College of Charleston
The College of Charleston, founded in 1770, is a public university and is the oldest campus in South Carolina. The university offers 62 undergraduate majors and 80 minors from six schools, plus 23 master's degree programs and 9 graduate-level certificate programs. Located in coastal, downtown Charleston, the campus features brick walkways and offers a 13,000-square-foot fitness facility, a 5,100-seat athletic facility, and the completely renovated Rita Liddy Hollings Science Center, which has 50 new research labs and 27 teaching labs as well as a modern observatory with star-gazing stations on its roof.
Admissions
Key Admissions Stats
Institution Type
Public
- Not for Profit
- Coed
Need Blind
This school does not consider an applicant’s financial situation when deciding admission
Level of Institution
4 Year
Campus Setting
Small city
Admissions Requirements
SAT
No
ACT
No
Transcript
Yes
Important Deadlines
| Application Type | Application Deadline | Reply Deadline |
|---|---|---|
| Early Decision Acceptance is binding so student must attend college if accepted. | November 1 | |
| Early Action Acceptance is not binding, but student will receive admissions decision earlier. | November 1 | |
| Fall Regular Decision | January 15 | |
| Spring Regular Decision | November 1 | |
| Other | January 15 |
Admitted Student Stats
16%
Submitting ACT
24%
Submitting SAT
Average ACT Composite: 26
Average SAT Composite: 1191
Academics
Key Academic Stats
Highest Degree Offered
Master's
Total Number of Students
10,941
Total Number of Undergrads
9,967
Classroom Sizes
0
100
57%
Graduate in 4 Years US National: 28%
0
100
66%
Graduate in 6 Years US National: 52%
Student:Faculty Ratio
16:1
US National: 21:1Tuition, Cost & Aid
Key Financial Stats
Tuition
| In-State Tuition In-state tuition is the tuition charged by institutions to those students who meet the state's or institution's residency requirements. In-district tuition is the tuition charged by the institution to those students residing in the locality in which they attend school and may be a lower rate than in-state tuition if offered by the institution. | $12,978 |
| Out-of-State Tuition Out-of-state tuition is the tuition charged by institutions to those students who do not meet the state’s or institution’s residency requirements. Out-of-district tuition is the tuition charged by the institution to those students not residing in the locality in which they attend school. | $35,798 |
Additional Costs
Room and Board The weighted average for room and board and other expenses is generated as follows:
| $12,986 |
| Books and Supplies | $1345 |
Aid & Grants
0
100
52%
Need Met
Students Receiving Gift Aid Percent of undergraduate students awarded federal gift aid. Federal gift aid includes any grant or scholarship aid awarded, from the federal government, a state or local government, the institution, and other sources known by the institution. Students Receiving Grants Percent of undergraduate students awarded grant aid. Grant aid includes any grant or scholarship aid awarded, from the federal government, a state or local government, the institution, and other sources known by the institution.
22%
Average Aid Per Year
$10,268
22%
Average Federal Grant Aid Per Year
$2,516
Average Institution Grant Aid Per Year
$8,549
Student Loans
Students Borrowing Loans Loans to students - Any monies that must be repaid to the lending institution for which the student is the designated borrower. Includes all Title IV subsidized and unsubsidized loans and all institutionally- and privately-sponsored loans. Does not include PLUS and other loans made directly to parents.
42%
Average Loan Amount Per Year
$9,245
Average Debt at Graduation The median federal debt of undergraduate borrowers who graduated. This figure includes only federal loans; it excludes private student loans and Parent PLUS loans.
$16,470
Median Monthly Loan Payment The median monthly loan payment for student borrowers who completed, if it were repaid over 10 years at a 5.05% interest rate.
$210
Campus Life
Key Campus Stats
Student Gender
Student Organizations
225
Size of Town
Small city
LGBTQIA Student Resource Groups
Yes
On Campus Women's Center
Yes
Housing
0
100
32%
Undergrads Living on Campus
On-campus living required of freshman
No
Athletics
Divisional Sports Nickname
Cougars
School Colors
maroon and white
Varsity Athletics Association
NCAA
Varsity Athletics Conference Primary
Not applicable
Campus Safety
24-HR security patrol
Yes
Campus emergency phones
Yes
After Graduation
Post Grad Stats
Top 5 Cities
Charleston
New York
Atlanta
Charlotte
Greenville
Employed
6 mos. after graduation
70%
Average Salary
6 years after graduation
$48,700
What Students Are Saying
The College of Charleston is well-rounded, beautiful school that rests elegantly on the Atlantic Ocean. Surrounded by delicious food, intelligent professors, and interesting people; there is no better place to attend school. Any student enrolled at the college will tell you of how wondrous and exquisite it is, and how much of an honor it is to attend.
Robert from Hickory, NC
The College is everything you could want in a balance of academics and recreation. As a student in the Honors College, I can assure you that we work hard here but the love I have for my professors makes the work worthwhile. Besides academics, you are in downtown Charleston and 20 minutes from the beach so if you don't want to do school at the moment, odd's are you won't be bored.
Maddie from Huntersville, NC
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