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Spartanburg , SC
The University of South Carolina Upstate, often referred to as USC Upstate, is a public institution located in Spartanburg, South Carolina. Established in 1967, the university offers a wide range of undergraduate and graduate degree programs through its five academic schools: Business and Economics, Education, Health and Human Performance, Arts and Sciences, and Nursing. With a student body of approximately 6,000 students, USC Upstate provides a close-knit and engaging learning environment for students to thrive academically and personally.
USC Upstate is known for its commitment to offering high-quality education at an affordable cost. The university provides numerous scholarships and financial aid options to help students access higher education without a heavy financial burden. Additionally, the university boasts small class sizes, enabling students to receive individualized attention from dedicated faculty members who are experts in their respective fields.
Beyond academics, USC Upstate offers a vibrant campus life with various clubs, organizations, and activities that cater to the diverse interests of students. From athletic teams to cultural groups to professional societies, there are ample opportunities for students to get involved, develop leadership skills, and create lifelong memories. The university's location in the Upstate region of South Carolina provides easy access to outdoor recreational activities, cultural events, and a thriving job market, enhancing the overall college experience for students at USC Upstate.
Located in Spartanburg, SC and set in an urban environment, University of South Carolina Upstate is a public comprehensive higher education institution. This academic institution uses a semester-based calendar. It has an acceptance rate of 81%. The freshman retention rate at University of South Carolina Upstate is 69.85% and the six-year graduation rate is 43%.
Read more about what University of South Carolina Upstate has to offer based on the most recent data this institution has reported.
Quick Facts
4,478
Total Number of Undergraduate Students
15:1
Student to Faculty Ratio
43%
Graduation Rate
Admissions
You need to discover as much as you can about the entrance requirements of the institution in order to maximize your chances of being accepted. Learn some important data about admission at University of South Carolina Upstate.
According to the most recent data, this institution uses standardized test scores for admission and it admitted 3,147 in 2025. Looking at entrance difficulty level for all or most incoming freshmen, based on data self-reported by the institution this school is moderately difficult to get into.
Test Scores
Out of the number of those who submitted test scores, the percentage of first-time, first-year degree-seeking students who submitted SAT scores was 25.2% and ACT scores 16.5%. 1.6% of the new students submitted SAT composite scores between 1,400 and 1,600, 17.8% between 1,200 and 1,399, 40.3% between 1,000 and 1,199, 35.1% of the students between 800 and 999, and 5.2% between 600 and 799. The percent of new students who submitted ACT Composite scores in the range between 30-36 was 4, 21.6 between 24-29, 50.4 in the range between 18-23, and 24 between 12-17.
The ACT composite average score for all the enrolled students in 2025 was 21 while the average GPA was 3.21. That means that you need a GPA that's above average in order to get into University of South Carolina Upstate; the same goes for your ACT score.
The SAT Critical Reading average score was 505 for the admitted students, while the average SAT Math score was 517.
Retention Rate
The freshman retention rate is the percentage of college or university first-year students who return for their sophomore year. This piece of data is important as it can reveal to the prospective students how many freshmen liked the school enough to return to it as sophomores.
As reported in 2025, the freshman retention rate for University of South Carolina Upstate was 69.85%.
The graduation rate is another indicator to take into account. This metric measures how efficiently students complete their degrees within a specific time period. The six-year completion rate at this institution is 43%.
Student Body
Figuring out which school is the right fit for you is not a task you should take lightly. You can get a better insight into a school's culture and life by finding out more about its student body.
Main Student Body
In 2025, the school had an enrollment of 4,907 students.
The school reported an out-of-state student body portion of 5% for that year. There was a total of 4,478 undergrad students, including 60 international students. 703 students were admitted as transfer students.
Student Population Gender Ratio
The student body is coeducational, with 1,257 male and 2,416 female full-time students in 2025.
Student Population Diversity
The importance of student diversity cannnot be denied, when it comes to the overall feeling of inclusion and beloning among the students of any school. Diversity promotes critical thinking, challenges preconceived notions, and encourages intellectual growth, so it helps students develop empathy and a broader understanding of the world. Discover more about the many ethnic communities that go to this school.
This school had 116 Asian students and 1,362 Afro-American students in 2025. 351 undergrads at this school identified as Hispanic/Latino and 222 as multirace. The school also had 7 students who declared as Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander, as well as 9 American Indian or Alaska Native students. There were also 17 students whose ethnicity is unknown.
Cost
The financial aspect is one of the most important things to think about before applying to any college or university. The most recent data reported regarding the expenses for attending this school are detailed below.
Tuition and Fees
Here are some facts that can be useful if you were curious about University of South Carolina Upstate estimated tuition costs.
