South Carolina State University SAT Scores, ACT Scores, Acceptance Rate, and Admissions Requirements
South Carolina State’s high acceptance rate should shift your focus to choosing a place where you can thrive and graduate. Since the school is test-optional and very few students submit scores, send SAT or ACT results only if they strengthen your profile, ideally above 1080 SAT or 19 ACT.
Data on this page is sourced from our college data partners and was last updated on July 9, 2026.
South Carolina State University facts and stats
South Carolina State University enrolls about 2,950 undergraduates in a small-town campus setting. South Carolina State has a 56% freshman retention rate and a 37% six-year graduation rate. The student-to-faculty ratio is 19:1.
Orangeburg, SC
How do your scores compare at South Carolina State?
Key South Carolina State University application dates
Key dates
Regular Decision
—
Early Action
Not offered
Early Decision
Not offered
Priority Deadline
—
Financial Aid Priority
May 1
Test dates
September 12, 2026
Registration deadline: August 28, 2026
October 3, 2026
Registration deadline: September 18, 2026
November 7, 2026
Registration deadline: October 23, 2026
September 19, 2026
Registration deadline: August 14, 2026
October 17, 2026
Registration deadline: September 11, 2026
December 12, 2026
Registration deadline: November 6, 2026
Because South Carolina State is test-optional, follow this timeline only if you choose to submit SAT or ACT scores. Take your first SAT or ACT by the spring of junior year, then reserve the summer before senior year and the fall of senior year for retakes and potential superscoring. Use South Carolina State’s regular admission deadline to choose the last fall retake whose scores will arrive in time.
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What you'll actually pay
South Carolina State is a public university in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference, with in-state tuition of $9,528 and out-of-state tuition of $20,218. Submit the FAFSA by the May 1 priority deadline to be considered for financial aid.
At South Carolina State, out-of-state tuition is $20,218, while in-state tuition is $9,528. Room and board adds $9,690, so billed costs can differ substantially based on tuition classification and housing choices. Students should compare the published price with any grants, scholarships, or other aid they receive to estimate what they will actually pay.
Student life at South Carolina State University
70% of undergrads live on campus
Freshman housing: Priority
Fraternities and sororities are active on campus. 5% of men join fraternities, and 2% of women join sororities.
Similar schools
Francis Marion University
Florence, SCAcceptance rate: 86.4%
SAT: 870–1100
ACT: 16–24
Lander University
Greenwood, SCAcceptance rate: 81.3%
SAT: 950–1190
ACT: 16–23
The Citadel, The Military College of South Carolina
Charleston, SCAcceptance rate: 92.8%
SAT: 1100–1270
ACT: 22–27
Henderson State University
Arkadelphia, ARAcceptance rate: 81.9%
SAT: 903–1073
ACT: 18–24
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