Clemson University
Clemson University is a public university in Clemson, SC ranked #156 nationally by EDsmart, earning an overall grade of A-, enrolling about 22,778 undergraduates, and with an acceptance rate near 38.0%. Students most often pursue Computer and Information Sciences and Chemical Engineering.
Academically, students benefit from a 16:1 student-faculty ratio, 92.8% first-year retention, and 87.9% six-year graduation. Peer cohorts and advising networks provide scaffolding that keeps newcomers anchored during demanding semesters.
Families typically invest $22,112, about $5,114 more than the national median. EDsmart calculates return on investment at -34.1%, roughly 119.4 points below typical outcomes. Six years after enrolling, alumni report median earnings of $58,311. That's about $14,623 higher than national results. It's a compelling fit for students who appreciate an encouraging campus with room to explore.
Who is Clemson University Best For?
A quick look at who tends to feel most at home here based on outcomes and campus context.
EDsmart Scores Summary
Clemson University graduates 87.9% of students within six years and keeps 92.8% of first-year students. Affordability earns a C+ compared with similar schools.
How we calculate this →Cost & Financial Aid
Quick Answers
The costs shown are averages. Use Clemson University's net price calculator to get an estimate based on your family's financial situation.
Calculate Your Net Price →Total Degree Cost Summary
Annual Cost Comparison
Cost of Undergraduate Attendance
Costs based on full-time, first-time degree- or certificate-seeking undergraduates.
View cost of attendance line items
| Costs to Consider | Price |
|---|---|
| Tuition and Fees | $15,554 |
| Books and Supplies | $1,436 |
| On-Campus Room and Board | $12,872 |
| On-Campus Other Expenses | $5,476 |
| Total On-Campus Cost | $34,494 |
Tip: focus on the rows that match your living plan—commuters can swap in off-campus estimates while residential students should budget for housing, meals, and incidental fees.
Students Receiving Aid
Use these bars to gauge how many classmates rely on need-based dollars—lower Pell or loan shares may signal a wealthier student body or generous institutional grants.
EDsmart Insight: About 14.5% of Clemson University students receive Pell Grants — below the national average, highlighting ongoing affordability priorities.
Net Price by Family Income
Average annual net price after financial aid, based on family income. Your actual cost may vary depending on your specific financial situation.
Understanding These Numbers: Net price varies significantly by income level. Net prices range from $14,212 to $27,348 depending on family income. Use Clemson University's net price calculator for a personalized estimate.
If your family earns $75K-$110K: Expect to pay around $24,020/year
If your family earns $110K+: Expect to pay around $27,348/year
See all income brackets →ROI & Career Outcomes
- 6-Year Median Earnings $58,311
- 10-Year Median Earnings $58,311
- Average Years to Graduate 4.5 years
- Average Student Debt $19,000
- Repayment Rate (3yr) 77.6%
- Employment Rate 87.8%
Graduate Earnings Distribution
Earnings range for Clemson University graduates 6 years after enrollment, showing the 25th percentile, median, and 75th percentile. This illustrates the variation in outcomes across different majors and career paths.
Clemson University vs. National Average
Comparison of key performance metrics showing how Clemson University's outcomes compare to the national average across earnings, graduation rates, retention, ROI, and employment. This contextualizes Clemson University's performance within the broader higher education landscape.
EDsmart Insight: While Clemson University graduates earn $58,311 median, the -34.1% ROI suggests the investment may take longer to pay off. Consider your major choice and career goals when evaluating value.
Acceptance & Selectivity
Getting In
- SAT Evidence-Based Reading 620-690
- SAT Math 610-700
- SAT Writing Not reported
- ACT Composite 28-32
- SAT & ACT Required
- Undergraduate Enrollment 22,778
- Full-Time Students 95.0%
- Part-Time Students 5.0%
- Retention Rate 92.8%
- Graduation Rate 87.9%
- Student-Faculty Ratio 16:1
How to Get Into Clemson University
1. Meet Academic Requirements: Clemson University requires strong academic performance. Aim for test scores within the reported ranges and maintain a competitive GPA. Most admitted students rank in the top 10% of their high school class.
2. Build a Strong Application: Beyond test scores, focus on crafting compelling essays, securing strong letters of recommendation, and highlighting extracurricular activities that demonstrate leadership and commitment.
3. Understand Selectivity: With an acceptance rate of 38.0%, Clemson University is moderately selective. Consider applying early decision if available, as early applicants often have higher acceptance rates.
4. Financial Planning: Review the net price calculator and financial aid options early. Many students receive significant aid, making the actual cost lower than the sticker price.
Tip: Contact the admissions office directly for the most current application requirements, deadlines, and any special programs (like early decision or early action) that might improve your chances.
