Payback
EarningsPlus
Economic score
College of Charleston is a public regional university located in Charleston, South Carolina. College of Charleston is very inclusive in their admissions.
Return on educational investment at College of Charleston is in the top 50% of all ranked schools. The median student earns $49,534 10 years after enrolling, 6th in South Carolina, and in the top 50% nationally. When adjusted for earning differences by major, College of Charleston bachelor students earn 2% more than the national average. College of Charleston is ranked 5th in South Carolina.
College of Charleston’s median net annual cost of $19,654 and average years to graduate of 4.3 are reported only at the school level. We assume these same costs and graduation time for all programs.
The top 6 programs at College of Charleston sorted by number of graduates - Business Administration, Comms & Media Studies, Psychology, Biology, Public Health, Marketing - are shown below. To see more programs, click on "see additional programs".
Annual net cost
$19,654
Average years to graduate
4.3
Computer science
Rank: #70
Economic score: 1.31
Finance
Rank: #38
Economic score: 1.57
Accounting
Rank: #201
Economic score: 2.3
International Business
Rank: #31
Economic score: 2.75
Hospitality Mgmt.
Rank: #28
Economic score: 3.26
Sociology
Rank: #139
Economic score: 5.36
Physiology & Pathology
Rank: #12
Economic score: 5.84
Poli Sci/Government
Rank: #289
Economic score: 6.32
Education
Rank: #239
Economic score: 6.34
Arts, Entertainment & Media
Rank: #13
Economic score: 7.02
EarningPlus compares the three-year post graduate earnings to the median earnings of the same graduating class, with the same graduate degree. These 2 metrics, debt-to-earnings and EarningsPlus, are combined into an economic score. The lower the economic score the better.
The most popular 5 graduate programs at College of Charleston - Business Administration, Natural Resource Conservation, Education, Public Administration, Accounting - are shown below.
The average full-time graduate completes their degree in 4.3 years. 65% of all students graduate within 8 years including part-time students. The graduation rate at College of Charleston is 13% higher than the state average, and 8% above the average for all regional universities in the country.
At College of Charleston, Pell Grant recipients represent 21% of the measured graduating class, 14% lower than the national average of 35%. The average Pell Grant recipient at College of Charleston graduates within 4.3 years.
College of Charleston is in the bottom 25% of schools for graduating Pell recipients.
We calculate this performance by adjusting the graduation rate of Pell students by their percentage of the student body. This adjustment is made to prevent schools with large numbers of Pell students from underperforming in comparison to schools with few Pell students but high graduation rates.
College of Charleston’s economic mobility score of 13.74 is calculated by adjusting the 2.72 economic score of lower-income students by the 21% pell grant recipients within the student body. College of Charleston’s EMS of 13.74 ranks in the bottom 50% nationally.false
Economic Mobility
To calculate economic mobility of low-income (household earnings below $30,000) students, we adjust each institution’s economic score by their percentage of Pell Grant students. The logic of this Pell-adjusted calculation is derived from Third Way’s Economic Mobility Index (EMI).
Bottom 50%
The average Title IV recipient at College of Charleston pays $19,654 a year, $11,499 less than the $31,153 advertised. See below the cost breakdown for students who receive Title IV grants, broken down by income level.
Average net price
The average net price shown by income level for all students that receive Title IV aid. Calculated by deducting the average grant and scholarship aid from tuition, fees, books, and room and board. Limited to first-time, full-time students. Public institution figures are calculated using in-state tuition figures.
Median net price $19,654
Much of the gap between net price and sticker price is filled by institutional and government grants. At College of Charleston, 98% of students receive some grants and scholarships, compared to the national average of 87% for all colleges and universities. The average amount of federal, state, and institutional grants that students receive is shown on the right.
This leaves a total of $19,654 on average to be covered by the student – be it through loans or out of pocket. In total, 43% of students take out loans, federal or private, at an average amount of $9,454. This is 11% less than the national average.
Federal grants
$5,362
Pell grants
$4,664
State grants
$5,115
Institutional grants
$8,819
College of Charleston's very inclusive admissions are indicated by their 76% acceptance rate. In 2021, the school had 20,484 applicants, of which 15,590 were admitted and 2,473 enrolled. College of Charleston doesn't have a rolling admissions policy, which means applications are reviewed after a hard admissions deadline.
Full time
96%
83%
Female
66%
59%
First time
68%
59%
In-state
49%
68%
1st generation
20%
35%
White
78%
52%
Black
7%
14%
Hispanic
7%
15%
Asian
2%
5%
American Indian
N/A
1.6%
Pacific Islander
N/A
0.3%
Other
6%
12%