Quad

College of Charleston

Charleston, SCQuad's selectivitySelective
Known forTest-optional heavy
WebsiteAdmissionsApplyVisitFinancial aid

Admissions · Fall 2024

6 in 10 applicants admitted

College of Charleston admits about 6 in 10 applicants (60%). That puts it in the "Selective" tier, more selective than 76% of the 1,547 colleges that report admissions.

60%

60%

acceptance rateQuad's selectivitySelective

Applied

31,680

Admitted

19,016

Yield

12%

of admits enroll

SAT middle 50%

1140–1310

10001600
ACT middle 50%

25–30

1836
Applications +183% since fall 2014 · admit rate 78% → 60%Over time

Getting in, in detail: funnel, what they look at, your scores

Students

Who's on campus

A medium campus of 10,558 undergrads, where 19% receive Pell Grants, a low share compared to other colleges.

10.6K

undergrads · larger than 89% of colleges

Diversity index

0.37

Pell Grant

19%

below the median

First generation

20%

below the median

Midsize cityNCAA D-I · Colonial Athletic AssociationROTCStudy abroadUndergrad research
More diverse · index 0.33 → 0.37 since fall 2014Over time

Students and campus life in detail

Academics

Majors and faculty

The most popular major is Business Administration and Management, General (10% of graduates). 16 students for every faculty member, more than at 72% of colleges. 65% of faculty are full-time. Spends $10,229 a year on instruction per student.

16 to 1

students per faculty member · more than at 72% of colleges

Most popular major

Business Administration and Management, General

10% of 2024–25 graduates

Top-earning major

Computer and Information Sciences, General

$98.1K four years after completion

Full-time faculty

65%

of faculty

Instruction spending

$10.2K

per student a year

All majors with search, earnings by major, and faculty

Cost & aid · 2023–24

What it costs

In 2023–24, the average first-year paid an estimated $38,660 in total (tuition, housing, food, books and other costs, after grants), $14.4K more than the national median. The 95% who received grants paid $21,004 on average; the other 5% paid the full sticker price of $33,096 in-state / $56,976 out-of-state.

18%

$38.7K

average total cost per year, all first-years, after grants (est.) · $14.4K above the national median

$0$110K$400K+
Full price, in-state
$33,096 a year
tuition, housing, food, books, and other costs
Need-based aid
Published data end at $110K
use the college's net price calculator for higher incomes
Aid generosity

Limited

grants cover 18% of full price

Federal loans

38%

of undergrads · national median 45%

Your price

Net price calculator

the college's own

Financial aid

Financial aid office Veterans' benefits
Cost steady · +3% after inflation since 2013–14Over time

Prices, who gets aid, and borrowing in detail

Outcomes

What it pays

Former students earn a median $56,416 ten years after enrolling, more than at 58% of colleges; 64% graduate within six years. Four years of net price is about 2.7 years of that salary.

64%

64%

graduate within six years · national median 59%

Median earnings

$56.4K

10 years after entry

Median debt

$23.3K

≈ $246/month for 10 years

Retention

82%

come back for year two

Graduation rate 67% → 66% since the class that entered fall 2008Over time

Earnings, finishing, 8-year outcomes, by group

Over time · since 2013–14

How it's changed

Since 2013–14, the full price rose 5% after inflation, and what the average first-year paid moved with it. Applications rose 183% since fall 2014, and the acceptance rate went from 78% to 60%.

  • Cost

    Steady

    +3% after inflation

  • Applications

    Growing

    +183%

  • Selectivity

    More selective

    admit rate 78% → 60%

  • Diversity

    More diverse

    index 0.33 → 0.37

Every series, year by year

Keep exploring

Schools like this one

University of South Carolina-Columbia

57% admit · SAT 1280 · 29.8K undergrads

Similar selectivitySimilar sizeAlso Southeast
Compare side-by-side

University of North Carolina Wilmington

65% admit · SAT 1305 · 14.9K undergrads

Similar selectivitySimilar sizeAlso Southeast
Compare side-by-side

The University of Tennessee-Knoxville

42% admit · SAT 1285 · 30.4K undergrads

Similar sizeAlso SoutheastAlso public
Compare side-by-side

James Madison University

72% admit · SAT 1255 · 20.9K undergrads

Similar scoresSimilar sizeAlso Southeast
Compare side-by-side
Sources for this overviewEvery dataset and year behind the numbers on this profile; tap any ⓘ for one number's source

Sources for this profile

  1. 1
    IPEDS directory (Institutional Characteristics: HD)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2025–26 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  2. 2
    College Scorecard

    U.S. Department of Education · most recent release; Entered fall 2023; Fall 2024; 2023–24; Fall 2023 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  3. 3
    IPEDS Admissions survey

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  4. 4
    IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2023–24 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  5. 5
    IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey (athletics, programs, services, religious affiliation)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2025–26 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  6. 6
    IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (part D)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  7. 7
    IPEDS Completions survey (degrees awarded by field)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2024–25 graduates · retrieved 2026-10-12

  8. 8
    College Scorecard Field of Study data

    U.S. Department of Education · most recent release · retrieved 2026-10-12

  9. 9
    IPEDS Finance survey, derived per-student figures

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2023–24 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  10. 10
    IPEDS Student Financial Aid survey

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2023–24 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  11. 11
    Common Data Set

    Each college (voluntary, standardized template) · most recent release · retrieved 2026-10-12

  12. 12
    IPEDS Graduation Rates survey (Pell Grant and subsidized loan recipients)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Entered fall 2018 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  13. 13
    IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (part C, residence of first-time students)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  14. 14
    IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (part A, enrollment by level)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  15. 15
    IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (distance education)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  16. 16
    IPEDS Salaries survey (SAL, instructional staff, all ranks)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  17. 17
    IPEDS Outcome Measures survey

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Students entering fall 2016 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  18. 18
    College of Charleston (2026)

    College of Charleston · 2026 · retrieved 2026-10-04

IPEDS unit ID 217819 · Data retrieved 2026-10-12. Tap any ⓘ to see where that number came from and what year it describes. National ranks and medians include every 4-year college that reports the measure. How we source and calculate everything