The Hardest Colleges to Get Into in South Carolina

The Palmetto State is home to more than three dozen four-year public and private, not-for-profit colleges that award, at a minimum, bachelor’s degrees. South Carolina is also home to some notable powerhouses when it comes to NCAA Division I football, such as the Clemson Tigers and the South Carolina Gamecocks. What’s more, South Carolina is also home to the scenic, colonial beauty of the College of Charleston.

If you have strong academic credentials in high school as well as solid SAT or ACT scores, participation in extra-curricular activities, and demonstrable leadership skills thanks to school-related programs or from experiences outside of school, then you might be interested in applying to some of the more selective colleges in South Carolina. With so many colleges to choose from in South Carolina, we wanted to help in your journey of figuring out which colleges to apply to.

In order to find out the hardest colleges to get into in South Carolina, BrokeScholar analyzed all the schools in the state that are four-year institutions, including both public colleges and private, not for-profit colleges, that award bachelor’s degrees or higher. Sourcing the latest data from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) as well as data from individual college websites, we analyzed and ranked all colleges in South Carolina in terms of how difficult they are to gain acceptance to. (See the methodology section for more details).

Read on to find out the hardest colleges to get into in South Carolina.

What Are the Hardest Colleges to Get into in South Carolina?

The top-10 list of the hardest colleges to get into in South Carolina is dominated by private, not-for-profit colleges. However, there are two colleges that are public, state colleges that ranked among the top-10 list. Interestingly, while there is some correlation between the hardest colleges to get into in South Carolina and them having higher-than-average graduation rates, the correlation is fairly weak.

Taking together all four-year public and private, not-for-profit South Carolina colleges analyzed in our study, the overall average graduation rate was 50%. That state-wide graduation rate is better than the average graduation rate for colleges in Ohio (48%), covered in a separate study on the hardest colleges to get into in Ohio. Returning to South Carolina, the average undergraduate acceptance rate for all the colleges analyzed was 76%. Of the top-10 hardest colleges to get into in the Palmetto State, the one with the highest admission rate is still only 62%, which is markedly more selective than the average for the study as a whole.

Below you’ll find a list of the 10 hardest colleges to get into in South Carolina, listed in order of lowest acceptance rate to highest acceptance rate for undergraduate applicants. Also included in the breakdown below are costs of tuition and required fees (though required fees does not include room and board).

Based on the data, the hardest college to get into in South Carolina is Columbia International University, a private Christian university in the state capital, Columbia. The second hardest college to get into in South Carolina is Clemson University, a public land-grant research university, located in Clemson, South Carolina. These two colleges are quite different from each other, with the former having an undergraduate population of less than 1,000, while the latter has more than 20,000. 

Here’s a more detailed breakdown of the hardest colleges to get into in South Carolina:

1. Columbia International University

Total number of applicants: 526

Columbia International University acceptance rate: 46%

Tuition and required fees: $26,740

Undergraduate student gender breakdown: 54% Female - 46% Male

Columbia International University (CIU) is located in South Carolina’s state capital of Columbia. It’s a private Christian university, but its religious affiliation is multi-denominational. Columbia International University has an undergraduate population of just over 900 students, making it one of the smaller colleges to make the top 10 list, but it has a total student population of over 2,300. Boasting an undergraduate admission rate of just 46%, Columbia International University tops the list of the hardest colleges to get into in South Carolina. Its graduation rate of 62% is better-than-average and it offers the complete range of degrees that can be awarded, from less-than-one-year-certificates to doctoral degrees. In total, CIU offers 73 different degree programs, with many of them being available either online or on-campus.

2. Clemson University

Total number of applicants: 47,007

Clemson University acceptance rate: 49%

Tuition and required fees: $15,558 for in-state | $38,550 for out-of-state

Undergraduate student gender breakdown: 51% Female - 49% Male

Clemson University is the second largest university in South Carolina, behind only the University of South Carolina in Columbia. Clemson has an undergraduate population of well over 21,000 students, and a total student population of more than 27,000. In terms of the levels of degrees it awards, Clemson University offers the full range, from less-than-one-year-certificates all the way up to doctoral degrees. With an undergraduate admission rate of just 49%, Clemson is the second hardest college to get into in South Carolina. Equally impressive, however, is its graduation rate of 85% — the highest graduation rate of all the colleges in South Carolina analyzed in our study. 

Clemson University has a robust academic structure, with multiple colleges under its overall umbrella, including:

• The College of Agriculture Forestry and Life Sciences
• The College of Architecture, Arts and Humanities
• The College of Behavioral, Social and Health Sciences
• The Wilbur O. and Ann Powers College of Business
• The College of Education
• The College of Engineering, Computing and Applied Sciences
• The College of Science
• The Graduate School

With so many schools and a wide array of academic programs, deciding on a major to pursue at Clemson University can be tough. And, of course, Clemson boasts its stellar Clemson Tigers football team to make the college experience there even sweeter.

