South Carolina State University

South Carolina State University logo
#2824 / #747
Global Influence / U.S. Influence
#544
Most Desirable School
Public university in South Carolina, USA

South Carolina State University at a Glance

U.S. influence rank
#747
Acceptance rate (fall 2024)
83%
Tuition and fees (2025–26)
$11,060
Graduation rate
32%
Undergraduates (fall 2024)
2,934

Reviewed by , Vice President and Academic Editor. Influence ranks come from our InfluenceRanking™ methodology; other figures come from federal data, with the year shown under each section. Report an error

South Carolina State University Featured Rankings

About South Carolina State University

According to Wikipedia, South Carolina State University is a public, historically black, land-grant university in Orangeburg, South Carolina. It is the only public, historically black land-grant institution in South Carolina, is a member-school of the Thurgood Marshall College Fund, and is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools .

South Carolina State University Admissions, Retention, and Graduation Information

Annual ApplicationsAcceptanceRetention RateGraduation Rate
9,83083%56%32%

Source: U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and NCES); acceptance rate for fall 2024; test scores for fall 2024; applications and enrollment for fall 2023; retention for students who started in fall 2023; graduation rate within six years for students who started in 2019.

How Much Does South Carolina State University Cost To Attend?

Tuition and fees (in-state)
$11,060
Average Net Price by Family Income (2024–25)
IncomeAverage Net Cost
0 - 30K$16,960
30K - 48K$16,717
48K - 75K$18,111
75K - 110K$24,156
110K+$25,463

Source: U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and NCES); tuition and fees for 2025–26; net price for 2024–25, for first-time, full-time students receiving financial aid.

How Much Do South Carolina State University Graduates Make?

Ten years after starting college, former South Carolina State University students who received federal financial aid earn a median of $41,531 a year, and 92% of those not still in school are working.

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard; students who started college in 2011–12 or 2012–13, measured in 2022 and 2023, in 2024 dollars.

South Carolina State University's Demographics

Students enrolled at any time during the 2023–24 school year, including part-time and online students.

Student BodyUnder-GradsGraduates
3,3963,059337

Source: National Center for Education Statistics; 12-month enrollment for 2023–24.

Where is South Carolina State University?

South Carolina State University is located at 300 College St NE, Orangeburg, SC 29117-0001.

How Safe is South Carolina State University?

Like every college that receives federal student aid, South Carolina State University publishes an annual security report with its campus crime statistics and safety policies. Its figures can also be looked up in the U.S. Department of Education’s Campus Safety and Security database.

Relative to its enrollment, South Carolina State University has a violent crime rate of 0.28% and a property crime rate of 0.49%. Orangeburg has a violent crime rate of 1.25% and a property (including theft) crime rate of 6.25%. Sources: campus: U.S. Department of Education Campus Safety and Security data, on-campus offenses in 2024 (violent: murder, rape, robbery and aggravated assault; property: burglary, motor vehicle theft and arson, which excludes ordinary theft); city: FBI Crime Data Explorer, offenses reported to the city police in 2024.

What Is South Carolina State University Known For?

South Carolina State University is known for its academic work in the following disciplines:

South Carolina State University's Top Areas of Influence With Degrees Offered

Each rank compares how much South Carolina State University's faculty and alumni have shaped a field with other schools, using Wikipedia, Wikidata and scholarly citation databases such as Crossref and Semantic Scholar. World and U.S. ranks reflect modern influence; the historical rank counts influence across all time. How we rank influence

Social Work
#1042
World Rank
#1044
Historical Rank
#420
USA Rank

South Carolina State University ranks #420 in the U.S. and #1042 worldwide for influence in Social Work.

social-work Degrees
Physics
#2204
World Rank
#2235
Historical Rank
#490
USA Rank

South Carolina State University ranks #490 in the U.S. and #2204 worldwide for influence in Physics.

physics Degrees
Mathematics
#2073
World Rank
#2116
Historical Rank
#505
USA Rank

South Carolina State University ranks #505 in the U.S. and #2073 worldwide for influence in Mathematics.

