College of Charleston

Overview of College of Charleston (CofC)

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The College of Charleston (CofC) sits in the beautiful city of Charleston, South Carolina. Students here live in a midsize city that sits right on the ocean and, if they live on campus, they will be only a few minutes from a number of public beaches.

The college was founded in 1770, before the U.S. became a nation, and is the 13th oldest higher learning institution in the country. The school offers <1-year certificates, post baccalaureate certificates, and post-master’s certificates for those who do not need to earn a whole degree. Students looking to earn degrees can earn bachelor’s degrees or master’s degrees, depending on their needs. Dual-credit and advanced placement credits may be offered to students who have taken the correct classes and passed their exams.

Looking at a map of the campus, students see that it sits on a peninsula, with the Ashley River on one side and the Cooper River on the other. The campus itself is urban, surrounded by other parts of the city and located between government offices, a hotel, and a day spa. Students may choose to visit the supermarket nearby to buy food for those days when they don’t want to eat in the campus dining facility.

Top Rankings For College of Charleston

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CofC Acceptance Rate and Admissions

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CofC Tuition Cost & Financial Aid

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When students want to know what school will cost them altogether, this is the sticker price, which in the case of the College of Charleston sits at around $31,000 for in-state students and $51,000 for out-of-state students, who pay higher costs than students from within the state. This number includes tuition, books, supplies, room and board, and other various fees and charges. In-state tuition was $12,978 for the 2020-2021 academic year, while out-of-state tuition was $33,308. Books and supplies cost around $1,262, room and board was around $12,959, and other fees cost students $3,954. This makes the total cost $31,153 for in-state students.

However, students who qualify for financial aid may pay significantly less for their educations. Students may be relieved to know that the average net price sat at $20,351 in the most recent year. And, depending on how much your family made the previous year, you may be eligible for more government financial aid. In fact, families that earned $30,000 or less paid around $14,750, while families that earned over $100,000 paid closer to $23,400 for a year of education.

Additionally, beginning students qualifying for financial aid totaled 85% of the freshman class in a recent year. Slightly less (83%) received an average of $10,268 in grants or scholarships and 42% received an average of $9,245 in student loan aid.

Sticker Price

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Academics

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Students interested in the academics of the college they choose to attend may do well to look for specific statistical information. These can inform students and their families as to the standing of particular colleges and universities. The retention rate at the College of Charleston is 81% measures the percentage of first-year students who return to this campus for their second year of classes.

The graduation rates (both four-year and six-year) show the percentage of students who graduate within a specific time frame. While a four-year time frame has long been understood as a “normal” completion time for a bachelor’s, students are taking longer to complete their programs these days, with many completing them within 150% of normal time, or six years. The four-year graduation rate for the College of Charleston is 57%, a bit below the average, but their six-year graduation rate is 66%, right at the national average.

Students who plan to work during their time in college may need to consider taking some of their classes in a different format. Evening classes are, unfortunately, not an option, but students may make use of distance learning courses, which are available for some programs. Students who began working before they started going to college may have to work to help support their families. In these situations, taking online classes may be the best path toward graduation.

College of Charleston awarded 2,228 degrees to graduating students. Many of these students majored in one of the five most popular degree programs offered by the school. These include Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services; Biological and Biomedical Sciences; Social Sciences; Visual and Performing Arts; and Communication, Journalism, and Related Programs.

Student Population Total

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Outcome & Salary

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Students graduating from the College of Charleston are well on their way to finding solid jobs in their field. Their early-career salaries average out to around $50,400 and their mid-career salaries increase to around $90,100.

With some math, we can see that, after 10 years, the graduate’s 10-year salary earnings potential is around $702,500 and their 20-year salary earnings potential may sit somewhat closer to $1,603,500 with promotions and experience gained along the way. And, based on the average net cost, we can estimate that their four-year cost of education was around $81,400.

This makes their 10-year projected return on investment (ROI) $622,100 and their 20-year projected ROI close to $1,523,100. While no one can promise that a graduate will find a job in their field, or even that they will find a good paying job, earning a college degree certainly increases your chances of finding a good paying and fulfilling career.

On the other hand, some high school graduates choose not to go to college because the cost makes it seem out of reach. On average, their salaries are often stunted and sit at around $43,654. This makes their 10-year projected income $436,540 and their 20-year projected income sits at $873,080. While those with only a high school education can go on to do great things, invent something or start their own successful business, they often spend long periods of time stuck in lower paying careers that don’t offer the promotions and pay increases they want.

Photos & Videos

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