3. Anderson University

Total number of applicants: 4,510

Anderson University acceptance rate: 50%

Tuition and required fees: $32,120

Undergraduate student gender breakdown: 68% Female - 32% Male

Anderson University is located in western South Carolina, in the Greenville-Anderson-Mauldin metro area. As a private Christian college, affiliated with the South Carolina Baptist Convention, Anderson University ranks as the third hardest college to get into in South Carolina. With only half of undergraduate applicants being accepted, Anderson University is highly selective. It has a graduation rate of 64%, which is much better than the 50% average graduation rate for the study overall. Anderson University awards several levels of degrees, from bachelor’s degrees to multiple doctoral degree programs, including: 

• 59 major degree programs
• 38 concentrations
• 46 minors
• 18 master’s and doctoral degrees, and
• 8 certification programs

4. Wofford College

Total number of applicants: 4,351

Wofford College acceptance rate: 52%

Tuition and required fees: $51,530

Undergraduate student gender breakdown: 52% Female - 48% Male

Located in Spartanburg, South Carolina, Wofford College is a private liberal arts college, affiliated with the United Methodist Church, that was founded back in 1854. Wofford College awards only bachelor’s degrees and thus its entire student body is composed of undergraduates, numbering roughly 1,765 students. With an undergraduate acceptance rate of 52%, Wofford College is far more selective than the study’s overall average acceptance rate of 76%. On top of that, Wofford College’s graduation rate is 80%, which is the third highest graduation rate out of all colleges in South Carolina. According to NCES data, Wofford College is a popular school for majoring in biology, with 76 bachelor’s degrees alone being conferred in the field of Biology/Biological Sciences, General, out of a total of 401 bachelor’s degrees awarded for the academic year.

5. Allen University

Total number of applicants: 1,425

Allen University acceptance rate: 57%

Tuition and required fees: $14,304

Undergraduate student gender breakdown: 40% Female - 60% Male

Located in the state capital, Allen University is a private historically black university (HBCU) that offers degree programs ranging from the associate level to master’s degrees. With an undergraduate admission rate of 57%, it is in a four-way tie for being the fifth hardest college to get into in South Carolina. One of the big highlights about Allen University is its affordable cost of attendance; its cost of tuition and required fees is approximately $14,304 per academic year, making it one of the most affordable schools in our top 10 list of the hardest colleges to get into in South Carolina.

6. Charleston Southern University

Total number of applicants: 3,940

Charleston Southern University acceptance rate: 57%

Tuition and required fees: $29,490

Undergraduate student gender breakdown: 64% Female - 36% Male

At home in the colonial setting of North Charleston, Charleston Southern University (CSU) is a private Baptist university, affiliated with the South Carolina Baptist Convention. CSU is about medium-sized when it comes to private, not-for-profit colleges, having an undergraduate population of over 2,700 students and a total student population of over 3,300. Out of nearly 4,000 applicants, CSU had a selective acceptance rate of 57%, which is more competitive than the 76% average admission rate for all South Carolina colleges analyzed in our study. 

Charleston Southern University offers degree programs ranging from postgraduate certificates to doctoral degrees. CSU boasts 42 undergraduate areas of study, 19 graduate areas of study, as well as 21 online areas of study.

7. Newberry College

Total number of applicants: 2,160

Newberry College acceptance rate: 57%

Tuition and required fees: $29,100

Undergraduate student gender breakdown: 42% Female - 58% Male

Founded in 1856, Newberry College is a private Lutheran college located in Newberry, South Carolina, a little over 40 miles northwest of Columbia. Newberry College’s graduation rate of 54% is better-than-average and its undergraduate admission rate of 57% makes it tied for the fifth most selective college in South Carolina. Newberry College offers two levels of degrees, bachelor’s and master’s degrees. According to NCES data, its most popular bachelor’s programs were:

• 32 bachelor’s degrees awarded in Psychology, General
• 30 bachelor’s degrees awarded in Business Administration and Management, General
• 29 bachelor’s degrees awarded in Sport and Fitness Administration/Management

8. Southern Wesleyan University

Total number of applicants: 749

Southern Wesleyan University acceptance rate: 57%

Tuition and required fees: $27,820

Undergraduate student gender breakdown: 66% Female - 34% Male

Founded back in 1906 by the Wesleyan Church, Southern Wesleyan University (SWU) is on the smaller side of the spectrum, with an undergraduate population of a little over 1,000 students. Despite this, Southern Wesleyan University offers several levels of degrees, including associate, bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees. In addition, Southern Wesleyan University offers these various levels of degrees in a traditional on-campus setting or completely online. With an undergraduate acceptance rate of 57%, SWU is more selective than the study’s overall 76% average admission rate and is in a four-way tie with three other South Carolina colleges with the same acceptance rate.

