Clemson University

Clemson, SC · SoutheastQuad's selectivityVery selective

Known forBig campusHigh graduation rateTest-optional heavy

Website Admissions Apply Visit Financial aid

Updates

What changed

New and revised figures from the latest data releases, each with its year.

Published Oct 10, 2026

Fall 2025: 64,805 applied (fall 2024: 61,517)Clemson University (Fall 2025)
Fall 2025: 27,498 admits (fall 2024: 23,586)Clemson University (Fall 2025)
Fall 2025: 42% admitted (fall 2024: 38%)Clemson University (Fall 2025)

Source:Clemson University (Fall 2025), Fall 2025About the data(retrieved 2026-10-12)

Admissions · Fall 2025

1 in 2 applicants admitted

Clemson admits about 1 in 2 applicants (42%). That puts it in the "Very selective" tier, more selective than 88% of the 1,547 colleges that report admissions.

42%

acceptance rateQuad's selectivityVery selective

Applied

64,805

Admitted

27,498

Yield

18%

of admits enroll

SAT middle 50%

1240–1410

10001600

ACT middle 50%

28–32

1836

Applications +196% since fall 2014 · admit rate 52% → 38%Over time

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

Students

Who's on campus

A large campus of 23,300 undergrads, where 15% receive Pell Grants, a low share compared to other colleges.

23.3K

undergrads · larger than 96% of colleges

Diversity index

0.41

Pell Grant

15%

below the median

First generation

17%

below the median

Midsize suburbNCAA D-I FBS · Atlantic Coast ConferenceROTCStudy abroadUndergrad research

More diverse · index 0.30 → 0.41 since fall 2014Over time

Students and campus life in detail

Academics

Majors and faculty

The most popular major is Business Administration and Management, General (8% of graduates). 16 students for every faculty member, more than at 72% of colleges. 88% of faculty are full-time. Spends $14,641 a year on instruction per student.

16 to 1

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

What it costs

In 2023–24, the average first-year paid an estimated $37,845 in total (tuition, housing, food, books and other costs, after grants), $13.6K more than the national median. The 75% who received grants paid $25,003 on average; the other 25% paid the full sticker price of $35,338 in-state / $59,282 out-of-state.

18%

$37.8K

average total cost per year, all first-years, after grants (est.) · $13.6K above the national median

Full price, in-state: $35,338 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

31%

of undergrads · national median 45%

Your price

Net price calculator

the college's own

Financial aid

Financial aid office Veterans' benefits

Cost rising · +8% after inflation since 2013–14Over time

Prices, who gets aid, and borrowing in detail

Outcomes

What it pays

Former students earn a median $71,513 ten years after enrolling, more than at 84% of colleges; 84% graduate within six years. Four years of net price is about 2.1 years of that salary.

84%

graduate within six years · national median 59%

Median earnings

$71.5K

10 years after entry

Median debt

$21.5K

≈ $228/month for 10 years

Retention

93%

come back for year two

Graduation rate 82% → 87% 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 held about steady after inflation, while what the average first-year paid rose 8%, as grants covered less of it. Applications rose 196% since fall 2014, and the acceptance rate went from 52% to 38%.

Cost
Rising
+8% after inflation
Applications
Growing
+196%
Selectivity
More selective
admit rate 52% → 38% (to fall 2024)
Diversity
More diverse
index 0.30 → 0.41

Every series, year by year

Keep exploring

Schools like this one

The University of Tennessee-Knoxville

42% admit · SAT 1285 · 30.4K undergrads

Similar selectivitySimilar scoresSimilar size

Compare side-by-side

Auburn University

46% admit · SAT 1325 · 26.8K undergrads

Similar selectivitySimilar scoresSimilar size

Compare side-by-side

University of South Carolina-Columbia

57% admit · SAT 1280 · 29.8K undergrads

Similar scoresSimilar sizeAlso Southeast

Compare side-by-side

University of Georgia

34% admit · SAT 1375 · 32.1K undergrads

Similar selectivitySimilar scoresSimilar size

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
IPEDS directory (Institutional Characteristics: HD)
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2025–26 · retrieved 2026-10-12
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
Clemson University (Fall 2025)
Clemson University · Fall 2025 · retrieved 2026-10-10
4
IPEDS Admissions survey
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12
5
IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2023–24 · retrieved 2026-10-12
6
IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey (athletics, programs, services, religious affiliation)
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2025–26 · retrieved 2026-10-12
7
IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (part D)
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12
8
IPEDS Completions survey (degrees awarded by field)
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2024–25 graduates · retrieved 2026-10-12
9
College Scorecard Field of Study data
U.S. Department of Education · most recent release · retrieved 2026-10-12
10
IPEDS Finance survey, derived per-student figures
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2023–24 · retrieved 2026-10-12
11
IPEDS Student Financial Aid survey
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2023–24 · retrieved 2026-10-12
12
Common Data Set
Each college (voluntary, standardized template) · most recent release · retrieved 2026-10-12
13
IPEDS Graduation Rates survey (Pell Grant and subsidized loan recipients)
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Entered fall 2018 · retrieved 2026-10-12
14
IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (part C, residence of first-time students)
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12
15
IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (part A, enrollment by level)
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12
16
IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (distance education)
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12
17
IPEDS Salaries survey (SAL, instructional staff, all ranks)
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12
18
IPEDS Outcome Measures survey
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Students entering fall 2016 · retrieved 2026-10-12
19
Clemson University (2026)
Clemson University · 2026 · retrieved 2026-10-04

IPEDS unit ID 217882 · 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