University of South Carolina Aiken
Aiken, South Carolina · Public · 2,962 undergraduates · usca.edu
Test policy (fall 2027)
Test required
Send an SAT or ACT score
Admit rate
79%
of 3,005 applicants
SAT (middle 50%)
1000 to 1200
of enrolled freshmen
Annual cost (2027-28)
$26,350Est.Estimate
$38,080 out of state
Your chances and merit aid at University of South Carolina Aiken
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
79% 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
$38,080
a year in 2027-28, from a $38,080 sticker price (out of state)
What to do with your 1125
Send your score
This college requires an SAT or ACT score.
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 required
You must send an SAT or ACT score.
- Reviews applications as they arrive, so applying early helps.
- Non-traditional applicants over 21 may omit SAT/ACT but must submit other credentials showing academic potential.
Source: USC Aiken 2026-2027 Academic Bulletin (Admissions) · Checked October 17, 2026
Who gets in
79%
of applicants were admitted: 2,361 of 3,005 for fall 2024.
Test scores of enrolled freshmen (fall 2024)
The shaded part shows the middle half of enrolled freshmen who sent scores: a quarter scored below it and a quarter above. 23% of them sent SAT scores and 14% sent ACT scores.
SAT total 1000 to 1200
Reading and Writing 510 to 620
Math 470 to 600
ACT composite 19 to 26
How enrolled freshmen scored on the SAT
- 1400 to 16002.6%
- 1200 to 139928%
- 1000 to 119945%
- 800 to 99921%
- 600 to 7993.3%
- 400 to 5990%
Source: Common Data Set 2024-2025
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
$26,350
a year, in state
$38,080
a year, out of state (tuition $23,060)
- Tuition (in state)$11,330
- Fees$390
- Food and housing$10,000
- Books and supplies$1,360
- Transportation and other$3,270
University of South Carolina Aiken published $24,198 in state for 2024-25. Its 2027-28 prices aren't out yet.
Source: Common Data Set 2024-2025
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$12,555
- $30,001 to $48,000$12,132
- $48,001 to $75,000$13,071
- $75,001 to $110,000$16,923
- Over $110,000$21,068
Financial aid
71%
of a student's financial need is covered, on average
$10,921
average need-based grant to freshmen, money you don't repay
7.2%
of freshmen got merit aid without financial need, $1,903 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: 3/15
- Send your aid forms by this date to be first in line for the college's grant money.
- Aid deadline: last day of semester
- The last day to send aid forms.
Source: Common Data Set 2024-2025
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
33 of 33
Earn credit with a score of 3
33 exams
A 3-credit course is worth
about $1,130Est.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 A103 |
| 3-D Art and Design | 3 | 3 | ARTS A103 |
| Art History | 3 | 3 | ARTH A105 |
| Biology | 3 | 4 | BIOL A121 or BIOL A122 |
| Biology | 4 | 8 | BIOL A121 and BIOL A122 |
| Calculus AB | 3 | 4 | MATH A141 |
| Calculus BC | 3 | 8 | MATH A141 and MATH A142 |
| Chemistry | 3 | 4 | CHEM A111 |
| Chemistry | 4 | 8 | CHEM A111 and CHEM A112 |
| Computer Science A | 3 | 3 | CSCI A145 |
| Computer Science Principles | 3 | 3 | CSCI A101 |
| Drawing | 3 | 3 | ARTS A111 |
| English Language and Composition | 3 | 3 | ENGL A101 |
| English Language and Composition | 4 | 3 | ENGL A101 |
| English Language and Composition | 5 | 6 | ENGL A101 and ENGL A102 |
| English Literature and Composition | 3 | 3 | ENGL A101 or ENGL A102 |
| English Literature and Composition | 4 | 3 | ENGL A101 or ENGL A102 |
| English Literature and Composition | 5 | 6 | ENGL A101 and ENGL A102 |
| Environmental Science | 3 | 4 | BIOL A106 |
| Environmental Science | 4 | 8 | BIOL A106 AND GEOL A103 |
| European History | 3 | 3 | HIST A102 |
| European History | 5 | 6 | HIST A101 and HIST A102 |
| French Language and Culture | 3 | 4 | FREN A101 |
| French Language and Culture | 4 | 8 | FREN A101 and FREN A102 |
| German Language and Culture | 3 | 4 | GERM A101 |
| German Language and Culture | 4 | 8 | GERM A101 and GERM A102 |
| Human Geography | 3 | 3 | GEOG A103 |
| Italian Language and Culture | 3 | 4 | ITAL A101 |
| Italian Language and Culture | 4 | 8 | ITAL A101 AND ITAL A102 |
| Latin | 3 | 3 | LATN A101 |
| Latin | 4 | 8 | LATN A101 and LATN A102 |
| Macroeconomics | 3 | 3 | ECON A221 |
| Microeconomics | 3 | 3 | ECON A222 |
| Music Theory | 3 | 3 | MUSC A196 |
| Music Theory | 4 | 6 | MUSC A196 and MUSC A198 |
| Music Theory | 5 | 9 | MUSC A196, MUSC A198 and MUSC A296 |
| Physics 1 | 3 | 4 | PHYS A201 |
| Physics 2 | 3 | 4 | PHYS A202 |
| Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism | 3 | 4 | PHYS A202 |
| Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism | 4 | 4 | PHYS A212 |
| Physics C: Mechanics | 3 | 4 | PHYS A201 |
| Physics C: Mechanics | 4 | 4 | PHYS A211 |
| Pre-Calculus | 3 | 3 | MATH A111 Precalculus I |
| Psychology | 3 | 3 | PSYC A101 |
| Spanish Language and Culture | 3 | 4 | SPAN A101 |
| Spanish Language and Culture | 4 | 8 | SPAN A101 and SPAN A102 |
| Statistics | 3 | 3 | STAT A201 |
| United States Government and Politics | 3 | 3 | POLI A201 |
| United States History | 3 | 3 | HIST A201 |
| United States History | 5 | 6 | HIST A201 and HIST A202 |
| World History: Modern | 3 | 3 | HIST A101 |
| World History: Modern | 5 | 6 | HIST A101 and HIST A102 |
Source: AP credit policy
After college
Graduate within 6 years
44%
Come back for a second year
67%
Typical earnings
$51,703
a year, 10 years after starting here
- University of South Carolina Aiken$60,937
- All colleges$71,390
Median yearly earnings of graduates five years after finishing a bachelor's in this major. 9 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 University of South Carolina Aiken. The University of South Carolina Aiken logo is a trademark of the college.