9. Claflin University

Total number of applicants: 8,467

Claflin University acceptance rate: 62%

Tuition and required fees: $17,192

Undergraduate student gender breakdown: 71% Female - 29% Male

Located in Orangeburg, South Carolina, Claflin University is a private historically black university that ranks not only among the hardest colleges to get into in South Carolina, but also among the best HBCU colleges in the region. Claflin University awards bachelor’s degrees and master’s degrees, with its programs of study divided up into four overarching areas:

• Undergraduate: Includes 16 different Bachelors of Arts degrees and and 22 Bachelors of Science degrees, as well as multiple areas to minor in.
• Graduate: Includes a Master of Business Administration (MBA), Master of Education (M.Ed.), and three Masters of Science degree programs.
• Professional Studies: Includes a Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice and a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology; also includes a Bachelor of Science in Organizational Management and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing.
• Online: Includes two Bachelors of Arts, two Bachelors of Science, a Master of Business Administration, Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction, and a Master of Science in Criminal Justice.

With an approximate cost of tuition and required fees of $17,192 per academic year, for both in-state and out-of-state students, Claflin University is one of the most affordable of the top 10 hardest colleges to get into in South Carolina.

10. University of South Carolina

Total number of applicants: 42,045

University of South Carolina acceptance rate: 62%

Tuition and required fees: $12,688 for in-state | $33,928 for out-of-state

Undergraduate student gender breakdown: 55% Female - 45% Male

The Columbia campus of the University of South Carolina rounds out our list of the top 10 hardest colleges to get into in South Carolina. Founded in 1801, the University of South Carolina is a public research university, with an undergraduate population of over 26,800 students, making it the biggest college in the state. And with an undergraduate admission rate of 62%, it is one of the most selective big state schools, not just in South Carolina, but in the US overall. As a massive public research institution, the University of South Carolina boasts a very robust academic structure, including more than a dozen subsidiary schools and colleges:

• The College of Arts and Sciences
• The Darla Moore School of Business
• The College of Education
• The College of Engineering and Computing
• The Graduate School
• The College of Hospitality, Retail and Sport Management
• The College of Information and Communications
• The School of Law
• The School of Medicine Columbia
• The School of Music
• The College of Nursing
• The College of Pharmacy
• The Arnold School of Public Health
• The College of Social Work
• The South Carolina Honors College

On top of all that, the University of South Carolina boasts a graduation rate of 78%, which is the fourth best out of all colleges in South Carolina. And if that weren’t enough, the University of South Carolina is also one of the best biomedical engineering schools in the US.

The Bottom Line on the Hardest Colleges to Get Into in South Carolina

Looking over the hardest colleges to get into in South Carolina, the gender breakdown of students reflects a larger trend in college enrollment that's been going on nationally: A decline in men attending college and a continued increase in women attending college. Many of the hardest colleges to get into in South Carolina feature notable-to-significant majorities of female undergraduates. For instance, at Southern Wesleyan University, 66% of undergraduates are female to just 34% that are male. At Claflin University, a staggering 71% of undergraduates are female versus only 29% who are male.

The hardest colleges to get into in South Carolina vary substantially in their costs of tuition and fees. At a public college like the University of South Carolina, an in-state undergraduate pays a comparatively affordable $12,688 per academic year in tuition and required fees. On the other hand, a student at Wofford College has to pay more than $50,000 per academic year, which is a pretty big chunk of change. Luckily, BrokeScholar can help reduce those costs thanks to its massive library of college scholarships that both prospective college students and current students can apply for. In addition, BrokeScholar’s huge collection of student discounts can help cut down on indirect costs of attending college that are often overlooked, such as buying textbooks, food, clothes, computer-related equipment, and much more.

Methodology

In order to identify the hardest colleges to get into in South Carolina, we analyzed 38 colleges and universities in South Carolina that fit the following criteria:

• Are four-year public or four-year private, not-for-profit institutions
• Offer bachelor's degree programs (at a minimum)

These 38 colleges and universities were sourced from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), as was data on their respective undergraduate populations, undergraduate acceptance rates, total number of applicants, and undergraduate student gender breakdown. The costs of tuition and required fees were sourced from individual college websites and reflect costs for either the 2022-2023 academic year or 2023-2024 academic year if the latter was available.