College of Charleston is not selective in its admission process. The acceptance rate of College of Charleston is 75.69%. This means that 76 out of every 100 applicants get admitted.
How Competitiveness is College of Charleston Admissions?
- Slightly Competitive: Applicants need average academics and extracurriculars.
- GPA, SAT/ACT, and AP/IB courses significantly impact admission chances.
- A holistic review considers essays, recommendations, and leadership roles.

Although the acceptance rate is high, remember that to secure admission to any institution of higher learning, you must convince the admission staff that you are mentally and physically fit for the course of studies. Your GPA, class performance, SAT/ACT scores, and IB or AP courses can help your application stand out. If you do not perform well in one area, you can showcase your strengths in other areas, as College of Charleston is not very strict in its admission, so improving other areas will help you secure admission.
To enhance your chances of admission, perform well in academics and other activities. If your GPA is not excellent, compensate by scoring high on the SAT, and ACT, and taking IB or AP courses.
Additionally, a well-written letter of recommendation, your participation in co-curricular and extracurricular activities, and your interpersonal communication skills can improve your chances of admission.
College of Charleston Admission Requirements
College of Charleston GPA Requirement
The average GPA of the admitted students at College of Charleston is 3.94. This indicates extreme selectivity in admissions.
To have strong chances, you must aim for straight A’s in all courses.
If your GPA is between 3.64 and 3.94, then you need a high SAT or ACT score to compensate. You need a minimum of 3.54 GPA to have a realistic chance of admission.
Can I Get Into College of Charleston Without SAT Or ACT?: College of Charleston considers admission test scores (SAT/ACT) during the application process but does not require them. Although it is not strictly a requirement, the test scores are considered for admission decisions. Hence, it is advisable to prepare well for the test and submit the best scores. Normally, students may appear in the test 4 to 5 times to improve their scores. Hence you are required to plan early and appear in upcoming SAT / ACT tests. Check the schedule of the test and plan accordingly. It is advisable to appear multiple times in the test unless you score well above the average SAT / ACT score of the admitted students, as given below.
College of Charleston SAT Requirements
Each school has different requirements for SAT and ACT testing. Only a few schools require the SAT or ACT, but many consider your scores if you choose to submit them. The test score policy is already mentioned.
College of Charleston Average SAT Score: 1239
The average SAT score of the admitted students at College of Charleston is 1239 on the 1600 SAT scale.
College of Charleston SAT Competitiveness

This score makes it slightly Competitive for SAT test scores. You need to well to score 1239 on the SAT.
Key Insight:Aim for the 75th percentile (1300 SAT or 30 ACT) to stand out. If your scores are below average, consider retaking the test. College of Charleston allows Score Choice for the SAT and Superscoring for the ACT, giving you flexibility to submit your best scores.
If your score is below 1130, you must retake the SAT to improve your chances of admission to College of Charleston. It is not strange to appear multiple times for the SAT to improve scores. Colleges don’t mind if you have appeared multiple times, but not more than 5 times.
College of Charleston SAT Scores Breakdown by Sections
Section | Average | 25th Percentile | 75th Percentile |
---|---|---|---|
SAT Math | 595 | 550 | 640 |
SAT Reading | 620 | 580 | 660 |
SAT Composite | 1239 | 1130 | 1300 |
It means that if you have scored less than 1130 then you are below most of the admitted students at College of Charleston and your chances of admission are very few. But if you have scored 1300 or more, your chances of admission are higher. 25th percentile means that only 25% of the admitted students have fewer scores than this score. 75th percentile marks the score of the upper 25% of the students. View list of all colleges with average SAT score of 1250
Can I get into College of Charleston with a 1300 SAT?
With a 1300 SAT Score, your chances of admission at College of Charleston are good but the admission staff at College of Charleston tests your all-around personality and your academics. Your GPA, Class performance, SAT/ACT/Test scores, and AP or IB Courses can help your application stand out. Co-curricular and extra-curricular activities and interpersonal communication skills are very important. Additionally, if you cannot perform well in one area, you have a chance to showcase your strengths and abilities in other areas, improving other areas will help you secure admission. You need to show better performance in all areas. An equally high GPA, taking IB or AP Courses and your role in leadership activities will increase your chances of admission. However, if you equally compete well in all other areas, your chances of admission are high.
College of Charleston ACT Requirements
The average ACT Score at College of Charleston is 27.
College of Charleston ACT Competitiveness

