Charleston Southern University
Charleston, South Carolina · Private · 2,893 undergraduates · charlestonsouthern.edu
Test policy (fall 2027)
Test optional
Sending scores is your choice
Admit rate
96%
of applicants
SAT (middle 50%)
930 to 1160
of enrolled freshmen
Annual cost (2027-28)
$54,340Est.Estimate
before aid
Your chances and merit aid at Charleston Southern University
See where you stand for admission, how much merit aid you could get, and what you'd pay after it.
We started you at a typical enrolled freshman here. Move the sliders to match you.
Your admission chances
96% of applicants admitted
Target
Your SAT is inside the range where the middle half of enrolled freshmen scored.
Estimated merit aid
a year
Your cost after merit aid
$54,340
a year in 2027-28, from a $54,340 sticker price
What to do with your 1050
Send your score
About 27% of freshmen here didn't send a score. We estimate their typical SAT at about 950, and yours is above it.
Source: College Navigator (federal data on fall 2024 freshmen)
Reach, target and likely are a rough guide from your test score and how selective the college is. Admissions also weigh your courses, grades, essays and activities. Merit aid figures are estimates, before any need-based aid.
Admissions
Test policy for fall 2027
Test optional
You choose whether to send an SAT or ACT score. If you send one, it's considered.
- SAT, ACT or CLT accepted. Students who opt out of tests need a counselor/teacher academic reference form; after acceptance they must provide test scores, dual enrollment English/Math (C or better), qualifying AP/IB scores, or take CSU placement exams for placement. Students with 3.9+ unweighted GPA never need scores.
Source: Apply | CSU · Checked October 17, 2026
Who gets in
96%
of applicants are admitted.
Test scores of enrolled freshmen
The shaded part shows the middle half of enrolled freshmen who sent scores: a quarter scored below it and a quarter above.
SAT total 930 to 1160
Reading and Writing 480 to 600
Math 450 to 560
ACT composite 18 to 24
Cost and financial aid
The sticker price is what a year costs before any aid. Most students pay less after grants and scholarships.
Sticker price for 2027-28Estimate
$54,340
a year
- Tuition$36,470
What families actually pay
What a year cost on average after grants and scholarships, for freshmen who got federal aid in 2023-24, by family income.
- $0 to $30,000$17,825
- $30,001 to $48,000$19,966
- $48,001 to $75,000$18,299
- $75,001 to $110,000$21,634
- Over $110,000$23,963
Financial aidEstimate
73%
of a student's financial need is covered, on average
98%
of freshmen receive grants
$23,240
average grant to freshmen
Merit scholarships
Awards for grades and scores, on top of need-based aid. You don't repay them.
South Carolina programs for residents
Palmetto Fellows Scholarship
$6,700 to $7,500 a year
State program · In-state students
- 4.00+ GPA, 1400+ SAT or 31+ ACT, Alternative pathway (no rank; early or late award); for schools that do not rank or students qualifying without regard to rank; CHE application
- 3.50+ GPA, 1200+ SAT or 25+ ACT, Rank pathway (early or late award); top 6% of class (end of grade 10 or 11 for early award; 10, 11 or 12 for late); school must rank per CHE-reviewed policy; CHE application, top 6% of class
LIFE Scholarship
$5,000 a year
State program · In-state students
- 3.00+ GPA, 1100+ SAT or 22+ ACT, Four-year institution: 2 of 3 criteria; top 30% of graduating class (third criterion; school must have approved official rank policy), top 30% of class
- 3.00+ GPA, 1100+ SAT or 22+ ACT, Four-year institution: graduate of non-ranking school (GPA and test); graduate of non-ranking SC high school, non-ranking SC approved home school association, or out-of-state preparatory high school
LIFE Scholarship Enhancement
$2,500 a year
State program · In-state students
- 1100+ SAT or 22+ ACT, Add-on for LIFE recipients in STEM, education or accounting majors; must be receiving LIFE; second year or later at eligible 4-year SC institution; CHE-approved STEM, education or accounting major; STEM/accounting need 14 approved math/science hours before Year 2; education majors sign SC teaching-service agreement
Palmetto Fellows Scholarship Enhancement
$2,500 a year
State program · In-state students
- 1200+ SAT or 25+ ACT, Add-on for Palmetto Fellows in STEM, education or accounting majors; must be receiving Palmetto Fellows; second year or later at eligible 4-year SC institution; CHE-approved STEM, education or accounting major; STEM/accounting need 14 approved math/science hours before Year 2; education majors sign SC teaching-service agreement
Compare awards across colleges with the merit aid calculator.
