USC hits record enrollment

As the fall semester begins, enrollment at the University of South Carolina has reached a record high.

“We are excited to welcome another strong freshman class to USC,” President Michael Amiridis said. “Our fall enrollment numbers continue to reflect the overall health and excellent reputation of the University of South Carolina.”

A new record for USC Columbia: Overall student enrollment at USC Columbia has reached a historic high, exceeding 38,300 students, according to preliminary figures. The growth in enrollment has been aided by university efforts to retain more students. USC’s previous high of 36,538 students was recorded in the fall of 2023. This semester marks the first time USC’s overall enrollment has surpassed 38,000 students. Freshman enrollment is 7,290, roughly the same as last year.

Serving South Carolina: Of the 7,290 new freshmen enrolled at USC Columbia for the fall 2024 semester, 3,800 (52 percent) are South Carolina residents. Students also come from each of the state’s 46 counties. This fall, USC Columbia is educating more residents of South Carolina than ever.

Destination USC: The university received a record number of applicants this year — 52,708. 

Healthy system: Enrollment at USC system institutions is also strong. Overall system enrollment, including USC Columbia, rose 5.2 percent to 54,485 for the fall 2024 semester.

Academically successful: More than 1,000 students starting this fall were in the top 10 percent of their South Carolina high school class. This is a 10 percent increase over last year, and comes after USC announced last August that it would guarantee admission to S.C. students in the top 10 percent of their class.

Retaining students: Part of the university’s enrollment success stems from efforts to retain existing students through early intervention programs. USC’s Graduation and Retention Network helps students stay on track for degree completion, while the Scholarship Risk Intervention program helps students take steps to maintain their academic scholarships.

Promoting social mobility: USC continues to serve its mission of promoting economic and social mobility. More than 2,000 incoming freshmen — nearly 28 percent — are underrepresented minority students, an increase of 17 percent over last year. In addition, approximately 1,500 freshmen are first-generation students. 

More than freshmen: In total, approximately 9,200 new undergraduates will start their academic journey at USC this year. That includes new freshmen, transfer students and international exchange students.

Planning for growth: As USC’s student body increases, the Board of Trustees is actively planning for the future. The university recently released USC Next, its master plan for managing future growth.