EDsmart Insight: Clemson University accepts 38.0% of applicants, making it moderately selective. Focus on strong academics, meaningful extracurriculars, and compelling essays to stand out. The middle 50% of admitted students score between 1230 and 1390 on the SAT.
Academic Programs
Undergraduate Program Distribution
Breakdown of the most popular majors and fields of study among Clemson University undergraduates. Business Administration, Management and Operations, Psychology, General, and Biology, General draw the most students.
- Business Administration, Management and Operations 7.6%
- Psychology, General 6.1%
- Biology, General 5.5%
- Marketing 5.4%
- Mechanical Engineering 4.6%
- Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research & Clinical Nursing 4.1%
See more majors
- Finance and Financial Management Services 4.1%
- Industrial Engineering 3.2%
Highest Earning Programs
Median earnings five years after graduation for each program. These figures help illustrate ROI by field of study and degree level.
Undergraduate Programs (Bachelor's Degrees)
- 1. Computer and Information Sciences, General $117,091
- 2. Chemical Engineering $98,731
- 3. Computer Engineering $98,155
Show additional high-earning majors
- 4. Industrial Engineering $96,384
- 5. Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering $94,861
- 6. Engineering-Related Fields $90,243
- 7. Civil Engineering $88,941
- 8. Mechanical Engineering $88,351
- 9. Agricultural Engineering $88,318
- 10. Finance and Financial Management Services $85,488
Graduate Programs (Master's, Doctoral, Professional)
- 1. Industrial Engineering (Master's Degree) $128,988
- 2. Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research & Clinical Nursing (Master's Degree) $106,513
- 3. Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degree) $105,377
Show additional graduate majors
- 4. Civil Engineering (Master's Degree) $94,175
- 5. Accounting and Related Services (Master's Degree) $93,209
- 6. Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies (Master's Degree) $82,517
- 7. Real Estate (Master's Degree) $82,366
- 8. Architecture (Master's Degree) $81,933
- 9. Mechanical Engineering (Master's Degree) $80,643
- 10. Educational Administration and Supervision (Doctoral Degree) $79,531
Program Choice Matters: Undergraduate: Computer and Information Sciences, General grads earn $117,091—37% more than Finance and Financial Management Services ($85,488). Graduate: Industrial Engineering programs lead with $128,988 median earnings. Your program and degree level choice significantly impact career earnings.
Online Degrees & Distance Learning
College Scorecard reports fully online programs for Clemson University. Below are the most popular options based on the number of recent graduates, followed by a quick look at the breadth of online offerings by degree level.
Source: U.S. Department of Education – College Scorecard
Most Popular Online Degrees
- Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degree, 379 graduates)
- Psychology, General (Bachelor's Degree, 303 graduates)
- Biology, General (Bachelor's Degree, 275 graduates)
- Marketing (Bachelor's Degree, 269 graduates)
- Mechanical Engineering (Bachelor's Degree, 228 graduates)
What This School Offers Online, at a Glance
College Scorecard flags the following online degree and certificate programs for this institution. Expand each credential level to view the complete list of available subjects.
Online Bachelor's Degrees (67 programs)▼
- Business Administration, Management and Operations
- Psychology, General
- Biology, General
- Marketing
- Mechanical Engineering
- Finance and Financial Management Services
- Industrial Engineering
- Computer and Information Sciences, General
- Accounting and Related Services
- Civil Engineering
- Economics
- Animal Sciences
- Parks, Recreation and Leisure Facilities Management
- Biomedical/Medical Engineering
- Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
- Political Science and Government
- Health Professions and Related Clinical Sciences, Other
- Design and Applied Arts
- Agricultural Business and Management
- English Language and Literature, General
- Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies
- Architecture
- Construction Management
- Engineering-Related Fields
- Chemical Engineering
- Computer Engineering
- Criminology
- Food Science and Technology
- Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology
- Microbiological Sciences and Immunology
- History
- Genetics
- Sociology
- Mathematics
- Materials Engineering
- Agricultural Production Operations
- Foreign Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics, Other
- Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication
- Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services
- Forestry
- Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
- Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering
- Natural Resources Conservation and Research
- Landscape Architecture
- Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas
- Information Science/Studies
- Visual and Performing Arts, Other
- Chemistry
- Agricultural Engineering
- Fine and Studio Arts
- Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies
- Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences
- Philosophy
- Special Education and Teaching
- Soil Sciences
- Plant Sciences
- Physics
- Film/Video and Photographic Arts
- Anthropology
- Religion/Religious Studies
- Health/Medical Preparatory Programs
- Applied Horticulture and Horticultural Business Services
- Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
- Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services
- Ceramic Sciences and Engineering
