What Does It Cost To Attend Clemson University?
If your high school student is looking to study business and engineering in college, Clemson University may be the best choice. It is a prestigious school with high expectations of its students; only about half of its 23,506 applicants were accepted in the 2016 school year. Students can expect an atmosphere steeped in tradition as the Clemson Tigers are contenders in NCAA Division I sports and the color orange at the forefront of displaying school spirit. Like all options for higher education, Clemson University does not come without a price tag to consider. However, not every student will have to worry about taking on the full load of such hefty prices to achieve a stellar education.
A common mistake a lot of students make when considering costs for a university is they only look at the published prices on the school’s website. This price reflects the cost of tuition when nothing extra is subtracted like federal and institutional financial aid. The best route to take when calculating costs is through the net price. This provides a clearer picture for the student when figuring out total costs for tuition at the school of their choice.
When making such a large investment into the future, it helps to see things through a bigger picture. Looking at it all from the perspective of net costs helps students make better informed decisions about where they will be spending hard-earned money, whether that money is earned by them or their parents. Keep reading to learn more about how much it would cost to send your high school senior to Clemson University.
What Is The List Price of Clemson University?
There is a significant price difference for room, board and tuition at CU in regards to a student’s proximity to the school. Total price for in-state students is $28,662 while the total price for out-of-state students is $48,544. As mentioned before, the majority of the time, students do not pay this price. Normally, students who pay this amount come from families that have large yearly incomes greater than $175,000 and the student is not in the top 30% of accepted students at Clemson University.
What Is the Clemson University Financial Aid Net Price?
The average net cost for in-state students with financial aid only is $26,434. For students that are out of state, the average net cost with financial aid only is $46,316
What Is the Family Income-Based Cost of Attending Clemson University?
The amount of yearly income that a student’s family earns plays a large role in the amount of financial aid a student can receive. Below are the total amounts associated with their respective family incomes.
| Family Income | Average Net Price |
| $0-$30,000 | $12,905 |
| $30,001-$48,000 | $13,113 |
| $48,001-$75,000 | $16,863 |
| $75,001-$110,000 | $17,978 |
| Over $110,000 | $19,683 |
The average net price for an in-state student who doesn’t qualify for financial aid is $24,575 and the average net price for an out-of-state student who doesn’t qualify for financial aid is $44,457.
How Much Merit Aid Do Clemson University Students Receive?
The percentage of students without financial need that receive merit aid is 71% which makes the average merit award for this group of students $4,087.
How Many Clemson University Students Take Out Loans?
While student federal loans are commonplace, the amount of students who take out loans at CU are only about 6% which means the amount of loans per undergrad student totals to approximately $4,546.
Student Outcomes At Clemson University
Clemson can boast of high student outcome rates due to their rigorous application standards for acceptance. Student outcomes are approximately 79% which means the school is able to graduate a large amount of their students within a 6-year period. This ultimately creates an impressive return on investment for these students since they were not required to spend extra time and therefore more tuition fees while they earned their degree. The average salary for a Clemson graduate after 10 years is $52,400.
Local Area Cost Considerations
Clemson, South Carolina is a small town with a big university. The town’s population is only a little over 15,000 people. With a smaller town however, comes a more reasonable cost of living. The cost of living index in Clemson is 101.5 which is not much more than the national index of 100.
Thanks to being conveniently located in the town, students attending Clemson University can enjoy living off campus without the added headache of a long commute. The average cost of living in a studio or one bedroom apartment ranges between $630 to $760. For two and three bedroom apartments, students can expect to pay $870 to $1,170.
For students who want to earn some money while going to school, they can expect a minimum wage of $7.25 which matches the national minimum wage pay. The downside to working in Clemson is that employers are allowed to pay as low as $2.13 an hour so long as tips can add up to the regular minimum wage. That being said, it can be harder to pay for the cost of living with such a low-paying job; students might find it beneficial to find roommates to help offset the living costs.
What Are Other Ways to Save on College?
One of the best ways to save money while going to college is applying for scholarships and awards. Clemson University has multiple choices that college applicants can look over and decide which one would be best for them to apply. Students can visit this webpage on CU’s website to find links to not only Clemson’s scholarships, but also programs offered by the state of South Carolina and donor-selected scholarships.
Additionally, students can participate in a work-study program to help save money while going to college. This is a great opportunity for a student to get valuable, hands-on experience in their preferred field and earning a little bit of money at the same time. Students who qualify for federal financial aid are given special preference for the Federal Work-Study Program. This program is designed to help students in financial need pay for their college education.
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