson SC | 38.1% | $15,854 in-state |
Same state and type first, then the nearest admit rate. Fall 2023 and 2025-26 figures.
What the numbers say
Coastal Carolina reported 18,223 applications for fall 2023 and 14,613 admitted students, which is an admit rate of 80.2%.1 Its rate was 74.0% in 2013, then fell to 59.7% by 2015 before climbing again, ending 6.2 percentage points higher over the full decade.1 Only 4 of the 10 year-to-year steps were falls in the rate.1 Admitted students grew 80%, from 8,139 to 14,613, a faster pace than the 66% growth in applications.1
Test scores are optional, and 26% of enrolled students submitted SAT results while 9% submitted ACT results.1 Middle 50% SAT reading and writing scores were 530 to 610, math scores were 520 to 600, and the ACT range was 20 to 26.1
South Carolina students are charged $11,640 in tuition and fees for 2025-26, and out-of-state students are charged $29,926.2 The in-state charge is below the $11,670 median of the 12 public bachelor's colleges in the state.2 The average net price in 2024-25 started at $11,069 for families earning $0 to $30,000 and reached $21,700 for those earning over $110,000.2
A total of 54% of 2019 entrants graduated within 6 years, with a 50% median across 35 bachelor's colleges in South Carolina, and 77% of the fall 2023 class returned.2 Median earnings were $54,702 in 2022-23, and median debt for graduates who borrowed was $22,312.2
Every number on this page, with its source field
| Figure | Value | File, field, year |
|---|---|---|
| Applicants | 18,223 | IPEDS ADM2023, APPLCN, fall 20231 |
| Admitted | 14,613 | IPEDS ADM2023, ADMSSN, fall 20231 |
| Enrolled first-years | 2,775 | IPEDS ADM2023, ENRLT, fall 20231 |
| Undergraduates | 10,306 | 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 | 530 | IPEDS ADM2023, SATVR25, fall 20231 |
| SAT reading/writing, 75th percentile | 610 | IPEDS ADM2023, SATVR75, fall 20231 |
| SAT math, 25th percentile | 520 | IPEDS ADM2023, SATMT25, fall 20231 |
| SAT math, 75th percentile | 600 | IPEDS ADM2023, SATMT75, fall 20231 |
| ACT composite, 25th percentile | 20 | IPEDS ADM2023, ACTCM25, fall 20231 |
| ACT composite, 75th percentile | 26 | IPEDS ADM2023, ACTCM75, fall 20231 |
| Enrolled students submitting SAT | 26% | IPEDS ADM2023, SATPCT, fall 20231 |
| Enrolled students submitting ACT | 9% | IPEDS ADM2023, ACTPCT, fall 20231 |
| Tuition and fees, in-state | $11,640 | College Scorecard, TUITIONFEE_IN, 2025-262 |
| Tuition and fees, out-of-state | $29,926 | College Scorecard, TUITIONFEE_OUT, 2025-262 |
| Cost of attendance | $28,982 | College Scorecard, COSTT4_A, 2024-252 |
| Average net price, students with federal aid | $15,287 | College Scorecard, NPT4_PUB, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income $0 to $30,000 | $11,069 | College Scorecard, NPT41_PUB, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income $30,001 to $48,000 | $11,943 | College Scorecard, NPT42_PUB, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income $48,001 to $75,000 | $13,047 | College Scorecard, NPT43_PUB, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income $75,001 to $110,000 | $18,002 | College Scorecard, NPT44_PUB, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income over $110,000 | $21,700 | College Scorecard, NPT45_PUB, 2024-252 |
| Graduation rate within 6 years | 54% | College Scorecard, C150_4, 2019 entrants2 |
| First-year retention | 77% | College Scorecard, RET_FT4, fall 2023 entrants2 |
| Undergraduates with a Pell grant | 30% | College Scorecard, PCTPELL, 2024-252 |
| Median earnings 10 years after entry | $54,702 | College Scorecard, MD_EARN_WNE_P10, 2022-232 |
| Median federal debt of graduates | $22,312 | 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 |
| Median graduation rate within 6 years, South Carolina (N = 35) | 50% | College Scorecard, median C150_4, bachelor's institutions, 2019 entrants2 |
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 Coastal Carolina, 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