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University of South Carolina-Union

Public Associate Good 63/100

University of South Carolina-Union

See admissions data, costs, student outcomes, and academic programs, all verified from official US government sources.

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Union, South Carolina

About University of South Carolina-Union

Thinking about University of South Carolina-Union, a college in South Carolina where more students graduate in Liberal Arts than anything else? The four things worth knowing are what it actually costs after aid, whether you would get in, whether students finish, and what they earn after they do.

University of South Carolina-Union is a public institution offering associate degrees based in Union, South Carolina. It enrolls 270 students (a very small, intimate 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.

Official website: sc.edu

Acceptance: 62.2%
Graduation: 15.6%
Net Price: $8,065
Median Earnings (10yr): $33,699
Enrollment: 270
Student : Faculty: 17:1

Accreditor Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges

Academic Calendar Semester

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

63/100

UCD Score · 2-Year

Outcomes 49

Value 57

Affordability 34

Selectivity —

Admissions & Acceptance Rate

University of South Carolina-Union admits 62.2% of applicants, which makes it moderately selective, and realistic if you meet the academic profile.

Acceptance Rate

62.2%

Moderate

SAT Range (25th–75th)

—

Not reported

ACT Range (25th–75th)

—

Not reported

Test Policy Test Optional Applicants 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-Union is getting harder, easier, or staying about the same.

Getting more selective ↓ 21.8 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 $8,065 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.

The average hides a wide spread by household income, so it is worth estimating what a family at your income would actually pay before treating this as the price.

Average Net Price

$8,065

Per year, after typical aid

Receive Pell Grants

10%

Need-based federal aid

Receive Federal Loans

Borrowing to attend

Full Cost Breakdown

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: $19,112

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

$7,340
$30,001 – $48,000

$5,918
$48,001 – $75,000

$7,482
$75,001 – $110,000

$13,146
Over $110,000

$12,638

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.

$2,750

10% percentile

$5,066

25% percentile

$11,000

Median percentile

$11,000

75% percentile

$22,928

90% 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 ↓ $5,500

No Pell $6,179 ↓ $4,821

Dependent students $5,500 ↓ $5,500

Independent students $9,498 ↓ $1,502

Female students $5,500 ↓ $5,500

Male students $6,500 ↓ $4,500

Worth knowing: Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $5,500, less than completers ($11,000), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.

Graduation Rate & Retention

16% of students who start here finish within six years, and 65% 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

16%

Of students who graduate within six years

First-Year Retention

65%

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 $33,699 a year, below the national median. Weigh that against the cost above before taking on debt here. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.

Median Earnings (10 yrs)

$33,699

Earning > $25K

59%

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

$29,800

Median earnings for female grads ten years after first enrolling here.

Male graduates

$43,300

Median earnings for male grads ten years after first enrolling here.

The gender gap: Male graduates earn $13,500, about 31% 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 ↑ 17.9 pts across 6 years

What this signals: Concerning. Only 42% of graduates are actively reducing principal even seven years out.

Who Studies Here

Who you would actually be sitting next to: 270 students, an intimate, close-knit community. Worth knowing: 35% are the first in their family to go to college.

Total Enrolled

270

Part-Time

First-Generation

35%

Race & Ethnicity Breakdown

Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.

GroupShareStudents

White 71.5% 193

Black 14.1% 38

International 7.4% 20

Hispanic 3.0% 8

Other 3.0% 8

Asian 0.7% 2

Student Life & Campus Culture

Where students live, learn, and connect at University of South Carolina-Union. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.

Setting

Town: Distant Union, South Carolina

Housing

Commuter campus No on-campus housing

Adult Learners

4% of students are 25 or older

Athletics

NCAA athletic-conference member

Academic Calendar

Semester scheduling structure

What You Can Study

University of South Carolina-Union 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.

1 Program

Liberal Arts

Liberal Arts $53K ($36K–$73K)

View all majors View all programs

Faculty & Resources

There are 17 students for every instructor here: on the higher side, so larger classes are common.

Student : Faculty

17:1

Students per instructional faculty member

Instruction / Student

$14,417

Annual instructional spending per enrolled student

Endowment

$1.7M

Modest endowment

Avg Faculty Salary

$64,590

9-month equivalent across all ranks

Faculty by Rank

18 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	1	6%	$77,768
Associate Professors	5	28%	$73,973
Assistant Professors	4	22%	$57,007
Instructors	8	44%	$60,870

Pros & Cons of University of South Carolina-Union

No college is right for everyone. Here is where University of South Carolina-Union is likely to suit you and where it may not, based on the same figures shown above.

Read against a single profile these cut both ways, which is why it helps to put two colleges side by side on the same measures rather than judging one in isolation.

PROS

Very affordable net price after aid
Accessible admissions for most applicants
Tight-knit, close community feel
Low typical debt at graduation

CONS

Class sizes are on the higher side
Fewer clubs, activities, and social options
Low completion rate, many students don't graduate within six years
First-year retention is below typical
Below-average post-graduation earnings

Best for: Based on the data, University of South Carolina-Union 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-Union

The questions families ask most about University of South Carolina-Union, answered straight from the federal data rather than from the college's own marketing.

Is University of South Carolina-Union hard to get into?

Admissions at University of South Carolina-Union are moderately competitive. The acceptance rate is 62.2%, so most applicants who meet the academic minimums are admitted.

What is the acceptance rate at University of South Carolina-Union?

62.2% 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-Union cost?

Budget around $8,065 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-Union worth it?

On the numbers, yes: solid return on investment. Ten years in, the median graduate earns $33,699 a year against a net price of $8,065, about 4.2 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 University of South Carolina-Union 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-Union graduates earn?

About $33,699 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-Union accredited?

Yes. University of South Carolina-Union is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.

How many students attend University of South Carolina-Union?

270 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-Union?

16% 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-Union 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-Union located?

University of South Carolina-Union is located in Union, South Carolina.

What programs does University of South Carolina-Union 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-Union?

17 students per instructor. About average, so a mix of seminars and larger lectures. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.