College of Charleston acceptance rate, cost and outcomes
College of Charleston · Public · Charleston, SC · 10,660 undergraduates (IPEDS fall 2023)
College of Charleston admitted 72.0% of applicants for fall 2023, up from 70.3% in 2013. South Carolina residents pay $12,978 in tuition and fees for 2025-26; out-of-state students pay $38,844.
Admit rate, 2013 to 2023
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| Fall | Admit rate | Applicants | Admitted |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 70.3% | 11,509 | 8,092 |
| 2014 | 78.0% | 11,179 | 8,722 |
| 2015 | 77.1% | 11,722 | 9,043 |
| 2016 | 84.1% | 10,828 | 9,110 |
| 2017 | 80.5% | 11,900 | 9,574 |
| 2018 | 79.3% | 11,675 | 9,254 |
| 2019 | 78.3% | 11,783 | 9,230 |
| 2020 | 74.3% | 15,214 | 11,307 |
| 2021 | 76.1% | 20,484 | 15,590 |
| 2022 | 75.7% | 22,020 | 16,666 |
| 2023 | 72.0% | 26,683 | 19,212 |
Applications went from 11,509 in fall 2013 to 26,683 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 | $14,245 |
| $30,001 to $48,000 | $13,240 |
| $48,001 to $75,000 | $14,854 |
| $75,001 to $110,000 | $18,141 |
| Over $110,000 | $25,459 |
| Tuition and fees, in-state (2025-26) | $12,978 |
| Tuition and fees, out-of-state (2025-26) | $38,844 |
| Cost of attendance (2024-25) | $33,689 |
| Average net price, students with federal aid (2024-25) | $18,177 |
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: 21% submitted the SAT, 11% the ACT. Source: IPEDS fall 2023.1
Similar public colleges
| College | Admit rate | Tuition and fees |
|---|---|---|
| Coastal Carolina SC | 80.2% | $11,640 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
In fall 2023 the College of Charleston received 26,683 applications, and 19,212 of them ended in an offer of admission, which is a rate of 72.0%.1 The rate was 70.3% in fall 2013, which means an increase of 1.7 percentage points, with a high of 84.1% in fall 2016 in between.1 Even with a small net change, the rate declined in 7 of the 10 yearly changes, so most years brought a lower rate than the year before.1 Applications grew 132%, from 11,509 to 26,683, and admissions grew 137%, from 8,092 to 19,212.1
Test scores are optional. SAT scores came from 21% of entrants with a middle 50% of 580 to 660 in reading and writing and 550 to 640 in math, and ACT scores from 11% with a range of 24 to 29.1
South Carolina residents pay $12,978 in tuition and fees for 2025-26, while nonresidents pay $38,844. The resident price is above the $11,670 median of 12 public bachelor's colleges in the state.2 Families paid a net price of $14,245 in the $0 to $30,000 band, $14,854 in the $48,001 to $75,000 band and $25,459 in the over $110,000 band, on average, in 2024-25.2
A total of 65% of 2019 entrants graduated within 6 years, compared with a 50% median across 35 South Carolina colleges.2 The College of Charleston retained 82% of its fall 2023 entrants. Median earnings of $63,018 are reported for 10 years after entry, and borrowers finished with a median debt of $20,500, so the cost and the pay both appear in the federal data.2
Every number on this page, with its source field
| Figure | Value | File, field, year |
|---|---|---|
| Applicants | 26,683 | IPEDS ADM2023, APPLCN, fall 20231 |
| Admitted | 19,212 | IPEDS ADM2023, ADMSSN, fall 20231 |
| Enrolled first-years | 2,637 | IPEDS ADM2023, ENRLT, fall 20231 |
| Undergraduates | 10,660 | 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 | 580 | IPEDS ADM2023, SATVR25, fall 20231 |
| SAT reading/writing, 75th percentile | 660 | IPEDS ADM2023, SATVR75, fall 20231 |
| SAT math, 25th percentile | 550 | IPEDS ADM2023, SATMT25, fall 20231 |
| SAT math, 75th percentile | 640 | IPEDS ADM2023, SATMT75, fall 20231 |
| ACT composite, 25th percentile | 24 | IPEDS ADM2023, ACTCM25, fall 20231 |
| ACT composite, 75th percentile | 29 | IPEDS ADM2023, ACTCM75, fall 20231 |
| Enrolled students submitting SAT | 21% | IPEDS ADM2023, SATPCT, fall 20231 |
| Enrolled students submitting ACT | 11% | IPEDS ADM2023, ACTPCT, fall 20231 |
| Tuition and fees, in-state | $12,978 | College Scorecard, TUITIONFEE_IN, 2025-262 |
| Tuition and fees, out-of-state | $38,844 | College Scorecard, TUITIONFEE_OUT, 2025-262 |
| Cost of attendance | $33,689 | College Scorecard, COSTT4_A, 2024-252 |
| Average net price, students with federal aid | $18,177 | College Scorecard, NPT4_PUB, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income $0 to $30,000 | $14,245 | College Scorecard, NPT41_PUB, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income $30,001 to $48,000 | $13,240 | College Scorecard, NPT42_PUB, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income $48,001 to $75,000 | $14,854 | College Scorecard, NPT43_PUB, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income $75,001 to $110,000 | $18,141 | College Scorecard, NPT44_PUB, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income over $110,000 | $25,459 | College Scorecard, NPT45_PUB, 2024-252 |
| Graduation rate within 6 years | 65% | College Scorecard, C150_4, 2019 entrants2 |
| First-year retention | 82% | College Scorecard, RET_FT4, fall 2023 entrants2 |
| Undergraduates with a Pell grant | 23% | College Scorecard, PCTPELL, 2024-252 |
| Median earnings 10 years after entry | $63,018 | College Scorecard, MD_EARN_WNE_P10, 2022-232 |
| Median federal debt of graduates | $20,500 | 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 |
| 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 College of Charleston, 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