Coastal Carolina University
Conway, South Carolina · Public · 10,377 undergraduates · coastal.edu
Test policy (fall 2027)
Test optional
Sending scores is your choice
Admit rate
70%
of 24,549 applicants
SAT (middle 50%)
1060 to 1210
of enrolled freshmen
Annual cost (2027-28)
$32,440Est.Estimate
$52,110 out of state
Your chances and merit aid at Coastal Carolina 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
70% of applicants admitted
Target
Your SAT is inside the range where the middle half of enrolled freshmen scored, and your GPA is in the middle half of freshmen's.
Estimated merit aid
a year
Your cost after merit aid
$52,110
a year in 2027-28, from a $52,110 sticker price (out of state)
What to do with your 1140
Send your score
About 63% of freshmen here didn't send a score. We estimate their typical SAT at about 1010, and yours is above it.
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.
- Send official score reports when you apply.
Source: Test Optional | Coastal Carolina · Checked October 17, 2026
Application deadlines
- Oct15Early Decision · October 15, 2026Binding: if admitted, you commit to enroll.
- Nov15Early Action · November 15, 2026Apply early and hear early. Not binding.
- Feb1Regular Decision · February 1, 2027The standard deadline.
Who gets in
70%
of applicants were admitted: 17,192 of 24,549 for fall 2025.
Early Action
Not binding. Apply by 11/15, hear by 12/15.
Early Decision
Binding. 87% of early applicants were admitted.
Wait list
548 students were offered a spot; 5 were later admitted.
Test scores of enrolled freshmen (fall 2025)
The shaded part shows the middle half of enrolled freshmen who sent scores: a quarter scored below it and a quarter above. 29% of them sent SAT scores and 10% sent ACT scores.
SAT total 1060 to 1210
Reading and Writing 540 to 630
Math 510 to 600
ACT composite 22 to 27
How enrolled freshmen scored on the SAT
- 1400 to 16002.7%
- 1200 to 139929%
- 1000 to 119958%
- 800 to 99910%
- 600 to 7990.1%
- 400 to 5990%
Source: Common Data Set 2025-2026
High school GPA of enrolled freshmen
Average GPA: 3.45
- 4.05.7%
- 3.75 to 3.9921%
- 3.50 to 3.7423%
- 3.25 to 3.4921%
- 3.00 to 3.2418%
- 2.50 to 2.9911%
- Below 2.500.1%
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
$32,440
a year, in state
$52,110
a year, out of state (tuition $31,800)
- Tuition (in state)$12,130
- Fees$190
- Food and housing$14,110
- Books and supplies$1,370
- Transportation and other$4,640
Coastal Carolina University published $30,652 in state for 2025-26. Its 2027-28 prices aren't out yet.
Source: Common Data Set 2025-2026
What families actually pay
What a year cost on average after grants and scholarships, for freshmen who got federal aid in 2023-24 (in-state students), by family income.
- $0 to $30,000$11,069
- $30,001 to $48,000$11,943
- $48,001 to $75,000$13,047
- $75,001 to $110,000$18,002
- Over $110,000$21,700
Financial aid
59%
of a student's financial need is covered, on average
$11,969
average need-based grant to freshmen, money you don't repay
32%
of freshmen got merit aid without financial need, $7,083 on average
- FAFSA
- Required for need-based aid. It's the free federal aid form.
- CSS Profile
- Not required. Only the FAFSA is needed.
- Aid priority date: 03/01
- Send your aid forms by this date to be first in line for the college's grant money.