- Agriculture/Veterinary Preparatory Programs
- Construction Engineering Technologies
Online Master's Degrees (49 programs)▼
- Accounting and Related Services
- Mechanical Engineering
- Computer and Information Sciences, General
- Engineering, Other
- Student Counseling and Personnel Services
- Biomedical/Medical Engineering
- Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
- Public Administration
- Architectural Sciences and Technology
- Marketing
- Mathematics
- Real Estate
- Public Health
- Plant Sciences
- Communication and Media Studies
- Economics
- English Language and Literature, General
- Design and Applied Arts
- City/Urban, Community and Regional Planning
- History
- Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences
- Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering
- Environmental Design
- Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology
- Food Science and Technology
- Construction Management
- Computer Programming
- Zoology/Animal Biology
- Materials Engineering
- Historic Preservation and Conservation
- Fine and Studio Arts
- Landscape Architecture
- Chemistry
- Physics
- Engineering-Related Fields
- Chemical Engineering
- Agricultural Business and Management
- Social Sciences, Other
- Forestry
- Computer Engineering
- Microbiological Sciences and Immunology
- Pharmacology and Toxicology
- Medical Illustration and Informatics
- Agricultural Engineering
- Systems Engineering
- Genetics
- Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology
- Architecture
- Agriculture, Agriculture Operations, and Related Sciences, Other
Online Doctoral Degrees (38 programs)▼
- Economics
- Civil Engineering
- Chemistry
- Biomedical/Medical Engineering
- Physics
- Mathematics
- Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services
- Computer and Information Sciences, General
- Chemical Engineering
- Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering
- Mechanical Engineering
- Materials Engineering
- Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering
- Engineering-Related Fields
- Industrial Engineering
- Environmental Design
- Engineering, Other
- Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology
- Zoology/Animal Biology
- Genetics
- Curriculum and Instruction
- Business Administration, Management and Operations
- Biology, General
- Public Policy Analysis
- Public Health
- Plant Sciences
- Pharmacology and Toxicology
- Forestry
- Wildlife and Wildlands Science and Management
- Psychology, Other
- Medical Illustration and Informatics
- Food Science and Technology
- Computer Engineering
- Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology
- Agricultural Engineering
- Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas
- Agriculture, Agriculture Operations, and Related Sciences, Other
- Agricultural Business and Management
Online Graduate/Professional Certificates (12 programs)▼
- Medical Clinical Sciences/Graduate Medical Studies
- Engineering, Other
- Biomedical/Medical Engineering
- Architecture
- Genetics
- Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
- Public Policy Analysis
- Parks, Recreation and Leisure Studies
- Historic Preservation and Conservation
- Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology
- Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology
- Agricultural Public Services
Online Undergraduate Certificates & Diplomas (15 programs)▼
- Industrial Engineering
- Marketing
- Public Health
- Engineering, Other
- Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering
- General Sales, Merchandising and Related Marketing Operations
- Business Administration, Management and Operations
- Parks, Recreation and Leisure Facilities Management
- Manufacturing Engineering
- Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services
- Engineering, General
- Behavioral Sciences
- American Sign Language
- Specialized Sales, Merchandising and Marketing Operations
- Agricultural Public Services
Student Demographics
Student Population
- Total Undergraduate Enrollment 22,778
- Full-Time Students 95.0%
- Part-Time Students 5.0%
- Male Students 47.0%
- Female Students 53.0%
- Caucasian 76.1%
- Asian 2.8%
- Hispanic 8.7%
- Black 5.4%
- Pell Grant Recipients 14.5%
Racial & Ethnic Diversity
Undergraduate student body composition by racial and ethnic background. This reflects Clemson University's commitment to diversity and inclusion in admissions.
Gender Distribution
Gender breakdown of Clemson University's undergraduate population. The university maintains a roughly balanced gender distribution across its student body.
Graduation Rate Equity Analysis
How well does Clemson University support students from different economic backgrounds?
What this means: Lower-income students (Pell Grant recipients) graduate at a different rate as higher-income students, indicating varying levels of institutional support for all economic backgrounds.
Compare graduation rates by race/ethnicity
Graduation Rates by Race/Ethnicity
Six-year graduation rates for different demographic groups at Clemson University, compared to national averages. This shows whether the institution supports all students equitably.
EDsmart Insight: The student body is 76.1% White, reflecting less racial diversity than the national average. About 14.5% receive Pell Grants, below the national average of 38%, suggesting a wealthier student body or generous institutional aid.
Graduation Rate Equity Analysis
How well does Clemson University support students from different economic backgrounds?
What this means: Lower-income students (Pell Grant recipients) graduate at a different rate as higher-income students, indicating varying levels of institutional support for all economic backgrounds.
