Private for-profitFour-year

South University-Columbia

Columbia, SC · Highest award: Graduate degree

Compare this college with another → · Official website ↗

Net price (avg)
$27,693
Academic year 2023-24
Tuition & fees
$18,145
Academic year 2024-25
Graduation rate
23.3%
Fall 2018 entering cohort (150%), Fall 2016 (200%)
Median earnings (10 yr)
$34,421
Entering cohort AY2009-10 / 2010-11, measured in 2022 dollars

Read the years, not just the numbers

Each figure below is labelled with the period it covers, because they are not all from the same year. Tuition is Academic year 2024-25, while the earnings figure describes students who entered Entering cohort AY2009-10 / 2010-11, measured in 2022 dollars. They are historical facts about this institution, not a quote for you.

What it actually costs

Net price is what students paid after grant and scholarship aid — usually far below the sticker price.

Total cost of attendance
$35,322
Academic year 2023-24
Tuition & fees (in state)
$18,145
Academic year 2024-25
Tuition & fees (out of state)
$18,145
Academic year 2024-25
Room & board (on campus)
Not reported
Academic year 2024-25
Room & board (off campus)
$9,439
Academic year 2024-25
Books & supplies
$540
Academic year 2024-25

Average net price by family income

Academic year 2023-24

$0–30,00026,588
$30,001–48,00030,474
$48,001–75,00032,022
$75,001–110,00029,386

Figures are U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard data for Academic year 2023-24, published by the U.S. federal government. They are historical reference values, not a quote, and not an offer. Your actual cost will depend on your own circumstances.

This college’s official net price calculator ↗

Outcomes

Historical results for students who attended. They do not predict your own.

Graduation rate (150% time)
23.3%
Fall 2018 entering cohort (150%), Fall 2016 (200%)
Graduation rate (200% time)
5.0%
Fall 2018 entering cohort (150%), Fall 2016 (200%)
Retention (full-time)
57.1%
Fall 2023 cohort
Median earnings (6 yr)
$34,115
Entering cohort AY2009-10 / 2010-11, measured in 2022 dollars
Median earnings (10 yr)
$34,421
Entering cohort AY2009-10 / 2010-11, measured in 2022 dollars
Loan default rate (3 yr)
0.0%
FSA FY2022 cohort
Median debt of completers
$26,123
NSLDS FY2020/21 pooled
Median debt monthly payment
$276.95
NSLDS FY2020/21 pooled
Repayment rate (3 yr)
25.5%
NSLDS FY2013/14 cohort

Compared with a high-school graduate

Students here earned a median of $34,421 ten years after entering, against a national benchmark for high-school graduates of $36,082. That benchmark is 2023 ACS 5-year pooled, 2024 dollars.

Admissions and size

Many institutions do not report these — “Not reported” is not a zero.

Admission rate
Not reported
Fall 2024
Average SAT (equivalent)
Not reported
Fall 2024
ACT 25th–75th percentile
Not reported
Fall 2024
Undergraduate enrollment
450
Fall 2024
Student-faculty ratio
21:1
Fall 2024
First-generation share
47.2%
Fall 2024
Pell grant recipients
58.0%
Academic year 2023-24
Federal loan recipients
64.7%
Academic year 2023-24
Median family income
$20,000
AY2022-23 (median family income)

Student body

Fall 2024

White13%
Hispanic2%
Black67%
Asian1%
Two or more races4%
Nonresident / international1%

Other Four-year institutions in SC

Peer institutions
InstitutionNet priceGrad rateEarnings (10 yr)
Allen UniversityNot reported13.3%$30,497
American College of the Building ArtsNot reported62.1%Not reported
Anderson UniversityNot reported65.7%$42,101
Benedict CollegeNot reported24.3%$31,902
Bob Jones UniversityNot reported64.8%$44,354
Charleston School of LawNot reportedNot reportedNot reported
Charleston Southern UniversityNot reported47.2%$45,898
Citadel Military College of South Carolina$20,72375.0%$72,085
Claflin UniversityNot reported51.6%$40,304
Clemson University$22,25386.6%$71,513
Clinton CollegeNot reported14.1%$30,180
Coastal Carolina University$13,96648.5%$47,258

Earnings by field of study

Four years after graduation, by programme. Compare each against the national median for that field.

Earnings by field of study
ProgrammeMedian earnings (4 yr)National medianMedian debt
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.$120,256$126,911Not reported
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.$119,307$120,193Not reported
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.$91,363$88,910$41,815
Business Administration, Management and Operations.$74,209$103,485Not reported
Health and Medical Administrative Services.$65,167$89,981Not reported
Information Science/Studies.$58,915$85,294$52,173
Criminal Justice and Corrections.$55,950$66,714Not reported
Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions.$55,052$59,571Not reported
Business Administration, Management and Operations.$53,445$68,257$55,162
Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services.$50,681$42,269$30,694
Legal Support Services.$49,335$53,266$48,729
Public Administration.$47,649$81,408Not reported
Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General.$47,390$61,296$57,500
Health and Medical Administrative Services.$46,885$58,716$55,123
Criminal Justice and Corrections.$46,322$55,378$55,652
Public Health.$45,993$58,808$56,262
Psychology, General.$39,694$50,706$54,702
Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration.Not reportedNot reportedNot reported

Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard (release 2026-06-10) — https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/data/ · Data last updated 2026-06-10