Tuition fees for area resident were $11,208, as reported by public county or municipal institutions. For out-of-state students, tuition fees amounted to $22,710. Tuition costs at University of South Carolina Upstate for international students amounted to $22,710.
| Category | Tuition | Fees | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Out-of-State | $22,710 | Not Available | $ 22,710 |
| In-State | $11,208 | Not Available | $11,208 |
| Expense Category | Amount |
|---|---|
| Tuition | $ 11,208 |
| Total Expense | $ 11,208 |
Financial Aid
Getting some financial aid in forms of grants, loans, scholarships or work-study programs can be crucial for completing your studies. Check out some recent data to get the information about need-based and non-need-based aid available at University of South Carolina Upstate.
The most recent records show that 478 freshmen received some sort of financial help. The average amount of financial aid given to students was $11,750.
Need-based
Need-based aid is financial aid that a student can receive if they are determened to have financial need and meet other eligibility criteria.
There were 2,104 students who attained need-based financial aid of any kind. The overall number of students (including freshmen) who were determined to have financial need was found to be 2,419. The amount of federal need-based scholarships/grants awarded to the students at this institution totaled $11,445,587, and state $9,891,999.
$3,317
Average Amount of Aid Received
Non-Need Based
Non-need-based aid is any type of financial aid given to a student who does not meet the requirements for need-based aid. Most students get non-need-based financial aid as Direct Unsubsidized Stafford Loans, Graduate PLUS Loans, Parent PLUS Loans, and the TEACH Grant.
Institutional non-need-based scholarships or grants were given to 1,304 students overall (including freshmen) at University of South Carolina Upstate in 2025. Institutional help in the form of non-need-based scholarships or grants was given to 472 full-time freshmen. Federal non-need-based scholarships and grants totaled $11,445,587 for students at this institution, while state aid came to $3,772. The total amount of institutional scholarships and awards that were not based on financial need was $760,408. This includes endowment, alumni, other institutional awards, and also external funds awarded by the institution, but doesn't include athletic aid and tuition waivers.
Majors
Faculty
15:1
Student to Faculty Ratio
Getting information about the faculty at a school can help you estimate the quality of education you will receive there.
In 2025, this ratio at University of South Carolina Upstate was 15:1. That means that there were 15 times more students than teachers at this school. According to the most recent information, there are 380 teachers at this school. This number included 153 male and 227 female faculty members. The fact that female faculty members outnumber the male ones at this school is telling of the importance gender equality has at University of South Carolina Upstate.
Student Population Diversity Graph
Campus Life
Not everything at University of South Carolina Upstate is about learning and grades: campus life is an essential part of your educational experience. Find out some details about students' life at University of South Carolina Upstate.
Its campus spans 330 acres.
Student Organizations
Being a member of a student organization will make you connect better with your fellow students and enjoy your college years more.
There are 14 student organizations and groups with open membership at this school. This number includes sororities and fraternities. At this school, 1.48% of male students are members of social organizations, while that percentage is 2.8 for female students. The most popular student organization is Office of Student Involvement, followed by Club Basketball and Housing and Residence Life. Other popular student organizations at this school are Big Green Welcome and Campus Activities Board.
If you're a fan of the performing arts, there is a drama club you can get involved in. Interested in media and communication? University of South Carolina Upstate publishes its own newspaper.
Student Services
At University of South Carolina Upstate, there are many amenities required for a pleasant and safe life on campus.
There are 24-hour emergency phone and alarm devices. The dormitory entrances are electronically operated. There is a security patrol that operates 24 hours a day. There is a health clinic with personal/psychological counseling. In addition, other services like Veteran's Affairs and Women's Center are available to the students of University of South Carolina Upstate.
All in all, campus life at University of South Carolina Upstate is rich and vibrant and provides all you need for a comfortable stay.
Career Services
Having career services at a college or university can mean a great deal for your career planning, so find out what you can expect at University of South Carolina Upstate.
Career Counselling
At University of South Carolina Upstate, there is both group career counseling for all students and individual career counseling for all students. There are a library, a job bank, and job fairs. Job interviews are also available to students through the career center. The career center offers resume preparation and resume referral to employers. The school has campus employer recruitment for all the students. Individual job placement is available to all students at this school.
FAQ
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University of South Carolina Upstate is located in Spartanburg, SC.
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This school uses standardized test scores for admission.
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The most recent data indicate that the acceptance rate for University of South Carolina Upstate is 81%.
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The most recent reported freshman retention rate for University of South Carolina Upstate is 69.85%.
Contact Information
University of South Carolina Upstate
800 University Way
Spartanburg , SC
29303-4999
864 503-5000
Data Source: IPEDS and Peterson's Databases © 2023 Peterson's LLC All rights reserved. Portions of this content were co-written with OpenAI's GPT-3.5 model.
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Data Source: IPEDS and Peterson's Databases © 2023 Peterson's LLC All rights reserved.
Portions of this content were co-written with OpenAI's GPT-3.5 model.