AP credit
AP exams that earn credit can replace college courses, so you pay for fewer of them and may graduate sooner.
AP exams that earn credit
40 of 40
Earn credit with a score of 3
31 exams
A 3-credit course is worth
about $3,650Est.Estimate
at 2027-28 tuition
Credit for each AP exam
| Exam | Score needed | Credits | Counts as |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2-D Art and Design | 3 | 3 | ART 215 |
| 3-D Art and Design | 3 | 3 | ART 2XX (General Elective) |
| African American Studies | 4 | 3 | HIST 318 |
| Art History | 3 | 6 | ART 201 & 202 |
| Biology | 3 | 8 | BIOL 161, BIOL 161L, 162, & 162L |
| Calculus AB | 3 | 8 | MATH 130 & Elective |
| Calculus AB | 4 | 8 | MATH 130 & 221 |
| Calculus BC | 3 | 8 | MATH 130 & 221 |
| Calculus BC | 4 | 8 | MATH 221 & 222 |
| Chemistry | 3 | 4 | CHEM 121 & 123 |
| Chemistry | 4 | 8 | CHEM 121,122, 123 & 124 |
| Chinese Language and Culture | 3 | 6 | Foreign Language Core and 3 hours general elective |
| Comparative Government and Politics | 3 | 3 | POLI 311 |
| Computer Science A | 4 | 4 | CSCI 235 |
| Computer Science Principles | 4 | 3 | CSCI 215 |
| Drawing | 3 | 3 | ART 211 |
| English Language and Composition | 4 | 3 | ENGL 111 |
| English Literature and Composition | 4 | 3 | ENGL 112 |
| English Literature and Composition | 5 | 6 | ENGL 111 & 112 |
| Environmental Science | 3 | 4 | BIOL 100 |
| European History | 3 | 3 | HIST 1XX (General Elective) |
| French Language and Culture | 3 | 6 | FREN 102 & 201 |
| German Language and Culture | 3 | 6 | GERM 102 & 201 |
| Human Geography | 3 | 3 | GEOG 200 |
| Italian Language and Culture | 3 | 6 | Foreign Language Core and 3 hours general elective |
| Japanese Language and Culture | 3 | 6 | Foreign Language Core and 3 hours general elective |
| Latin | 3 | 6 | LATIN 102 & 201 |
| Macroeconomics | 3 | 3 | ECON 212 |
| Microeconomics | 3 | 3 | ECON 211 |
| Music Theory | 4 | 3 | MUSI 130 |
| Music Theory | 5 | 3 | MUSI 130 & eligible for MUSI 198 challenge exam |
| Physics 1 | 3 | 4 | PHYS 201 |
| Physics 2 | 3 | 4 | PHYS 202 |
| Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism | 3 | 4 | PHYS 204 |
| Physics C: Mechanics | 3 | 4 | PHYS 203 |
| Pre-Calculus | 4 | 4 | MATH 130 |
| Psychology | 3 | 3 | PSYC 110 |
| Research | 4 | 3 | General Elective |
| Seminar | 4 | 3 | General Elective |
| Spanish Language and Culture | 3 | 6 | SPAN 102 & 201 |
| Spanish Literature and Culture | 3 | 9 | SPAN 201, 202 & 311 |
| Statistics | 3 | 3 | MATH 106 (counts in LAC as a substitute for MATH 105 and in various majors as Statistics |
| Statistics | 4 | 3 | MATH 213 |
| United States Government and Politics | 3 | 3 | POLI 201 |
| United States History | 3 | 6 | HIST 211 & 212 |
| World History: Modern | 3 | 6 | HIST 112 & 113 |
Source: AP credit policy
After college
Graduate within 6 years
50%
Come back for a second year
63%
Typical earnings
$52,265
a year, 10 years after starting here
- Charleston Southern University$76,657
- All colleges$90,887
Median yearly earnings of graduates five years after finishing a bachelor's in this major. 17 majors here have earnings data.
Keep exploring
Figures marked Estimate are our estimates, not numbers the college published. Check each college's own site before you apply. SAT is a trademark of College Board, and ACT is a trademark of ACT, Inc. Sharp is not affiliated with either, or with Charleston Southern University. The Charleston Southern University logo is a trademark of the college.