University of South Carolina-Columbia
Academics

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How strong are the academics at University of South Carolina-Columbia?

Let's cover class sizes, graduation rates, and outcomes.

19:1
Student to faculty ratio
32
Average class size
70%
4-year grad rate

Class Sizes

Class sizes likely stayed the same for you through high school. You'll find that college is much different. Some of the largest universities have classes that can seat hundreds of students in giant lecture halls. Conversely, as they progress and their focus narrows, higher-level courses can sometimes have just a handful of students.

University of South Carolina has an average student-to-faculty ratio of 19:1. The typical school is 14:1. While this ratio is important, what’s more important is how big a typical class is.

Class Sizes
2-9
159
10-19
1,019
20-29
1,202
30-39
302
40-49
250
50-99
377
100+
159

Honors Programs

University of South Carolina-Columbia has an honors program and/or honors college. Specifics of these programs vary, but benefits of being in an Honors Program might include priority registration, being part of a tight-knit community, and accessing unique learning opportunities.

Learn more about honors options on University of South Carolina's website.

Outcomes

It’s critical to understand a school’s outcomes to understand if your four (or more) years at the school will be worth it. Here are some key statistics about the outcomes of students who enroll at University of South Carolina-Columbia:

92%
First-year retention rate
70%
4-year grad rate
79%
6-year grad rate

The average base annual salary of students who were employed within six months of graduation is $53,504. This is higher than the national average of $48,300.

$53,504
$48,300 (National Average)

Majors

Many students choose a school largely based on the what they want to study. The are University of South Carolina-Columbia's most popular majors, ranked by how many people graduated with the concentration in the most recent year:

Public Health, General
Finance, General
Biology/Biological Sciences, General
Experimental Psychology
Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse
231.6
265.68
299.76
333.84
367.92
402

The Full List

Major Graduates
Area
  • Area Studies, Other 22
  • Women's Studies 3
  • Chinese Studies 3
  • Women's Studies 2
  • African-American/Black Studies 2
  • Area Studies, Other 2
  • African-American/Black Studies 1
  • Chinese Studies 1
Biological And Biomedical Sciences
  • Biology/Biological Sciences, General 376
  • Exercise Physiology and Kinesiology 173
  • Biochemistry and Molecular Biology 48
  • Marine Biology and Biological Oceanography 36
  • Neuroscience 20
  • Marine Biology and Biological Oceanography 1
  • Neuroscience 1
  • Biology/Biological Sciences, General 1
Business
  • Finance, General 379
  • Marketing/Marketing Management, General 239
  • Retailing and Retail Operations 147
  • International Business/Trade/Commerce 135
  • Management Science 131
  • Business Administration and Management, General 122
  • Hospitality Administration/Management, General 119
  • Finance, General 114
  • Marketing/Marketing Management, General 112
  • Accounting 86
  • Business Administration and Management, General 72
  • Management Science 57
  • Insurance 48
  • Non-Profit/Public/Organizational Management 42
  • Business/Managerial Economics 37
  • Real Estate 36
  • Real Estate 30
  • Tourism and Travel Services Management 24
  • Business/Managerial Economics 21
  • Accounting 19
  • International Business/Trade/Commerce 16
  • Insurance 14
Communication
  • Mass Communication/Media Studies 89
  • Advertising 81
  • Public Relations/Image Management 73
  • Digital Communication and Media/Multimedia 58
  • Broadcast Journalism 36
  • Journalism 19
Computer And Information Sciences And Support Services
  • Computer and Information Sciences, General 133
  • Information Technology 76
  • Information Science/Studies 27
Education
  • Elementary Education and Teaching 75
  • Early Childhood Education and Teaching 46
  • Junior High/Intermediate/Middle School Education and Teaching 23
  • Art Teacher Education 11
  • Physical Education Teaching and Coaching 10
Engineering
  • Mechanical Engineering 124
  • Civil Engineering, General 72
  • Chemical Engineering 38
  • Electrical and Electronics Engineering 37
  • Computer Engineering, General 34
  • Bioengineering and Biomedical Engineering 34
  • Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering, General 30
English Language And Literature/Letters
  • English Language and Literature, General 70
  • English Language and Literature, General 4
Foreign Languages
  • Spanish Language and Literature 7
  • Russian Language and Literature 5
  • Spanish Language and Literature 3
  • French Language and Literature 3
  • Foreign Languages and Literatures, General 3
  • Russian Language and Literature 2
  • Foreign Languages and Literatures, General 2
  • Comparative Literature 1
  • Classics and Classical Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics, General 1
  • Classics and Classical Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics 1
  • French Language and Literature 1
  • German Language and Literature 0
Health Professions And Related Programs
  • Public Health, General 402
  • Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse 260
  • Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration, Other 72
  • Cardiovascular Technology/Technologist 14
  • Athletic Training/Trainer 0
  • Public Health, Other 0
History
  • History, General 59
  • History, General 6
Homeland Security
  • Criminal Justice/Law Enforcement Administration 199
  • Criminal Justice/Law Enforcement Administration 25
  • Cybersecurity Defense Strategy/Policy 3
Liberal Arts And Sciences
  • Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies 108
  • Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities, Other 15
Mathematics And Statistics
  • Mathematics, General 37
  • Statistics, General 17
  • Statistics, General 1
Natural Resources And Conservation
  • Environmental Studies 40
  • Environmental Science 30
  • Environmental Studies 1
Parks
  • Sport and Fitness Administration/Management 248
Philosophy And Religious Studies
  • Philosophy 8
  • Religion/Religious Studies 4
  • Philosophy 2
  • Religion/Religious Studies 1
Physical Sciences
  • Chemistry, General 30
  • Geology/Earth Science, General 9
  • Physics, General 5
  • Chemistry, General 2
  • Geophysics and Seismology 0
Psychology
  • Experimental Psychology 369
  • Experimental Psychology 22
Public Administration And Social Service Professions
  • Social Work 33
Social Sciences
  • Political Science and Government, General 201
  • Economics, General 63
  • Anthropology, General 28
  • International Relations and Affairs 28
  • Geography 17
  • Sociology, General 16
  • Political Science and Government, General 11
  • Economics, General 5
  • International Relations and Affairs 5
  • Geography 3
  • Anthropology, General 2
  • Sociology, General 2
Visual And Performing Arts
  • Film/Video and Photographic Arts, Other 76
  • Fine/Studio Arts, General 43
  • Music, General 39
  • Dance, General 13
  • Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts, General 10
  • Music Management 9
  • Film/Cinema/Media Studies 6
  • Art History, Criticism and Conservation 5
  • Film/Video and Photographic Arts, Other 3
  • Art History, Criticism and Conservation 2
  • Fine/Studio Arts, General 1
  • Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts, General 1
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