Public
Accredited · Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
Charleston, South Carolina
72% Acceptance Rate
College of Charleston — Admission Snapshot 2026
A complete at-a-glance picture of every metric that matters for your 2026 application
72%Acceptance Rate
3.94Avg GPA
1238Avg SAT
27Avg ACT
$30,731Annual Cost
$56,416Grad Salary
19.5%Pell Grant
Acceptance Rate
72%
Avg GPA
3.94
Avg SAT
1238
Avg ACT
27
Selectivity
Somewhat Selective
Institution Type
Public
Campus
Main Campus
Accredited By
Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
SAT Middle 50%
1130–1300
ACT Middle 50%
24–29
Avg Net Price
$19,518
Need-Based Aid
19.5% receive Pell
College of Charleston is a public liberal arts and sciences university in South Carolina known for its commitment to academic excellence, historic setting, and vibrant campus community. Offering a wide range of undergraduate and graduate degree programs, the university fosters a dynamic learning environment that encourages critical inquiry, research, and professional development. Its focus on providing a well-rounded, high-value education makes it a premier choice for students seeking a top-tier academic experience in a historic and engaging setting.
College of Charleston Acceptance Rate
At 72%, admission to College of Charleston is achievable for most students who meet the basic academic profile.
What College of Charleston Admissions Looks For
- Whole-Person Review: Personal circumstances and career goals are weighed alongside grades.
- Flexible on GPA: Strong extracurriculars or work experience can offset an average transcript.
Selectivity at a Glance
Somewhat Selective
Selectivity scale: Somewhat Selective — 72% acceptance rate
Most Selective (0%)Open Enrollment (100%)
Recommended Academic Profile
Candidate GPA Range
Admission Category
Strategic Requirement
3.94 – 4.00
Target Match
Maintain Rigor & High Testing
3.74 – 3.93
Competitive Reach
Focus on Score Compensation
Below 3.49
Secondary Reach
Requires Contextual Support
Source: IPEDS & College Scorecard (Nov 2025).
College of Charleston Application Deadlines & Admission Dates 2026
The application deadline for College of Charleston is October 15 for Early Decision applicants, with additional plans listed below. Admission decisions are typically released by December 1.
Key Admission Dates
⏳ 80 days left — Early Decision
Early Decision
October 15
Decision by: December 1
Regular Decision
January 15
Decision by: March 1
Early Action
November 1
Decision by: January 15
💡 The scholarship deadline (October 15, 2026) often falls before the regular admission deadline. Submit your application and FAFSA early to be considered for maximum aid.
Deadlines are verified from official institutional sources but may change each cycle. Always confirm final dates on the official website.
College of Charleston GPA Requirement
The average GPA of admitted students at College of Charleston is 3.94. That makes admissions here extremely selective. Most admitted students carry straight A's, with very little room for a B.
If your GPA sits between 3.64 and 3.94, a high SAT or ACT score is the most reliable way to compensate.
Most schools report GPA on a weighted or unweighted 4.0 scale differently — for an unweighted profile like this, students with AP/IB coursework typically carry a weighted GPA of 4.14–4.34.College of Charleston GPA & Admission Outlook
Assessment: Extreme selectivity; requires elite academic standing.
Recommended Strategy: High Course Rigor (AP/IB/Honors) to validate the grade.
Where your GPA falls in this range shapes what the rest of your application needs to do:
Candidate GPA Range
Admission Category
Strategic Requirement
3.94 – 4.00
Academic Target
Maintain Rigor & High Testing
3.74 – 3.93
Competitive Match
Focus on SAT/ACT Compensation
3.54 – 3.73
Secondary Reach
Personal Statement & Impact
Below 3.53
Institutional Reach
Requires Significant Contextual Factors
Evaluation Metrics That Matter Here
- No arts audition or portfolio required for general admission; auditions/portfolios are only needed for certain departmental scholarships within the School of the Arts.
- Honors College application is integrated into the standard application (check a box, then complete a separate supplemental essay) rather than a fully separate process.
- Early Action and Early Decision both fall on November 1; Regular Decision deadline is January 15.
- Recently reported acceptance rate around 60%, with a notably low yield rate (~12%), meaning many admitted students choose other schools.
- Rigor Over Raw Number: A slightly lower GPA (say 3.8) paired with multiple AP or IB courses often outweighs a flat 4.0 from a standard curriculum.
- Trajectory Matters: A lower start in 9th or 10th grade, followed by a clear upward trend senior year, reads as academic resilience rather than a weakness.
