University of South Carolina-Upstate
Spartanburg, South Carolina · Public · 4,038 undergraduates · uscupstate.edu
Test policy (fall 2027)
Test optional
Sending scores is your choice
Admit rate
67%
of applicants
SAT (middle 50%)
1005 to 1175
of enrolled freshmen
Annual cost (2027-28)
$31,900Est.Estimate
$44,490 out of state
Your chances and merit aid at University of South Carolina-Upstate
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
67% 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
$44,490
a year in 2027-28, from a $44,490 sticker price (out of state)
What to do with your 1090
Send your score
About 91% 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.
- Reviews applications as they arrive, so applying early helps.
Source: Admissions | USC Upstate Academic Catalog 2026-2027 Edition · Checked October 17, 2026
Who gets in
67%
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 1005 to 1175
Reading and Writing 510 to 605
Math 495 to 570
ACT composite 21 to 26
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
$31,900
a year, in state
$44,490
a year, out of state (tuition $25,240)
- Tuition (in state)$12,650
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$13,501
- $30,001 to $48,000$13,713
- $48,001 to $75,000$15,076
- $75,001 to $110,000$18,698
- Over $110,000$22,554
Financial aidEstimate
68%
of a student's financial need is covered, on average
97%
of freshmen receive grants
$10,719
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
39 of 40
Earn credit with a score of 3
39 exams
A 3-credit course is worth
about $1,270Est.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 U103 |
| 3-D Art and Design | 3 | 3 | ARTS U104 |
| African American Studies | 3 | 3 | AFAM U201 |
| Art History | 3 | 3 | ARTH U101 |
| Biology | 3 | 8 | BIOL U101 and U102 |
| Calculus AB | 3 | 4 | MATH U141 |
| Calculus BC | 3 | 8 | MATH U141 and U142 |
| Calculus BC: AB Subscore | 3 | 4 | MATH U141 |
| Chemistry | 3 | 4 | CHEM U111 |
| Chemistry | 4 | 8 | CHEM U111 and U112 |
| Chinese Language and Culture | 3 | 4 | |
| Chinese Language and Culture | 4 | 8 | |
| Comparative Government and Politics | 3 | 3 | POLI U320 |
| Computer Science A | 3 | 3 | CSCI U200 |
| Computer Science Principles | 3 | CSCI U138 or CSCI U150 | |
| Drawing | 3 | 3 | ARTS U110 |
| English Language and Composition | 3 | 3 | ENGL U101 |
| English Language and Composition | 5 | 6 | ENGL U101 & U102 |
| English Literature and Composition | 3 | 3 | ENGL U101 |
| English Literature and Composition | 5 | 6 | ENGL U101 & U102 |
| Environmental Science | 3 | 4 | BIOL U270 |
| European History | 3 | 3 | HIST U101 |
| French Language and Culture | 3 | 6 | French U101 and U102 |
| French Language and Culture | 5 | 9 | French U101, U102 and U201 |
| German Language and Culture | 3 | 6 | German U101 and U102 |
| German Language and Culture | 5 | 9 | German U101, U102 and U201 |
| Human Geography | 3 | 3 | GEOG U103 |
| Italian Language and Culture | 3 | 6 | Italian U101 and U102 |
| Italian Language and Culture | 5 | 9 | Italian U101, U102 and U201 |
| Latin | 3 | 4 | |
| Latin | 4 | 7 | |
| Macroeconomics | 3 | 3 | ECON U221 |
| Microeconomics | 3 | 3 | ECON U222 |
| Music Aural Subscore | 3 | 3 | MUSC U110 |
| Music Non-Aural Subscore | 3 | 3 | MUSC U110 |
| Music Theory | 3 | 3 | |
| Physics 1 | 3 | 4 | PHYS U201 |
| Physics 2 | 3 | 4 | PHYS U202 |
| Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism | 3 | 4 | PHYS U212 |
| Physics C: Mechanics | 3 | 4 | PHYS U211 |
| Pre-Calculus | 3 | 3 | MATH U126 |
| Pre-Calculus | 4 | 6 | MATH U126 U127 |
| Psychology | 3 | 3 | PSYC U101 |
| Spanish Language and Culture | 3 | 6 | Spanish U101 and U102 |
| Spanish Language and Culture | 5 | 9 | Spanish U101, U102 and U201 |
| Spanish Literature and Culture | 3 | 6 | SPAN U101 and U102 |
| Spanish Literature and Culture | 4 | 12 | SPAN U102, U201, U202, and U301 |
| Statistics | 3 | 3 | ECON U291, MATH U102 or SOCY U201 |
| United States Government and Politics | 3 | 3 | POLI U101 |
| United States History | 3 | 3 | HIST U105 |
| United States History | 5 | 6 | HIST U105 and HIST U106 |
| World History: Modern | 3 | 3 | HIST U102 |
| World History: Modern | 5 | 6 | HIST U101 and HIST U102 |
Source: AP credit policy
After college
Graduate within 6 years
43%
Come back for a second year
70%
Typical earnings
$53,988
a year, 10 years after starting here
- University of South Carolina-Upstate$82,580
- All colleges$90,887
Median yearly earnings of graduates five years after finishing a bachelor's in this major. 16 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-Upstate. The University of South Carolina-Upstate logo is a trademark of the college.