Charleston, SC · Public · 10,558 undergraduates · urban
College of Charleston
Moderately selective
A historic-city campus makes Charleston itself part of the undergraduate experience, especially for marine, business, arts, and preservation-related study.
Institutional profile
Established Solid in academic standing, and steady in affordability.- Admission
- 72% admitted
- Price by income
- Resident and nonresident prices differ
- Completion
- 64.4%
26,683 applicants in the reported year
Compare recent average annual costs by household income
$56,416 median earnings 10 years after enrollment
What sets College of Charleston apart
Academic design
Marine biology, business, arts, humanities, and historic-preservation-related work fit naturally with the region.
Campus pattern
Campus is embedded in Charleston's historic peninsula rather than separated from the city.
Career & value signal
Tourism, ports, marine science, arts, and regional business create accessible experiential opportunities.
Can I get in?
72% admitted
Start with the academic record, then make the intended direction and school-specific fit concrete.
Recent applicant pool
26,683About 72 in every 100 applicants were admitted.
Academic range
Of admitted students, 21% submitted an SAT, and 11% submitted an ACT. The ACT range comes from a small share of admitted students and does not describe the full class.
Admission by residency
The same either way
Degree-seeking, first-time, first-year students · Fall 2025
College of Charleston admitted 72.5% of South Carolina applicants and 73.6% of applicants from other states. Both groups were admitted at close to the same rate. South Carolina students took 41% of the seats in the entering class.
5,545 admitted from 7,647 applicants
17,877 admitted from 24,300 applicants
175 admitted from 379 applicants
In the season card
Where your GPA sits in the entering class
The full entering-class GPA distribution for College of Charleston, in nine bands from 4.0 down, with your own record marked on it.
See where I landIn the season card
What College of Charleston weighs when it reads a file
See how this college describes the role of grades, testing, essays, recommendations, activities, and demonstrated interest.
- Course rigor
- GPA
- Test scores
- Essay
- Recommendations
- Extracurriculars
- Demonstrated interest
What moves the application
The evidence that separates a strong file
Show preparation for this curriculum
Marine biology, business, arts, humanities, and historic-preservation-related work fit naturally with the region.
Make institutional fit specific
A historic-city campus makes Charleston itself part of the undergraduate experience, especially for marine, business, arts, and preservation-related study.
Use the application route carefully
Keep academic direction and school-specific choices coherent across the application.
How to apply
Rounds, route, and required materials
Build the calendar around the earliest realistic application round and assemble each required item once.
Fee waiver: accepted
Can I afford it?
Compare annual cost by household income.
Start with the average net price for your income range, then set that estimate beside your other realistic options.
College funding
Scholarships and financial aid
Review available aid, application requirements, and renewal terms.
College of Charleston publishes two merit awards. one renew past the first year.
Through the honors college · Merit · Competitive
Through one school within the university · Merit · Competitive · Renews
BusinessIn the season card
These two awards, by name
What each one is called, what it pays, the grades and scores it asks for, and what to send.
- The name of each award
- What it pays
- The grades and scores it asks for
- How to be considered
- What to send, and where
In the season card
Average annual cost by household income at College of Charleston
Compare recent average net prices across five federal income ranges and estimate a 4-year cost for yours.
- $0–30k
- $30–48k
- $48–75k
- $75–110k
- $110k+
Is it worth it?
Completion, debt, and earnings
Read completion, borrowing, field mix, and earnings together. One university-wide earnings figure does not describe every student path.
Degree completion across the reported entering cohort
First-year students who return for year two
And what that comes to against what they earn.
Reported 10 years after enrollment
Academic portfolio
Largest bachelor’s fields
How many students finish in each field, and median earnings four years after completing the program.
Business Administration, Management and Operations
Psychology, General
Communication and Media Studies
Biology, General
Public Health
What is campus life like?
College of Charleston beyond the classroom
Campus is embedded in Charleston's historic peninsula rather than separated from the city.
A defining academic feature
Marine biology, business, arts, humanities, and historic-preservation-related work fit naturally with the region.
What shapes an ordinary week
Campus is embedded in Charleston's historic peninsula rather than separated from the city.
Where the degree can lead
Tourism, ports, marine science, arts, and regional business create accessible experiential opportunities.