Data verified via IPEDS, College Scorecard (Nov 2025) and the Common Data Set (CDS). Expert Review led by Sohaib Khan and Dr. Waseem.
Check Your Admission Chances at College of Charleston
Admission Chance Predictor
Real-Time Sensitive Analysis — based on College of Charleston's verified institutional data
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Calculating Profile...
Adjust the sliders to see how every decimal point affects your outcome.
Your SAT Score 1200
Your Unweighted GPA 3.00
✅ Verified Data: Institutional records for 2026.
Calculated via College Portal's Human-Intelligence (HI) Methodology & Editorial Standards. Verified by Sohaib Ahmad Khan.
College of Charleston Test Requirements
Standardized scores still matter here: aim for the middle 50% range of the 2026 admitted class below, and if College of Charleston is test-optional, a high score submitted voluntarily still helps with merit scholarships.
Can I Get Into College of Charleston Without SAT or ACT?
College of Charleston considers scores when submitted, without requiring them. Prepare well and submit your best attempt — most applicants test 2–3 times.
College of Charleston Average SAT Score: 1238
The average SAT score of admitted students at College of Charleston is 1238 on the 1600-point scale.
SAT Competitiveness
SAT 1238 — Slightly Competitive
This sits close to the national average SAT score.
Key Insight: Aim for the 75th percentile (1300 SAT or 29 ACT) to stand out. Below average? College of Charleston allows Score Choice for the SAT, so a retake only helps — a low sitting never has to be sent.
If your score is below 1130, retaking the SAT is strongly recommended to improve your chances at College of Charleston. Retaking multiple times is completely normal — most competitive applicants sit for it two or three times. There's no official limit on attempts.
SAT Scores Breakdown by Sections
| Section | Average | 25th Percentile | 75th Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| SAT Math | 595 | 550 | 640 |
| SAT Reading | 620 | 580 | 660 |
| SAT Composite | 1238 | 1130 | 1300 |
Below 1130, you're behind most admitted students; at 1300 or above, you're ahead of 75% of them. (25th/75th percentile = the score below which that share of admitted students fall.)
View list of all colleges with average SAT score of 1250
Can I get into College of Charleston with a 1300 SAT?
A 1300 SAT puts you ahead of most of College of Charleston's admitted class — but admissions still weighs GPA, course rigor, and essays alongside it. A strong score opens the door; the rest of your profile decides what happens next.
College of Charleston ACT Requirements
The average ACT score at College of Charleston is 27.
ACT Competitiveness
ACT 27 — Competitive
This average is solidly above the national mean without being elite-tier.
ACT Scores Breakdown by Sections
| Section | Average | 25th Percentile | 75th Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| ACT Math | 25 | 22 | 27 |
| ACT English | 27 | 23 | 31 |
| ACT Composite | 27 | 24 | 29 |
Can I get into College of Charleston with a 29 ACT?
A 29 ACT puts you ahead of 75% of College of Charleston's admitted students — a strong position, though the ACT is only one benchmark among several admissions weighs.
Unlike the SAT, the ACT scores four separate sections — English, Math, Reading, and Science — each on a 1–36 scale. A noticeably weak section (Science, especially, at STEM-focused schools) stands out to reviewers, so it's worth checking your section breakdown for outliers before applying.
Your ACT score clears the first filter, but GPA, course rigor, extracurricular depth, recommendations, and essays are what carry an application the rest of the way at College of Charleston.
Your 2026 Admissions Roadmap for College of Charleston
Accessible Strategy: Academic Foundation
Getting into College of Charleston isn't the hard part — building a solid academic foundation and securing aid early is where the real strategy lives.
Use the optional "Why Charleston" essay to signal genuine fit, not generic praise
The 350-word optional essay explicitly warns against citing only location, size, reputation, and climate - reviewers want a reason specific to the applicant, so a student should name a program, professor, research opportunity, or Charleston-specific resource rather than restating what every applicant already knows about the school.
Know exactly when the extenuating-circumstances essay becomes mandatory
This essay is required only for applicants who graduated early, took a gap semester/year, or are completing a post-graduate year - students in one of these three specific situations must not skip it, since it's the only place in the application to explain a non-standard academic timeline.
Treat the Honors College essay as a distinct, high-effort component, not a formality
Applicants must choose one of five identity descriptors (creator, doer, explorer, change agent, seeker) and give 2-3 concrete examples in 500-650 words - reviewers explicitly warn against picking a descriptor because it "sounds impressive"; authenticity and specific evidence matter more than the label chosen.
