Clemson University is a public institution offering graduate degrees based in Clemson, South Carolina. It enrolls 23,300 students (a very large student body), according to IPEDS 2023-24 data. Every figure on this page is reported by the federal government, not supplied by the college, so it can be compared like for like against anywhere else you are looking.
AccreditorSouthern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
Academic CalendarSemester
How It Measures Up
These four scores answer one question: compared with similar colleges, is this one worth the money? Each runs 0 to 100 and is judged only against its peer group (4-Year Selective), so a community college is never marked down for not being Harvard. Everything is computed from federal data. Nobody can pay to move a score, and a pillar with missing data is left unscored rather than guessed.
Strong
79/100
UCD Score · 4-Year Selective
Outcomes93
Value66
Affordability24
Selectivity88
Admissions & Acceptance Rate
Clemson University admits 38.3% of applicants, which makes it genuinely competitive, so your application needs to be strong.
Acceptance Rate
38.3%
Selective
SAT Range (25th–75th)
1240 – 1410
Reading + Math combined
ACT Range (25th–75th)
28 – 32
Cumulative composite
Test PolicyNot ConsideredStandardized test scores are not used in admissions decisions.
5-Year Admission Trend
Acceptance rate over the last five admission cycles. The trend tells you whether Clemson University is getting harder, easier, or staying about the same.
Getting more selective ↓
13.2 pts
since 2019
Cost & Financial Aid
Ignore the sticker price. What matters is the net price, which is what a typical family pays here after grants and scholarships come off. At $22,253 a year on average, it sits in line with what public colleges charge nationally. Plan for the gap between that and what you can pay without borrowing. Figures are College Scorecard 2023-24.
Published cost of attendance, the sticker price before grants and scholarships. Most students underestimate room & board and other expenses.
Tuition & Fees (in-state)
$15,554
Tuition & Fees (out-of-state)
$40,866
Room & Board (on-campus)
$13,284
Room & Board (off-campus)
$13,284
Books & Supplies
$1,456
Other Expenses (on-campus)
$5,520
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$5,520
Total Cost of Attendance
$35,015
Application fee: $70 (one-time, due at submission)
Net Price by Family Income
Aid is need-based, so net price varies by family income. Here's what each bracket typically pays after grants and scholarships.
Under $30,000
$13,607
$30,001 – $48,000
$14,109
$48,001 – $75,000
$18,851
$75,001 – $110,000
$24,833
Over $110,000
$27,922
Debt at Graduation
Cumulative federal-loan debt across the full borrowing distribution. The 10th and 90th percentiles bracket the typical range; the median sits in the middle.
$5,50010%percentile
$8,74025%percentile
$21,500Medianpercentile
$27,00075%percentile
$32,00090%percentile
Median Debt by Student Type
Median federal-loan debt at graduation broken down by demographic. Each slice's size is proportional to the dollar amount that group typically borrows.
GroupDebtvs Median
Pell recipients $21,300
↓ $200
No Pell $17,354
↓ $4,146
Dependent students $19,000
↓ $2,500
Independent students $20,875
↓ $625
Female students $19,500
↓ $2,000
Male students $18,731
↓ $2,769
Worth knowing:
Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $8,750, less than completers ($21,500), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.
Graduation Rate & Retention
75% of students who start here finish within six years, and 93% come back after first year. Most people who start here leave with the degree they came for. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
Completion and earnings carry the most weight in this college's score, and how the UCD Score weighs each measure sets out exactly how they are combined.
6-Year Graduation Rate
75%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
93%
Returning for their second year
What this means:
Strong completion signals. Most students who start, finish.
After Graduation: Earnings & Outcomes
Ten years after starting here, the median student earns $71,513 a year, above the national median. That is a healthy return for most cost levels. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$71,513
Earning > $25K
88%
10 yrs after entry
Earnings Growth After Graduation
Median annual earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after students first enrolled.
Earnings by Demographic
Mean annual earnings 10 years after entry, segmented by demographic. Reveals gaps the headline median can't show.
By Gender
Female graduates
$51,200
Median earnings for female grads ten years after first enrolling here.
Male graduates
$64,900
Median earnings for male grads ten years after first enrolling here.
By Family Income at Entry
Family income (lowest third)
$54,700
Earnings of grads from the bottom-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (middle third)
$58,200
Earnings of grads from the middle-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (highest third)
$60,600
Earnings of grads from the top-third of family incomes at entry.
The gender gap:
Male graduates earn $13,700, about 21% more than female graduates ten years out. The gap reflects industry mix, role choice, and structural pay differences that exist across most US colleges.
