University of South Carolina-Sumter is a public institution offering associate degrees based in Sumter, South Carolina. It enrolls 716 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.
Good
62/100
UCD Score · 2-Year
Outcomes31
Value72
Affordability38
Selectivity—
Admissions & Acceptance Rate
University of South Carolina-Sumter admits 74.1% of applicants, which makes it moderately selective, and realistic if you meet the academic profile.
Acceptance Rate
74.1%
Moderate
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-Sumter is getting harder, easier, or staying about the same.
Getting more selective ↓
5.8 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 $7,712 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
$17,964
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
$5,894
$30,001 – $48,000
$5,582
$48,001 – $75,000
$8,586
$75,001 – $110,000
$11,560
Over $110,000
$12,380
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.
$1,75010%percentile
$3,01825%percentile
$9,250Medianpercentile
$12,50075%percentile
$19,50090%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 $5,500
↓ $3,750
No Pell $5,500
↓ $3,750
Dependent students $5,500
↓ $3,750
Independent students $7,910
↓ $1,340
Female students $5,500
↓ $3,750
Male students $5,500
↓ $3,750
Worth knowing:
Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $5,500, less than completers ($9,250), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.
Graduation Rate & Retention
13% of students who start here finish within six years, and 59% 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
59%
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 $42,437 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)
$42,437
Earning > $25K
72%
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
$36,000
Median earnings for female grads ten years after first enrolling here.
Male graduates
$44,900
Median earnings for male grads ten years after first enrolling here.
By Family Income at Entry
Family income (lowest third)
$35,700
Earnings of grads from the bottom-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (middle third)
$42,500
Earnings of grads from the middle-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (highest third)
$39,900
Earnings of grads from the top-third of family incomes at entry.
The gender gap:
Male graduates earn $8,900, about 20% 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 ↑
21.2 pts
across 6 years
What this signals:
Moderate. Only 57% of graduates are paying down principal seven years out.
Who Studies Here
Who you would actually be sitting next to: 716 students, a small, close-knit community. Worth knowing: 37% are the first in their family to go to college.
Total Enrolled
716
Part-Time
21%
First-Generation
37%
Race & Ethnicity Breakdown
Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.
GroupShareStudents
White 48.6%348
Black 25.0%179
Hispanic 8.2%59
International 7.3%52
Other 6.7%48
Asian 2.7%19
Student Life & Campus Culture
Where students live, learn, and connect at University of South Carolina-Sumter. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.
Setting
Small CitySumter, South Carolina
Housing
Commuter campusNo on-campus housing
Adult Learners
6%of students are 25 or older
Athletics
NCAAathletic-conference member
Academic Calendar
Semesterscheduling structure
What You Can Study
University of South Carolina-Sumter offers
a focused set of programs:
1 distinct programs across
1 major.
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 18 students for every instructor here: on the higher side, so larger classes are common.
Student : Faculty
18:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Instruction / Student
$9,569
Annual instructional spending per enrolled student
Endowment
$5.6M
Modest endowment
Avg Faculty Salary
$65,387
9-month equivalent across all ranks
Faculty by Rank
36 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
10
28%
$87,959
Associate Professors
4
11%
$65,596
Assistant Professors
7
19%
$61,338
Instructors
15
42%
$52,172
Pros & Cons of University of South Carolina-Sumter
No college is right for everyone. Here is where University of South Carolina-Sumter 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
Predominantly serves middle- and upper-income families
Best for:
Based on the data, University of South Carolina-Sumter 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-Sumter
The questions families ask most about University of South Carolina-Sumter, answered straight from the federal data rather than from the college's own marketing.
Is University of South Carolina-Sumter hard to get into?
Admissions at University of South Carolina-Sumter are moderately competitive. The acceptance rate is 74.1%, so most applicants who meet the academic minimums are admitted.
What is the acceptance rate at University of South Carolina-Sumter?
74.1% 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-Sumter cost?
Budget around $7,712 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-Sumter worth it?
On the numbers, yes: strong return on investment. Ten years in, the median graduate earns $42,437 a year against a net price of $7,712, about 5.5 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-Sumter known for?
Mostly Liberal Arts. 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-Sumter graduates earn?
About $42,437 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-Sumter accredited?
Yes. University of South Carolina-Sumter is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.
How many students attend University of South Carolina-Sumter?
716 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-Sumter?
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-Sumter 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-Sumter located?
University of South Carolina-Sumter is located in Sumter, South Carolina.
What programs does University of South Carolina-Sumter offer?
1 different programs, most commonly Liberal Arts. 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-Sumter?
18 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
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies
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