This score makes College of Charleston Competitive for ACT scores. You need to do well to score 27 on the ACT.
College of Charleston ACT Scores Breakdown by Sections
Section | Average | 25th Percentile | 75th Percentile |
---|---|---|---|
ACT Math | 25 | 22 | 27 |
ACT English | 28 | 24 | 32 |
ACT Composite | 27 | 24 | 30 |
Can I get into College of Charleston with a 30 ACT?
With a 30 ACT Score, your chances of admission at College of Charleston are good but the admission staff does not check your ACT Score only. The College Admission process tests your all-around personality and academics. Your GPA, Class performance, SAT/ACT/Test scores, and AP or IB Courses can help your application stand out. Co-curricular and extra-curricular activities and interpersonal communication skills are very important. Additionally, if you cannot perform well in one area, you have a chance to showcase your strengths and abilities in other areas, improving other areas will help you secure admission.
SAT Vs ACT: Which score to send
You can compare your scores in SAT and ACT to the average SAT and ACT Scores of the admitted students at College of Charleston. More importantly, comparing your scores with the 25th and 75th percentiles of SAT and ACT scores will give you a better understanding of where you stand. If your score on the SAT is near the 75th percentile SAT score, then you must send your SAT score. If your ACT score is near the 75th percentile, then you must send your ACT Score.
But there is more, if both of your scores are in the same range, then it is better to send an ACT Score, as in the case of ACT, you can control which score to send as opposed to SAT.
Here is how: When sending the ACT Score, you can decide which score you want to send to the colleges. You could take 8 ACT tests, and only send your highest one. This is not the case with the SAT, where your score report mentions all of your attempts.
View a list of all colleges with an average ACT score of 27.College of Charleston Profile
Name: College of Charleston
Accredited by: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCC)
How much does a degree from College of Charleston Cost?
The average annual cost of the degree at College of Charleston is USD: 30468. As most of the students receive Pell Grants and Federal Grants the average annual net price a student has to pay at College of Charleston is USD: 18690
How can I get a scholarship?
20.64% of the students are receiving Pell Grant and 39.59 percent are receiving Federal Grants. So it is a better choice to go to College of Charleston and apply for PELL or federal loan grants.
At College of Charleston, you will have no problem receiving any scholarship from the federal government. Fill in the FAFSA application form at the earliest and enlist College of Charleston as your choice in the form.
How much a College of Charleston Graduate make?
The average annual salary of the College of Charleston graduate after 4-6 years of graduation is USD 56416. An average College of Charleston graduate makes this much after 10 years of enrollment (4-6 years after graduation).
The average annual income of a graduate in the United States is USD: 40595

Less Competitive Schools
These schools have lower average SAT or ACT scores than College of Charleston. If your SAT or ACT score is slightly lower than the requirements of College of Charleston, you'll be competitive for these schools.
School | Location | SAT | ACT |
---|---|---|---|
Birmingham-Southern College | Birmingham-Southern College, AL | 1218 | 26 |
University of Mobile | University of Mobile, AL | 1220 | 24 |
Samford University | Samford University, AL | 1227 | 26 |
University of Arizona | University of Arizona, AZ | 1229 | 25 |
John Brown University | John Brown University, AR | 1218 | 26 |
Dominican University of California | Dominican University of California, CA | 1192 | 24 |
University of Redlands | University of Redlands, CA | 1215 | 28 |
Colorado State University-Fort Collins | Colorado State University-Fort Collins, CO | 1199 | 26 |
University of Hartford | University of Hartford, CT | 1201 | 26 |
Quinnipiac University | Quinnipiac University, CT | 1216 | 27 |

Equally Competitive Schools
These schools have the same range of average SAT or ACT scores as College of Charleston. If your SAT or ACT score are competitive for College of Charleston, you'll be competitive for these schools also.
School | Location | SAT | ACT |
---|---|---|---|
University of Arizona | University of Arizona, AZ | 1229 | 25 |
Hendrix College | Hendrix College, AR | 1246 | 27 |
Whittier College | Whittier College, CA | 1231 | 27 |
Eckerd College | Eckerd College, FL | 1238 | 27 |
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Daytona Beach | Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Daytona Beach, FL | 1237 | 26 |

More Competitive Schools
These schools have higher average SAT or ACT scores than College of Charleston. If you improve your SAT or ACT score, you'll be competitive for these schools.
School | Location | SAT | ACT |
---|---|---|---|
University of Alabama at Birmingham | University of Alabama at Birmingham, AL | 1291 | 27 |
The University of Alabama | The University of Alabama, AL | 1304 | 27 |
Auburn University | Auburn University, AL | 1292 | 27 |
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Prescott | Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Prescott, AZ | 1278 | 28 |
Chapman University | Chapman University, CA | 1316 | 29 |
Degree Programs
Bachelor Degree Programs
- Accounting and Related Services
- Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions
- Anthropology
- Archeology
- Area Studies
- Arts, Entertainment,and Media Management
- Astronomy and Astrophysics
- Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology
- Biology, General
- Business Administration, Management and Operations
Full list of All degree programs offered by College of Charleston.
Data on this page is sourced from IPEDS, College Scorecard's latest data as provided in 2024, US Department of Education's latest 2024 statistics, Institute's official websites and printed material as well as additional publicly available sources.