University of South Carolina-Lancaster is a public institution offering associate degrees based in Lancaster, South Carolina. It enrolls 668 students (a small, tight-knit 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 (2-Year), 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.
Fair
49/100
UCD Score · 2-Year
Outcomes6
Value55
Affordability29
Selectivity—
Admissions & Acceptance Rate
University of South Carolina-Lancaster admits 83.4% of applicants, which makes it open to most qualified applicants, so admission is unlikely to be the hurdle.
Acceptance Rate
83.4%
Easy
SAT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
ACT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
Test PolicyTest OptionalApplicants choose whether to submit SAT or ACT scores.
5-Year Admission Trend
Acceptance rate over the last five admission cycles. The trend tells you whether University of South Carolina-Lancaster is getting harder, easier, or staying about the same.
Getting more selective ↓
6.3 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 $9,801 a year on average, it sits well below what public colleges charge nationally. At that level cost is rarely the reason to rule a college out. 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)
$7,558
Tuition & Fees (out-of-state)
$18,238
Room & Board (off-campus)
$6,708
Books & Supplies
$792
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$6,080
Total Cost of Attendance
$18,682
Application fee: $40 (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
$6,306
$30,001 – $48,000
$6,462
$48,001 – $75,000
$9,072
$75,001 – $110,000
$12,310
Over $110,000
$13,884
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.
$9,616Medianpercentile
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 $5,875
↓ $3,741
No Pell $5,500
↓ $4,116
Dependent students $5,500
↓ $4,116
Independent students $9,500
↓ $116
Female students $5,500
↓ $4,116
Male students $5,500
↓ $4,116
Worth knowing:
Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $5,500, less than completers ($9,616), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.
Graduation Rate & Retention
13% of students who start here finish within six years, and 41% come back after first year. Most students who start here do not finish. That is the single most important number on this page. 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
13%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
41%
Returning for their second year
What this means:
Lower than typical completion. Worth asking the school how they support students who fall behind.
After Graduation: Earnings & Outcomes
Ten years after starting here, the median student earns $39,426 a year, close to the national median. Typical for most colleges, so what you study will matter more than where. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$39,426
Earning > $25K
68%
10 yrs after entry
Earnings Growth After Graduation
Median annual earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after students first enrolled.
What this means:
Solid return on investment. Every dollar of net annual cost is matched by ~$4.0 of median earnings 10 years out.
Who Studies Here
Who you would actually be sitting next to: 668 students, a small, close-knit community.
Total Enrolled
668
Part-Time
13%
First-Generation
—
Race & Ethnicity Breakdown
Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.
GroupShareStudents
White 61.5%411
Black 15.4%103
Hispanic 10.0%67
Other 5.8%39
International 4.3%29
Asian 2.1%14
Student Life & Campus Culture
Where students live, learn, and connect at University of South Carolina-Lancaster. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.
University of South Carolina-Lancaster offers
a focused set of programs:
4 distinct programs across
4 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 20 students for every instructor here: on the higher side, so larger classes are common.
Student : Faculty
20:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Instruction / Student
$14,082
Annual instructional spending per enrolled student
Endowment
$11M
Modest endowment
Avg Faculty Salary
$68,009
9-month equivalent across all ranks
Faculty by Rank
54 instructional faculty across 4 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
12
22%
$81,296
Associate Professors
18
33%
$68,020
Assistant Professors
6
11%
$55,261
Instructors
18
33%
$63,389
Pros & Cons of University of South Carolina-Lancaster
No college is right for everyone. Here is where University of South Carolina-Lancaster is likely to suit you and where it may not, based on the same figures shown above.
Low completion rate, many students don't graduate within six years
First-year retention is below typical
Earnings outcomes are on the lower side
Best for:
Based on the data, University of South Carolina-Lancaster is a fit for
students who want a clear path to start college without a competitive admissions barrier; families focused on keeping net cost low; students who thrive in small, close-knit environments.
Frequently Asked Questions about University of South Carolina-Lancaster
The questions families ask most about University of South Carolina-Lancaster, answered straight from the federal data rather than from the college's own marketing.
Is University of South Carolina-Lancaster hard to get into?
Not especially. University of South Carolina-Lancaster admits most qualified applicants, with an acceptance rate of 83.4%. Plan around cost and whether students finish, not your odds of getting in.
What is the acceptance rate at University of South Carolina-Lancaster?
83.4% of applicants are admitted. Most applicants who meet the basic requirements are admitted. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
How much does University of South Carolina-Lancaster cost?
Budget around $9,801 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 University of South Carolina-Lancaster worth it?
On the numbers, yes: solid return on investment. Ten years in, the median graduate earns $39,426 a year against a net price of $9,801, about 4.0 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 University of South Carolina-Lancaster known for?
Mostly Liberal Arts, Business, Criminal Justice. 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 University of South Carolina-Lancaster graduates earn?
About $39,426 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 University of South Carolina-Lancaster accredited?
Yes. University of South Carolina-Lancaster is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.
How many students attend University of South Carolina-Lancaster?
668 students. Small enough that you will recognize faces across campus, and small enough that course choice can be limited. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
What is the graduation rate at University of South Carolina-Lancaster?
13% finish within six years. That means most students do not finish in six years. Ask the school directly what support exists for students who fall behind. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
Is University of South Carolina-Lancaster a public or private college?
It is Public. Public, so in-state students usually pay materially less than everyone else.
Where is University of South Carolina-Lancaster located?
University of South Carolina-Lancaster is located in Lancaster, South Carolina.
What programs does University of South Carolina-Lancaster offer?
4 different programs, most commonly Liberal Arts, Business, Criminal Justice. 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 University of South Carolina-Lancaster?
20 students per instructor. About average, so a mix of seminars and larger lectures. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
Related Colleges in South Carolina
Other colleges in South Carolina share the same applicant pool, regional economy, and academic landscape. Comparing nearby options puts admissions, costs, and outcomes in context, useful when weighing your fit against local alternatives.
Liberal Arts
Electromechanical Technologies/Technicians
Nursing
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