Clemson University Student Enrollment: A Comprehensive Overview

Clemson University, a public land-grant research university, has a rich history and a strong commitment to serving the state of South Carolina. Founded in 1889, Clemson has evolved from its origins as Clemson Agricultural College of South Carolina to a comprehensive university with a wide array of academic programs and a growing and diverse student body. This article will explore Clemson University's student enrollment statistics, providing a detailed look at historical trends, demographics, admissions, costs, and graduation rates.

Historical Context and Integration

Clemson University's journey towards becoming a diverse and inclusive institution began with its integration in the spring of 1963. Historical enrollment data from 1963 to 1984 provides a summary of student enrollment by race and gender, specifically tracking the number of Black students and White students (including other races). In 1985, the university expanded its reporting structure to include additional race categories, offering a more detailed breakdown of the student population. The Factbook provides detailed reporting for race past 2009.

This information is available through the Digital Collections, an archive of historical media sources at Clemson. The Undergraduate Announcement catalogs offer a wealth of information, including historical enrollment figures, tuition and fees, and degrees awarded.

General Information

Clemson University is ranked No. 80 in National Universities in the 2025 edition of Best Colleges. It also holds the No. 38 spot for Lowest Acceptance Rates. Located in a rural setting on a sprawling 17,000-acre campus, Clemson provides a unique learning environment. The student-faculty ratio at Clemson University is 16:1, and it utilizes a semester-based academic calendar.

Admissions and Enrollment

Clemson University accepts the Common Application and has a test-optional admissions policy. For the Class of 2028 (enrolled fall 2024), Clemson received 61,517 applications and accepted 23,586 (38.3%). Of those accepted, 4,880 enrolled, a yield rate (the percentage of accepted students who choose to attend the university) of 20.7%. Clemson's annual applicant pool has grown to over 60,000 applicants from all 50 states, the District of Columbia and more than 29 countries worldwide. As a result, entrance has become highly competitive. We accepted 38% of all first-year applicants for admission in 2024. However, 95% of all South Carolina applicants for the Class of 2028 were offered a path to Clemson through Fall admission, Summer admission or the Bridge to Clemson program.

Read also: Enrollment at Notre Dame

In 2023, Clemson University had a total enrollment of 28,747 students. The full-time enrollment at Clemson University is 25,623 students, and the part-time enrollment is 3,124. This means that 89.1% of students enrolled at Clemson University are enrolled full-time. The student population at Clemson University is 28,747 (22,875 undergraduate and 5,872 graduate students). The number of students has increased by 6,049 over the past decade. The percentage of undergraduate students at Clemson is 79.57% which is increased by 4,859 over last 10 years. The graduate student population increased by 1,190 and it has been increasing.

Costs and Financial Aid

The cost of attending Clemson University is a significant factor for prospective students. For the 2023-2024 academic year, in-state tuition and fees are $15,554, while out-of-state tuition and fees are $39,498. Thirty-seven percent of first-year students receive need-based financial aid, and the average net price for federal loan recipients is $22,433. The median undergraduate tuition at Clemson University is $14,038, which is $−16,965 less than the national average for Doctoral Universities ($31,004). After taking grants and loans into account, the average net price for students is $24,408. In 2023, 75% of undergraduate students attending Clemson University received financial aid through grants. Comparatively, 33% of undergraduate students received financial aid through loans.

Student Demographics

The enrolled student population at Clemson University, both undergraduate and graduate, is 72.2% White, 7.53% Hispanic or Latino, 5.65% Black or African American, 3.6% Two or More Races, 2.53% Asian, 0.198% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 0.0939% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders. Students enrolled at Clemson University in full-time Undergraduate programs are most commonly White Female (40.6%), followed by White Male (36%) and Hispanic or Latino Female (4.41%). Students enrolled in full-time Graduate programs are most commonly White Female (24%), followed by White Male (21.5%) and Black or African American Female (2.3%).

