Quad
Clemson
U. South Carolina-Columbia

Key differences on Cost & aid

  1. 1

    U. South Carolina-Columbia costs about $10.4K less per year on average than Clemson ($27,484 vs. $37,845, all students)

    Average cost, all students
  2. 2

    U. South Carolina-Columbia's grants cover 19% of its full price on average, vs. 18% at Clemson

    Aid generosity

Cost & aid

Cost & aid

Average cost, aid generosity, net price by family income, sticker prices, and grants.

What students pay

Average cost, all students
Clemson$37.8K
U. South Carolina-Columbia$27.5K
Aid generosity
Clemson18%
U. South Carolina-Columbia19%
Net price, with grants
Clemson$25K
U. South Carolina-Columbia$24.5K

Grants

First-years receiving grants
Clemson75%
U. South Carolina-Columbia91%
Average grant
Clemson$11.4K
U. South Carolina-Columbia$7.1K
Aid from the college
Clemson53%
U. South Carolina-Columbia67%

Sticker prices

On one scale, so the bars read against each other.

Sticker price, in-state
Clemson$35.3K
U. South Carolina-Columbia$32K
Sticker price, out-of-state
Clemson$59.3K
U. South Carolina-Columbia$54.2K
Tuition & fees, in-state
Clemson$15.6K
U. South Carolina-Columbia$12.7K
Tuition & fees, out-of-state
Clemson$39.5K
U. South Carolina-Columbia$34.9K
First-years paying out-of-state rates
Clemson46%
U. South Carolina-Columbia9%
What families at each income pay

Up to $110K: the average net price per year for students receiving federal aid, 2023–24; families who didn't file the FAFSA aren't included. Above it the published data end. For your own number, use the college's net price calculator .

Family income per year $150K

  • ClemsonPublished data end at $110K
  • U. South Carolina-ColumbiaLittle need-based aid above $110K

    Merit possible; averaging $4K

Published (federal figure, up to $110K) EstimateBars share one scale: the largest full price.

Where need-based aid ends, merit, and published promises

MetricClemsonU. South Carolina-Columbia
Need-based aid up to Published data end at $110KLittle need-based aid above $110K
Merit for students without need –38% got merit aid, averaging $4K
Published promise ––

A college's own promise is stated for a typical family and changes yearly; where a promise and our estimate disagree, the promise wins. Merit has no income limit, so it can lower the price above the point where need-based aid ends.

Tuition guarantee & Promise program

MetricClemsonU. South Carolina-Columbia
Tuition guarantee NoNo
Promise program NoNo

From the colleges' Common Data Sets

MetricClemsonU. South Carolina-Columbia
Aid forms –FAFSA
Aid priority date or deadline –April 1 (priority)
Need met, first-years –61%
Average aid package, first-years –$17,598
College grant dollars given as merit –58%
Aid for international students –142 students, average $32.7K

All cost numbers in the table

Sources:IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey, 2023–24;IPEDS Student Financial Aid survey, 2023–24;College Scorecard, 2023–24;College Scorecard, most recent release;Common Data Set, most recent release;University of South Carolina-Columbia Common Data Set 2025–26, Fall 2026 entrants;University of South Carolina-Columbia Common Data Set 2025–26, 2025–26 (estimated);University of South Carolina-Columbia Common Data Set 2025–26, 2025–26About the data(retrieved 2026-10-12)

Figures are the newest each college has published; years can differ between colleges. Each value's ⓘ shows its source and year. Why