Apply by November 1 if Honors College or Early Decision/Action is the goal
Both Early Action and Early Decision share a November 1 deadline, distinct from the January 15 regular deadline - a student aiming for Honors College consideration or an early read should build their essay timeline around November 1, not the later general deadline.
Expert Insight:
Because two of College of Charleston's three essays are conditional (optional "why us," and circumstance-specific), students sometimes either skip the optional essay entirely (a missed opportunity to differentiate) or, conversely, feel obligated to write the extenuating-circumstances essay when it doesn't actually apply to them - clarify which essays are genuinely relevant before drafting.
College of Charleston Profile
Full Name
College of Charleston
City
Charleston
State
South Carolina
ZIP Code
29424-0001
Type
Public
Campus
Main Campus
Official Website
Accredited By
Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCC)
Is a College of Charleston Degree Worth It?
Whether College of Charleston is worth it depends less on its reputation and more on your program choice, financial aid package, and career goals — here's the data to weigh it against.
The average household income among admitted students is $67,000, with a graduate unemployment rate of 2.95%.
How much does a degree from College of Charleston Cost?
The sticker price is $30,731/year, but the average net price students actually pay — after Pell and federal grants — is closer to $19,518.
19.5% of students receive a Pell Grant and 38.1% take federal loans at College of Charleston — file your FAFSA early and list College of Charleston as a choice to be considered for both.
How much does a College of Charleston Graduate earn?
Median earnings 10 years after enrollment (roughly 4–6 years post-graduation) are $56,416 — about 39% above the U.S. median graduate income.
Compare Similar Colleges
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, you'll be competitive for these schools.
| School | Location | SAT | ACT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Birmingham-Southern College | Birmingham, AL | 1197 | 24 |
| University of Mobile | Mobile, AL | 1220 | 24 |
| Samford University | Birmingham, AL | 1203 | 26 |
| John Brown University | Siloam Springs, AR | 1222 | 26 |
| Ouachita Baptist University | Arkadelphia, AR | 1212 | 25 |
| California Lutheran University | Thousand Oaks, CA | 1224 | 26 |
| Dominican University of California | San Rafael, CA | 1194 | 26 |
| Eastern Connecticut State University | Willimantic, CT | 1200 | NA |
| University of Hartford | West Hartford, CT | 1207 | 29 |
| University of New Haven | West Haven, CT | 1190 | NA |
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 is competitive, you'll be competitive for these schools also.
| School | Location | SAT | ACT |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Redlands | Redlands, CA | 1231 | 28 |
| University of South Florida | Tampa, FL | 1235 | 27 |
| Oglethorpe University | Atlanta, GA | 1230 | 27 |
| Bradley University | Peoria, IL | 1237 | 28 |
| University of Illinois Chicago | Chicago, IL | 1242 | 29 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| The University of Alabama | Tuscaloosa, AL | 1287 | 28 |
| Auburn University | Auburn, AL | 1318 | 28 |
| University of the Pacific | Stockton, CA | 1303 | 27 |
| Point Loma Nazarene University | San Diego, CA | 1278 | 26 |
| University of San Francisco | San Francisco, CA | 1313 | 29 |
Degree Programs at College of Charleston
Bachelor Degree Programs
Frequently Asked Questions About College of Charleston Admissions
Median graduate earnings at College of Charleston run about $56,416 a year.
College of Charleston costs roughly $30,731 a year — most students combine this with scholarships or aid.
College of Charleston's Pell Grant rate of 19.5% sits below the national average — merit-based aid is worth checking regardless of income.
At 72%, College of Charleston's acceptance rate is on the more attainable end compared to top-tier selective schools.
Admitted students at College of Charleston average a 3.94 GPA.
College of Charleston doesn't publish a hard GPA floor — but landing at or above 3.64 keeps you in the typical applicant range; below it, lean on essays and recommendations.
Below 3.54, College of Charleston becomes a harder reach — though a strong test score, meaningful activities, and AP/IB coursework can still make a real case.
A strong SAT score matters at College of Charleston — aim above 1238, ideally within the 1130–1300 range admitted students typically fall in.
The application deadline for College of Charleston is October 15 for Early Decision applicants. Admission decisions are released by December 1.
The application fee is 60. Fee waivers may be available — check with admissions.
The scholarship/financial aid priority deadline is October 15, 2026. Submit FAFSA before then for maximum consideration.
Yes — transfers are common. Have transcripts, recommendation letters, and a solid personal statement ready to make your case.
Strong academics, a focused extracurricular profile, and standout essays move the needle most — along with a competitive SAT/ACT score where relevant.
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