The female to male ratio is 1.13 to 1 which means that female students enrolled slightly more than male students. 2,117 students enrolled in online degree program exclusively and the number of online students has increased by 145.02% since 2015.

Graduation and Outcomes

Clemson University prides itself on its graduation rates and the success of its alumni. The four-year graduation rate is 68%, and six years after graduation, the median salary for graduates is $58,311. In 2023, 65% of students graduating from Clemson University completed their program within 100% "normal time" (i.e. 4 years for a 4-year degree). Comparatively, 85% completed their degrees within 150% of the normal time, and 86% within 200%.

The student demographic with the highest graduation rate in 2023 at Clemson University is Male and American Indian or Alaska Native (100% graduation rate).

Academic Colleges and Programs

Clemson University consists of nine colleges: Agriculture, Forestry and Life Sciences; Architecture, Art and Construction; Arts and Humanities; Behavioral, Social and Health Sciences; Engineering, Computing and Applied Sciences; Education; The Wilbur O. Currently, there are nine academic colleges: College of Agriculture, Forestry and Life Sciences, College of Architecture, Art and Construction, College of Arts and Humanities, College of Behavioral, Social and Health Sciences, College of Education, College of Engineering, Computing and Applied Sciences, College of Science, the Wilbur O.

The College of Agriculture, Forestry, and Life Sciences (CAFLS) supports Clemson University's land-grant mission to provide education, research, and service to the public. The College of Architecture, Art and Construction (CAAC) contains a School of Architecture, a Department of Art and the Nieri Department of Construction, Development and Planning. One of the departments of the college, the School of Architecture, was ranked as the No. The College of Arts and Humanities (CAH) was founded in 2023 and has six departments: English, History and Geography, Interdisciplinary Studies, Languages, Performing Arts and Philosophy and Religion. The College of Business, after receiving a $60m gift from Wilbur and Ann Powers, was renamed the Wilbur O. and Ann Power College of Business in October 2020. The College of Engineering, Computing, and Applied Sciences (CECAS) specializes in engineering as well as the physical sciences such as physics and chemistry. The Clemson University Honors College focuses on education for highly motivated, academically talented students. The College of Education is Clemson's newest college and is centered in the Tillman Hall.

In 2023, 7,790 degrees were awarded across all undergraduate and graduate programs at Clemson University. 52.3% of these degrees were awarded to women, and 47.7% awarded men. The most common race/ethnicity group of degree recipients was white (5,940 degrees), 12.7 times more than then the next closest race/ethnicity group, hispanic or latino (468 degrees).

A Look at Clemson's History

Clemson University has a rich and storied past, evolving from its origins as a military college to a comprehensive research university. Thomas Green Clemson, the university's founder, came to the foothills of South Carolina in 1838. In November 1889, South Carolina Governor John Peter Richardson III signed the bill, thus establishing the Clemson Agricultural College of South Carolina. Construction of the college began with Hardin Hall in 1890 and then main classroom buildings in 1891. The first graduating class of Clemson was in 1896, and they had degrees in mechanical-electrical engineering and agriculture.

Throughout the 20th century, Clemson faced challenges and celebrated milestones. During World War I, enrollment in Clemson declined. In 1963, the university admitted its first African-American student, Harvey Gantt. In July 1955, the four schools that made up Clemson-Agriculture, Arts & Sciences, Engineering and Textiles-were transformed into nine colleges.

Clemson University Today

Today, Clemson University is a leading public research university committed to providing a high-quality education and serving the needs of the state of South Carolina. The university's main campus sits on 1,400 acres in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, along the shores of Lake Hartwell. Clemson University has five Innovation Campuses located across South Carolina. These campuses foster economic development and provide coordinated teaching, research and community engagement programs that are aligned with key strategic industry clusters for the state.

Clemson University fulfills its land-grant mission to be “a high seminary of learning” to develop “the main material resources of the State” for the people of South Carolina by attracting world-class researchers, building state-of-the-art facilities and providing scholarships for in-state students.

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