Loan Repayment Progression
Share of completer-cohort borrowers paying down at least $1 of principal at the 1-, 3-, 5-, and 7-year mark. Climbing rates show graduates settling into careers and managing debt; flat or declining rates are a warning.
Climbing: graduates increasingly paying down debt ↑
13.6 pts
across 6 years
What this signals:
Excellent. 92% of graduates were paying down at least $1 of principal seven years out.
Who Studies Here
Who you would actually be sitting next to: 23,300 students, a sprawling student community.
Total Enrolled
23,300
Part-Time
3%
First-Generation
17%
Race & Ethnicity Breakdown
Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.
GroupShareStudents
White 75.7%17,647
Hispanic 9.1%2,120
Black 5.0%1,158
Other 4.2%981
Asian 2.9%685
International 0.8%189
Student Life & Campus Culture
Where students live, learn, and connect at Clemson University. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.
Clemson University offers
an extensive catalog of programs:
182 distinct programs across
26 majors.
Below are its strongest majors, each with flagship programs and typical earnings.
Open a major to explore it in depth, or browse the full program catalog.
There are 16 students for every instructor here: about average, so expect a mix of small seminars and big lectures.
Student : Faculty
16:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Instruction / Student
$15,901
Annual instructional spending per enrolled student
Endowment
$1.0B
Strong financial cushion supports aid and stability
Avg Faculty Salary
$105,842
9-month equivalent across all ranks
Faculty by Rank
1,496 instructional faculty across 6 ranks.
The rank mix shows how many senior faculty are teaching versus contingent or junior staff, with average salary equated to a 9-month contract.
Rank
Faculty Count
Share
Avg Salary
Full Professors
381
25%
$156,664
Associate Professors
327
22%
$108,832
Assistant Professors
268
18%
$98,981
Instructors
1
0%
$68,993
Lecturers
449
30%
$65,436
No Rank
70
5%
$101,219
Pros & Cons of Clemson University
No college is right for everyone. Here is where Clemson University is likely to suit you and where it may not, based on the same figures shown above.
Predominantly serves middle- and upper-income families
Best for:
Based on the data, Clemson University is a fit for
students prioritizing post-graduation earnings.
Frequently Asked Questions about Clemson University
The questions families ask most about Clemson University, answered straight from the federal data rather than from the college's own marketing.
Is Clemson University hard to get into?
Clemson University is selective but not extremely competitive. Its acceptance rate is 38.3%. Strong academic credentials and a thoughtful application materially improve your odds.
What is the acceptance rate at Clemson University?
38.3% of applicants are admitted. Around half get in, so a solid application has a real chance. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What SAT score do you need for Clemson University?
Aim for 1410 or better. Half of admitted students scored between 1240 and 1410 (Reading plus Math), so anything above the top of that range makes you competitive and anything below the bottom means the rest of your application has to carry more weight. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
What ACT score do you need for Clemson University?
Aim for 32 or better. Half of admitted students scored between 28 and 32 on the composite, so the upper half of that band is where you want to land. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
How much does Clemson University cost?
Budget around $22,253 a year. That is the net price, what families typically pay once grants and scholarships come off, not the sticker price. Your own figure depends on household income, so treat this as a midpoint rather than a quote. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Clemson University worth it?
On the numbers, yes: solid return on investment. Ten years in, the median graduate earns $71,513 a year against a net price of $22,253, about 3.2 dollars of earnings for every dollar of annual cost. That ratio ignores whether you finish and what you study, which matter just as much. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What is Clemson University known for?
Mostly Business Administration, Marketing, Psychology. Those are the fields where it awards the most degrees, which is a better guide to where the teaching strength sits than any reputation ranking. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
What do Clemson University graduates earn?
About $71,513 a year, measured ten years after students first enrolled. Half earn more and half earn less, and what you study moves that figure far more than where you study. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Clemson University accredited?
Yes. Clemson University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.
How many students attend Clemson University?
23,300 students. Large, so expect big lectures and more independence in finding your own footing. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
What is the graduation rate at Clemson University?
75% finish within six years. Most people who start here graduate, which is the signal you want. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
Is Clemson University a public or private college?
It is Public. Public, so in-state students usually pay materially less than everyone else.
Where is Clemson University located?
Clemson University is located in Clemson, South Carolina.
What programs does Clemson University offer?
182 different programs, most commonly Business Administration, Marketing, Psychology. If the subject you want is not among them, check the full list before applying rather than assuming it is offered.
What is the student-to-faculty ratio at Clemson University?
16 students per instructor. About average, so a mix of seminars and larger lectures. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
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