Admit rate has ranged 55%–78% over the last 5 years — notably volatile. Source: IPEDS via Urban Institute.
Acceptance & SAT from Common Data Set / IPEDS; net price, earnings & graduation from the U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard. Figures lag ~1–2 years — verify with the school.
Claflin University is a small, private HBCU in Orangeburg, South Carolina, that stakes its identity on transforming the lives of a predominantly Pell Grant-eligible student body. It offers a tight-knit, family-oriented campus culture and a broad-based liberal arts education, with particular strength in business, biology, and psychology. While its graduation rate reflects the significant challenges its students often face, the university emphasizes career-focused programs and internships designed to propel graduates into the workforce.
Admission requirements
Test-blind — scores not considered
Required
High school transcript
Grade point average
Considered (not required)
Class rank
College-prep program
TOEFL (non-native English)
Source: IPEDS Admissions survey (2022) via Urban Institute. Covers formal factors only — it does not reflect essays, extracurriculars, or other holistic criteria.
More details
Undergrad enrollment
1,706
In-state tuition
$18,282
Out-of-state tuition
$18,282
Campus Housing
61% of students
Popular Majors
Psychology, Biology, Business Admin
Graduation Rate
52%
First-Year Retention
75%
Pell Grant Recipients
More than 75%
Median Earnings (10yr)
$40,304
Outcomes & value
Outcomes & value
Median earnings (10 yr)
$40,304
Value (earnings ÷ net price)
2.3×
Median debt at graduation
$29,000
Graduation rate
52%
First-year retention
75%
Reducing loan balance (3 yr)
25%
Pell (lower-income) share
73%
First-gen share (among federal-aid recipients)
32%
Financial health
3.0 / 3.0Meets the federal financial-responsibility standard
U.S. Dept. of Education Financial Responsibility Composite Score (FY2022-23). Scale −1.0 to 3.0; ≥1.5 meets the standard. Reported for private nonprofit & for-profit institutions only — public universities are state-backed and not scored, so this is a stability signal, not a ranking.
Top-earning majors
Median earnings by field of study (highest credential), ~2 years after completion.
Business Administration, Management and Operations$39,648
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods$33,281
Human Resources Management and Services$30,771
Criminal Justice and Corrections$29,685
Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services, Other$29,685
Political Science and Government
Campus & location
Campus safety
On-campus violent crimes (2024)
4
Per 1,000 students
2.19
On-campus criminal offenses classed as violent (murder/non-negligent manslaughter, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) for the most recent reported year. Source: U.S. Dept. of Education Campus Safety and Security (Clery Act). Counts reflect what’s reported to the school, and urban campuses often report more partly due to non-student incidents nearby — read alongside campus size and setting, not as a standalone safety verdict.
Climate
Pleasant days / yr
117
Summer high
90°F
Winter low
43°F
Annual rain
46.9"
Natural-hazard risk
Relatively Moderate
Pleasant days counts days per year with a mean temperature of 55–75°F, a high at or below 90°F, a low at or above 45°F, and little precipitation — a transparent comfort measure, not a weighting we invented. Computed from Open-Meteo ERA5 daily history (2019–2023). Natural-hazard risk is the county’s composite rating from the FEMA National Risk Index.
Deep dive — research, future-scholar output & economic mobility▾
Research output
Institutional h-index
51
Scholarly works
691
Institutional research volume and impact from OpenAlex. The h-index reflects large research universities and will be low for teaching-focused liberal-arts colleges — not a measure of undergraduate quality.
Economic mobility
Mobility rate
3.6%
Bottom → top quintile
11%
From bottom quintile
32%
Mobility rate = the share of students who both start in the bottom household-income quintile and reach the top quintile; bottom → top is that chance conditional on starting at the bottom. Source: Opportunity Insights Mobility Report Cards (Chetty, Friedman, Saez, Turner & Yagan). Reflects 1980–82 birth cohorts, so it’s directional, not current.
Quick answers
What is the acceptance rate at Claflin University?
Claflin University's acceptance rate is approximately 65% (Orangeburg, SC), based on the most recent figures we compiled from public and primary sources.
How much does Claflin University cost?
At Claflin University, the average net price (after aid) is about $17,800 per year. Actual cost varies with financial aid and residency.
