With thriving academic and research excellence and a lively, welcoming student experience, the University of South Carolina brings the opportunities of higher education to new generations.
South Carolina’s unrivaled college experience has been sought by students, faculty and academic researchers for more than 200 years. Founded in 1801, the university is located in Columbia, the capital of South Carolina. 
It is part of the University of South Carolina System, led by Interim President Harris Pastides who served as the university’s 28^th president from 2008-2019. He returned as the university searches for its 30^th president.
As early as their first hours on campus, students can access programs and opportunities designed to help them reach greater levels of personal and academic success. That’s one reason U.S. News and World Report recognized South Carolina as the nation’s leader in first-year experience for students among public universities.
South Carolina is home to hundreds of areas of study, many of which have earned national distinctions. Along with traditional academic degrees from bachelor’s to doctorate, academic pathways can be tailored to plans or interests with accelerated and dual degree programs, academic specializations and professional certificates.
The university is a major center for global research drawing students from around the world while also making higher education more accessible for South Carolinians.
Fall 2021 Enrollment
35,388 Total Students
26,781 Undergraduate Students
6,726 Graduate Students 
1,881 Professional Students
2020-2021 Degrees Awarded
9,426 Total Degrees
6,507 Baccalaureate Degrees
2,411 Graduate Degrees
508 Professional Degrees
Institutional excellence demands a level playing field. Diversity-focused programs and organizations help build a more equitable campus climate that supports more members of our campus community. The efforts reverberate from daily life to the university being named one of the nation’s top 3% four-year institutions in African American graduates. 
The Carnegie Foundation has recognized the university with top classification — R1 university — for “very high research activity.” In addition, South Carolina is one of few public universities that has also earned Elective Community Engagement Classification, a prestigious designation recognizing universities with strong community relationships. This remarkable level of research enterprise is one reason university researchers attracted $225 million in sponsored awards in 2021 in areas ranging from instruction to academics to public service. 
The University of South Carolina is the state’s most comprehensive health sciences teaching and research institution. Nationally recognized programs in medicine, nursing, social work, public health, pharmacy, biochemistry, business, computing and others pair classroom learning with unique health care provider partnerships to create a premier health sciences experience for both undergraduate and graduate students.
South Carolina’s international business major, #1 ranked by U.S. News & World Report for 23 straight years, is respected within the global marketplace and the companies that fuel it. The university’s International MBA — a top-three in the nation for over 30 years — is a constant force in a vibrant global market that’s ever-changing.
For the fifth straight time, the University of South Carolina received the highest rating among public school honors programs in 2020. Within one of the nation’s most prestigious honors programs, students enjoy a learning experience that’s as far-reaching as global scientific research and as intimate as a small liberal arts college.
U.S. News and World Report has again rated South Carolina’s online nursing program as one of the nation’s best. With outstanding faculty, high graduation rates and expansive student services and technology that support clinical education, our nursing graduates’ comprehensive and experiential education makes them sought after within the healthcare workforce.
South Carolina is a four-time ranked national leader in the Global Ranking of Sport Science Schools and Departments. Students at all academic levels seek the university’s sports-related programs within the College of Education, Arnold School of Public Health and the College of Hospitality, Retail and Sport Management. South Carolina’s deep bench of more than 100 health science programs can transform an interest into a rewarding career.
University activity is a key contributor to South Carolina’s long-term economic and employment growth. More than simply providing jobs, the university’s activity and alumni are forces equipped to drive generations of opportunity.
The university contributes about $6.2 billion to the state economy annually and supports more than 63,000 jobs statewide.
In the Columbia metro region, the university supports 1 in 9 jobs, with a total annual economic impact of an estimated $3.7 billion.
Along with $202+ million in annual tax revenue for the state, the university returns $25 to the state’s economy for each $1 invested in higher education.
The University of South Carolina, one of the nation’s oldest and most comprehensive public universities, is committed to the mission of educating South Carolinians through teaching, research, creative activity and community engagement. Thanks to faithful donations and wise investing, the university’s endowment of $989 million offers a stable resource to grow scholarships and academic programs.

Whether walking through the historic Horseshoe or seeing next generation materials and data driving industry innovation, plan a visit to see all that’s happening now at the University of South Carolina. 

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