South Carolina State University
South Carolina State University at a Glance
Reviewed by James A. Barham, PhD, 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
- #4 Best Small Colleges in South Carolina 2026
- #4 Best Grad Schools in South Carolina
- #5 Best Public Colleges in South Carolina
- #5 Most Affordable Colleges in South Carolina
- #5 Best Liberal Arts Colleges in South Carolina 2026
- #7 Best Colleges in South Carolina
- #9 Social Work Liberal Arts Colleges
- #24 Most Influential HBCUs
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 Applications | Acceptance | Retention Rate | Graduation Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9,830 | 83% | 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 |
| Income | Average 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 Body | Under-Grads | Graduates |
|---|---|---|
| 3,396 | 3,059 | 337 |
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:
- Social Work
- Physics
- Mathematics
- Chemistry
- Engineering
- Education
- History
- Political Science
- Biology
- Business
- Communications
- Literature
- Medical
- Sociology
- Criminal Justice
- Psychology
- Computer Science
- Nursing
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
South Carolina State University ranks #420 in the U.S. and #1042 worldwide for influence in Social Work.
social-work DegreesSouth Carolina State University ranks #490 in the U.S. and #2204 worldwide for influence in Physics.
physics DegreesSouth Carolina State University ranks #505 in the U.S. and #2073 worldwide for influence in Mathematics.
math DegreesSouth Carolina State University ranks #507 in the U.S. and #2443 worldwide for influence in Chemistry.
chemistry DegreesSouth Carolina State University ranks #532 in the U.S. and #3168 worldwide for influence in Engineering.
engineering DegreesSouth Carolina State University ranks #586 in the U.S. and #2566 worldwide for influence in Education.
education DegreesSouth Carolina State University ranks #594 in the U.S. and #1763 worldwide for influence in History.
history DegreesSouth Carolina State University ranks #637 in the U.S. and #2712 worldwide for influence in Political Science.
political-science DegreesSouth Carolina State University ranks #675 in the U.S. and #2957 worldwide for influence in Biology.
biology DegreesSouth Carolina State University ranks #799 in the U.S. and #3038 worldwide for influence in Business.
business DegreesSouth Carolina State University ranks #838 in the U.S. and #3144 worldwide for influence in Communications.
communications DegreesSouth Carolina State University ranks #838 in the U.S. and #2541 worldwide for influence in Literature.
literature DegreesSouth Carolina State University ranks #946 in the U.S. and #3314 worldwide for influence in Medical.
medicine DegreesSouth Carolina State University ranks #1037 in the U.S. and #3388 worldwide for influence in Sociology.
sociology DegreesSouth Carolina State University ranks #1266 in the U.S. and #2466 worldwide for influence in Criminal Justice.
criminal-justice DegreesSouth Carolina State University ranks #1734 in the U.S. and #4577 worldwide for influence in Psychology.
psychology DegreesSouth Carolina State University ranks #1921 in the U.S. and #7530 worldwide for influence in Computer Science.
computer-science DegreesSouth Carolina State University ranks #3035 in the U.S. and #8348 worldwide for influence in Nursing.
nursing DegreesWho 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
- An American educator, activist, minister.
- Ernest Everett Just
- An American biologist .
- 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
- An American Marine Corps general.
- Andrew Hugine Jr.
- An American academic.
- Benjamin F. Payton
- A .
- Rutledge Dennis
- An American sociologist.
- M. Christopher Brown II
- An American university executive.
- Houston Person
- An American jazz saxophonist .