math Degrees
Chemistry
#2443
World Rank
#2459
Historical Rank
#507
USA Rank

South Carolina State University ranks #507 in the U.S. and #2443 worldwide for influence in Chemistry.

chemistry Degrees
Engineering
#3168
World Rank
#3178
Historical Rank
#532
USA Rank

South Carolina State University ranks #532 in the U.S. and #3168 worldwide for influence in Engineering.

engineering Degrees
Education
#2566
World Rank
#2523
Historical Rank
#586
USA Rank

South Carolina State University ranks #586 in the U.S. and #2566 worldwide for influence in Education.

education Degrees
History
#1763
World Rank
#1774
Historical Rank
#594
USA Rank

South Carolina State University ranks #594 in the U.S. and #1763 worldwide for influence in History.

history Degrees
Political Science
#2712
World Rank
#2723
Historical Rank
#637
USA Rank

South Carolina State University ranks #637 in the U.S. and #2712 worldwide for influence in Political Science.

political-science Degrees
Biology
#2957
World Rank
#2445
Historical Rank
#675
USA Rank

South Carolina State University ranks #675 in the U.S. and #2957 worldwide for influence in Biology.

biology Degrees
Business
#3038
World Rank
#3039
Historical Rank
#799
USA Rank

South Carolina State University ranks #799 in the U.S. and #3038 worldwide for influence in Business.

business Degrees
Communications
#3144
World Rank
#3173
Historical Rank
#838
USA Rank

South Carolina State University ranks #838 in the U.S. and #3144 worldwide for influence in Communications.

communications Degrees
Literature
#2541
World Rank
#2587
Historical Rank
#838
USA Rank

South Carolina State University ranks #838 in the U.S. and #2541 worldwide for influence in Literature.

literature Degrees
Medical
#3314
World Rank
#3316
Historical Rank
#946
USA Rank

South Carolina State University ranks #946 in the U.S. and #3314 worldwide for influence in Medical.

medicine Degrees
Sociology
#3388
World Rank
#3146
Historical Rank
#1037
USA Rank

South Carolina State University ranks #1037 in the U.S. and #3388 worldwide for influence in Sociology.

sociology Degrees
Criminal Justice
#2466
World Rank
#2469
Historical Rank
#1266
USA Rank

South Carolina State University ranks #1266 in the U.S. and #2466 worldwide for influence in Criminal Justice.

criminal-justice Degrees
Psychology
#4577
World Rank
#4589
Historical Rank
#1734
USA Rank

South Carolina State University ranks #1734 in the U.S. and #4577 worldwide for influence in Psychology.

psychology Degrees
Computer Science
#7530
World Rank
#7536
Historical Rank
#1921
USA Rank

South Carolina State University ranks #1921 in the U.S. and #7530 worldwide for influence in Computer Science.

computer-science Degrees
Nursing
#8348
World Rank
#8348
Historical Rank
#3035
USA Rank

South Carolina State University ranks #3035 in the U.S. and #8348 worldwide for influence in Nursing.

nursing Degrees

Who Are South Carolina State University's Most Influential Alumni?

South Carolina State University's most influential alumni include professors and professionals in the fields of Social Work, History, and Mathematics. Here are some of South Carolina State University's most famous alumni:

Benjamin Mays
Benjamin Mays
An American educator, activist, minister.
Ernest Everett Just
Ernest Everett Just
An American biologist .
Kára McCullough Temple
Kára McCullough Temple
A Winner of Miss USA 2017, and nuclear physicist.
Jim Clyburn
An American politician .
Marion Motley
A Player of American football .
Gloria Blackwell
An African American civil rights activist and educator.
Clifford L. Stanley
Clifford L. Stanley
An American Marine Corps general.
Andrew Hugine Jr.
Andrew Hugine Jr.
An American academic.
Benjamin F. Payton
A .
Rutledge Dennis
An American sociologist.
M. Christopher Brown II
M. Christopher Brown II
An American university executive.
Houston Person
An American jazz saxophonist .