How many undergraduates attend Claflin University?
Claflin University enrolls approximately 1,706 undergraduate students.
Where is Claflin University located?
Claflin University is located in Orangeburg, SC.
Admissions
Claflin's admissions process is accessible, with a somewhat selective . The university does not have an open admission policy and requires a completed application for consideration. For international students, specific deadlines apply: applications must be submitted by March 1st for the fall semester and August 1st for the spring semester. While various sources report acceptance rates ranging from approximately 56% to 73%, the university's published selectivity aligns with an accessible but considered review process. Admitted students who submit test scores typically present SAT scores in the 840-1040 range or an ACT composite around 17, with an average high school GPA of 3.3.
Earnings = median of students working ~10 years after entry; debt = median of graduates. Value divides 10-yr earnings by one year’s net price — read it as earnings per dollar of annual cost, not a full lifetime ROI; it favors lower-cost schools. Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard. Figures lag ~2 years and reflect all students, not your intended major.
$29,141
Psychology, General$28,960
Biology, General$27,476
Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard (field-of-study earnings). Figures cover graduates who received federal aid and lag ~2 years; not all programs report data.
Claflin provides a curriculum that blends liberal arts and sciences with hands-on, career-oriented experiences. The university offers a total of 40 undergraduate majors and 6 graduate degrees, with an additional 10 degrees available online. The academic approach is described as going "well beyond lectures and textbooks," incorporating internships, service, and community-based learning. The most popular majors reflect both traditional liberal arts and professional pathways: Psychology, General; Biology/Biological Sciences, General; and Business Administration and Management are among the top choices. Other high-completion programs include Registered Nursing and Criminal Justice/Safety Studies. This structure supports the university's mission of providing a "broad-based education" combined with practical preparation.
Life at Claflin is consistently described as family-oriented and close-knit, fostering a welcoming and supportive community. The university encourages involvement through a wide array of channels: experiential learning, research, clubs and organizations, and Greek life. Over half of the student body (61%) lives in college-owned, -operated, or -affiliated housing, which places them in close proximity to classrooms, labs, the dining hall, and academic support services. The remaining 45% live off-campus. The arts are a visible part of campus culture, with students engaged as singers, sculptors, writers, and chefs. The numerous clubs and organizations are designed explicitly to bring people together around shared interests or collective goals.
Claflin's outcomes narrative is one of transformation against socioeconomic odds. The university notes that more than 75% of its students receive Pell Grants, yet many still "secure high-paying jobs and launch successful" careers. The first-year retention rate is reported at 75% to 79%, indicating a strong initial commitment from students. The four-year graduation rate is 41%, with the six-year rate at 58%. While these rates are below the national average, they are contextualized by the high proportion of low-income students the university serves. For graduates, median earnings ten years after entry are $40,304, and the median salary six years after graduation is reported as $29,227.
Claflin is transparent about costs and encourages all students to complete the FAFSA to unlock financial aid opportunities, including grants, loans, and work-study, regardless of demonstrated need. The university provides a Calculator to help families estimate their actual cost after accounting for scholarships and aid. Published net price figures vary: one source lists an average net price of $21,232 per year after scholarships and grants, with an average aid package of $14,832. Another reports a net price of $19,951 for federal loan recipients. The university participates in several federal and alternative loan programs to help families meet educational costs, indicating that loans are a standard component of many financial aid packages.
Claflin University stands out for its unwavering commitment to a specific mission: providing a high-quality, career-integrated liberal arts education to a student population that is overwhelmingly Pell-eligible. This isn't a school with ivory-tower pretensions; it's an engine of pragmatic uplift. Its identity is rooted in a profoundly close-knit, family-oriented campus culture that actively supports students from day one, evidenced by a solid first-year retention rate. While the graduation rate reflects the very real socioeconomic hurdles its students face, the university leans into this challenge, emphasizing internships, hands-on learning, and programs in high-demand fields like business, nursing, and criminal justice. Claflin's story is about value, support, and tangible outcomes for students who are often the first in their families to attend college, making it a vital institution within the HBCU network and American higher education at large.
Claflin University seal · sourceConnecting to Campus Resource Offices · sourceClaflin University - Orangeburg's historically important institution | Stories | June 13, 2022 | South Carolina ETV · sourceSustainability at Claflin · source
