Clemson University is the more selective of the two, admitting 38.3% of applicants versus 56.5% at University of South Carolina. For a family earning $48,001–$75,000, the average net price is about $18,851 per year at Clemson University versus $19,859 at University of South Carolina. Clemson University's yield rate is 20.0%, versus 24.0% at University of South Carolina.
| Metric | Clemson University | University of South Carolina |
|---|---|---|
| Overall acceptance rate | 38.3% | 56.5% |
| SAT middle 50% | 1250–1410 | 1180–1380 |
| Avg unweighted GPA | 3.8 | 3.7 |
| Yield rate | 20.0% | 24.0% |
| Class size | 4,880 | 7,319 |
| Net price, $48,001–$75,000 income | $18,851 | $19,859 |
| Net price, over $110,000 income | $27,922 | $28,125 |
Admissions and cost data as of July 3, 2026 (CDS 2024–25 cycle), from the most recent Common Data Set, IPEDS, and College Scorecard. Rows appear only where both colleges report the statistic.
Yes. Clemson University admits 38.3% of applicants, compared with 56.5% at University of South Carolina, making it the harder school to get into, based on the most recent Common Data Set.
For a family earning $48,001–$75,000, the average net price is about $18,851 per year at Clemson University and $19,859 at University of South Carolina, so Clemson University is the lower-cost option at that income level (source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard/IPEDS data).
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