Compare graduation rates by race/ethnicity
Graduation Rates by Race/Ethnicity
Six-year graduation rates for different demographic groups at Clemson University, compared to national averages. This shows whether the institution supports all students equitably.
Our Take
Clemson University serves as an affordable university for students seeking quality education without elite university costs. Ranked #156 nationally with ROI data not available, the institution balances practical outcomes with budget-friendly pricing.
At $22,112 annually, students gain access to career-focused programs leading to $58,311 median earnings. The 87.9% six-year graduation rate reflects reasonable completion metrics for a university. While 92.8% retention suggests adequate student support.
University Value: Clemson University's Strengths
Ranked #156 with a A- grade, Clemson University prioritizes accessibility and local career connections over national prestige.
Primary Strengths: Universitys like Clemson University excel at providing affordable education ($22,112 annually) with strong local employer relationships. Many programs emphasize practical skills and internships within the regional economy.
Best For: Students planning to work in the region after graduation benefit from established employer connections. Adult learners and part-time students appreciate flexible scheduling. First-generation students and budget-conscious families gain degrees without overwhelming debt.
Honest Assessment: Clemson University's 92.8% retention and 87.9% six-year graduation rate trail elite universities but align with typical university performance. Career outcomes ($58,311 median earnings) reflect regional job markets more than national opportunities.
Value Verdict: For students committed to regional careers, Clemson University and $22,112 cost deliver solid value. Those seeking national job mobility or prestigious credentials should compare against flagship state universities or targeted private scholarships.
Key Takeaways
- 87.9% six-year graduation rate sits 25.4 points above the national 62.5% benchmark.
- 92.8% first-year retention is 16.0 points above the national norm of 76.8%.
- -34.1% return on investment is 119.4 points below the national 85.3% benchmark.
- Median earnings of $58,311 run about 33% higher than national outcomes six years after enrollment.
- Average net price of $22,112 is roughly $2,213 higher than the national median of $19,899.
Helpfulness for Students
- 16:1 student-faculty ratio keeps mentorship close and courses discussion-sized.
- 92.8% first-year retention shows students stay engaged after the first year.
- 87.8% employment rate within three years sits 19.6 points above national outcomes.
- Average net price of $22,112 is about $2,213 higher than comparable schools, so scholarship planning is key.
- Pell participation at 14.5% trails the national share by 18.9 points, so equity work remains important.
- Compare aid offers from nearby public universities to weigh the premium for smaller classes.
EDsmart Expert Analysis
Clemson University is a public university based in Clemson, SC and earns a A- overall grade. It appears at #156 in EDsmart's national list Completion earns A, Support B+, Career Outcomes A-, and Affordability C+.
Grades are assigned relative to EDsmart's national bachelor's cohort using standardized outcomes (2026 methodology); they reflect how a school compares to peers, not a fixed percentage of a raw point total.
About 92.8% of first-year students return, and roughly 87.9% finish within six years. EDsmart calculates the ROI at -34.1%, offering a quick value checkpoint.
Why it matters: this snapshot shows how likely you are to stay on track academically and whether the outcomes justify the price tag. Letter grades summarize cohort-relative performance—not a single exam-style score.
EDsmart Financial Snapshot
Families pay about $22,112 on average after aid, compared with a published cost near $34,494.
Institutional and federal aid lower costs by roughly $12,382 per year.
Graduates leave with a median of $19,000 in federal loans, which lines up with national norms.
About 14.5% of students receive Pell Grants, giving a snapshot of the campus income mix.
Why it matters: lining up sticker price, aid, and typical debt helps you stress-test the budget before you commit.
EDsmart Career Snapshot
Median earnings come in near $58,311 six years after enrollment. That sits about 33% above the national median.
The three-year employment rate is close to 87.8%.
Plan around an ROI of about -34.1% according to the Scorecard data.
Why it matters: pairing median earnings with employment rates gives you a sense of payback time after graduation.
EDsmart Admissions Snapshot
38.0% of applicants receive offers, so preparation and fit matter.
The admissions team encourages students to highlight academic strengths through transcripts, essays, and recommendations.
Prospective students can apply early for priority review and lean on the Clemson University admissions site for deadlines, visit options, and counselor contacts.
Why it matters: knowing the admit rate and application expectations lets you map out testing, essays, and deadlines with less stress.
Your Decision Toolkit
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Contact Information
- Address Clemson, SC 29634
- Website www.clemson.edu
- Net Price Calculator Calculate Your Cost
- Financial AidView Financial Aid Information
- AccreditationSouthern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCC)
- Endowment$994.7M
- Transfer Enrollment Rate7.1%