Source: Common Data Set 2025-2026
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
39 exams
A 3-credit course is worth
about $1,210Est.Estimate
at 2027-28 tuition for in-state students
Credit for each AP exam
| Exam | Score needed | Credits | Counts as |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2-D Art and Design | 3 | 3 | ARTS 103 |
| 3-D Art and Design | 3 | 3 | ARTS 104 |
| African American Studies | 3 | 3 | ELEC XXX |
| Art History | 3 | 3 | ARTH 105 |
| Art History | 5 | 6 | ARTH 105 & 106 |
| Biology | 3 | 4 | BIOL 121 & 121L |
| Biology | 4 | 8 | BIOL 121, BIOL 121L, BIOL 122, BIOL 122L |
| Calculus AB | 4 | 4 | Math 160 |
| Calculus BC | 3 | 8 | MATH 160 & 161 |
| Chemistry | 3 | 4 | CHEM 111 & 111L |
| Chemistry | 4 | 8 | CHEM 111, CHEM 111L, CHEM 112, CHEM 112L |
| Chinese Language and Culture | 3 | 3 | CHIN 110 |
| Chinese Language and Culture | 4 | 6 | CHIN 110 & CHIN 120 |
| Chinese Language and Culture | 5 | 6 | CHIN 110 & CHIN 120 |
| Comparative Government and Politics | 3 | 3 | POLI 101 |
| Computer Science A | 3 | 3 | CSCI 135 |
| Computer Science Principles | 3 | 3 | CSCI 101 |
| Drawing | 3 | 3 | ARTS 111 |
| English Language and Composition | 3 | 4 | ENGL 101 |
| English Language and Composition | 5 | 8 | ENGL 101 & 102 |
| English Literature and Composition | 3 | 4 | ENGL 101 |
| English Literature and Composition | 5 | 8 | ENGL 101 & 102 |
| Environmental Science | 3 | 4 | ENVI 201 & ENVI 201L |
| European History | 3 | 3 | HIST 106 |
| French Language and Culture | 3 | 3 | FREN 110 |
| French Language and Culture | 4 | 6 | FREN 110 & FREN 120 |
| French Language and Culture | 5 | 9 | FREN 110, FREN 120 & FREN 210 |
| German Language and Culture | 3 | 3 | GERM 110 |
| German Language and Culture | 4 | 6 | GERM 110 & GERM 120 |
| German Language and Culture | 5 | 9 | GERM 110, GERM 120 & GERM 210 |
| Human Geography | 3 | 3 | GEOG 121 |
| Italian Language and Culture | 3 | 6 | ITAL 110 & ITAL 120 |
| Italian Language and Culture | 4 | 6 | ITAL 110 & ITAL 120 |
| Italian Language and Culture | 5 | 9 | ITAL 110, ITAL 120 & ITAL 210 |
| Japanese Language and Culture | 3 | 3 | JAPN 110 |
| Japanese Language and Culture | 4 | 6 | JAPN 110 & JAPN 120 |
| Japanese Language and Culture | 5 | 6 | JAPN 110 & 120 |
| Latin | 3 | 3 | LATN 110 |
| Latin | 4 | 6 | LATN 110 & LATN 120 |
| Latin | 5 | 9 | LATN 110, LATN 120 & LATN 130 |
| Macroeconomics | 3 | 3 | ECON 201 |
| Microeconomics | 3 | 3 | ECON 202 |
| Music Theory | 3 | 3 | MUS 115 |
| Music Theory | 4 | 6 | MUS 115 & 116 |
| Physics 1 | 3 | 4 | PHYS 201 & 201L |
| Physics 2 | 3 | 4 | PHYS 202 & 202L |
| Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism | 3 | 4 | PHYS 214 & 214L |
| Physics C: Mechanics | 3 | 4 | PHYS 211 & 211L |
| Pre-Calculus | 3 | 4 | MATH*130A/B |
| Pre-Calculus | 4 | 7 | MATH*130A/B & MATH*131 |
| Psychology | 3 | 3 | PSYC 101 |
| Research | 3 | 3 | ELEC XXX |
| Seminar | 3 | 3 | ELEC XXX |
| Spanish Language and Culture | 3 | 3 | SPAN 110 |
| Spanish Language and Culture | 4 | 6 | SPAN 110 & SPAN 120 |
| Spanish Language and Culture | 5 | 9 | SPAN 110, SPAN 120 & SPAN 210 |
| Spanish Literature and Culture | 3 | 3 | SPAN 110 |
| Spanish Literature and Culture | 4 | 6 | SPAN 110 & SPAN 120 |
| Spanish Literature and Culture | 5 | 9 | SPAN 110, SPAN 120 & SPAN 210 |
| Statistics | 3 | 4 | STAT 201 & 201L |
| United States Government and Politics | 3 | 3 | POLI 201 |
| United States History | 3 | 3 | HIST 201 |
| World History: Modern | 3 | 3 | HIST 106 |
Source: AP credit policy
After college
Graduate within 6 years
54%
Come back for a second year
77%
Typical earnings
$54,702
a year, 10 years after starting here
- Coastal Carolina University$52,653
- All colleges$59,032
Median yearly earnings of graduates five years after finishing a bachelor's in this major. 28 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 Coastal Carolina University.