Back to Colleges

Basic Information

Type Private
Geographical Reach Regional
Religious Affiliation Wesleyan Church
Location Central, SC
Population 250,000
Website https://www.swu.edu/
Map of the United States

Weather

Comfortable Days 105 (50%)
Sunshine Hours 2,845 (80%)
Days Without Precipitation 255 (65%)

Demographics

Total Undergraduates 599
Men / Women 43% / 57%
From State 58%
From Region 28%
Athletes 63.1%

Racial/Ethnic

White 68%
Black 14%
Hispanic 10%
Mixed 4%
International 2%
Asian 1%
Native American 0%

Men in the Entering Class

Men
0% 15% 30% 45% 60% 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2011 Men: 39.2% 39.2% 2012 Men: 38.8% 38.8% 2013 Men: 46.8% 46.8% 2014 Men: 41.4% 41.4% 2015 Men: 54.4% 54.4% 2016 Men: 44.9% 44.9% 2017 Men: 46.9% 46.9% 2018 Men: 43.7% 43.7% 2019 Men: 42.2% 42.2% 2020 Men: 39.7% 39.7% 2021 Men: 33.7% 33.7% 2022 Men: 41.9% 41.9% 2023 Men: 34.6% 34.6% 2024 Men: 39.4% 39.4%

Entering Class by Race & Ethnicity

Native Asian Black Hispanic White International
0% 25% 50% 75% 100% 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2011 Native: 1.1% 1.1% 2012 Native: 0.0% 0.0% 2013 Native: 0.0% 0.0% 2014 Native: 0.0% 0.0% 2015 Native: 1.2% 1.2% 2016 Native: 0.0% 0.0% 2017 Native: 0.0% 0.0% 2018 Native: 1.3% 1.3% 2019 Native: 0.6% 0.6% 2020 Native: 0.0% 0.0% 2021 Native: 0.0% 0.0% 2022 Native: 0.0% 0.0% 2023 Native: 0.5% 0.5% 2024 Native: 0.5% 0.5% 2011 Asian: 0.0% 0.0% 2012 Asian: 0.0% 0.0% 2013 Asian: 1.1% 1.1% 2014 Asian: 0.7% 0.7% 2015 Asian: 0.6% 0.6% 2016 Asian: 2.0% 2.0% 2017 Asian: 0.0% 0.0% 2018 Asian: 0.6% 0.6% 2019 Asian: 0.6% 0.6% 2020 Asian: 0.5% 0.5% 2021 Asian: 0.0% 0.0% 2022 Asian: 0.0% 0.0% 2023 Asian: 0.5% 0.5% 2024 Asian: 2.4% 2.4% 2011 Black: 23.3% 23.3% 2012 Black: 11.3% 11.3% 2013 Black: 17.5% 17.5% 2014 Black: 12.7% 12.7% 2015 Black: 11.9% 11.9% 2016 Black: 16.3% 16.3% 2017 Black: 18.2% 18.2% 2018 Black: 19.1% 19.1% 2019 Black: 28.1% 28.1% 2020 Black: 24.2% 24.2% 2021 Black: 22.3% 22.3% 2022 Black: 20.4% 20.4% 2023 Black: 13.1% 13.1% 2024 Black: 17.0% 17.0% 2011 Hispanic: 1.1% 1.1% 2012 Hispanic: 0.7% 0.7% 2013 Hispanic: 3.3% 3.3% 2014 Hispanic: 0.7% 0.7% 2015 Hispanic: 3.6% 3.6% 2016 Hispanic: 2.0% 2.0% 2017 Hispanic: 6.6% 6.6% 2018 Hispanic: 3.8% 3.8% 2019 Hispanic: 6.2% 6.2% 2020 Hispanic: 7.9% 7.9% 2021 Hispanic: 6.9% 6.9% 2022 Hispanic: 2.2% 2.2% 2023 Hispanic: 6.1% 6.1% 2024 Hispanic: 5.7% 5.7% 2011 White: 72.2% 72.2% 2012 White: 82.0% 82.0% 2013 White: 73.8% 73.8% 2014 White: 80.3% 80.3% 2015 White: 79.2% 79.2% 2016 White: 77.8% 77.8% 2017 White: 71.1% 71.1% 2018 White: 68.2% 68.2% 2019 White: 57.5% 57.5% 2020 White: 62.6% 62.6% 2021 White: 60.6% 60.6% 2022 White: 72.4% 72.4% 2023 White: 70.2% 70.2% 2024 White: 67.0% 67.0% 2011 International: 1.1% 1.1% 2012 International: 2.0% 2.0% 2013 International: 1.6% 1.6% 2014 International: 0.7% 0.7% 2015 International: 1.2% 1.2% 2016 International: 1.3% 1.3% 2017 International: 0.8% 0.8% 2018 International: 3.2% 3.2% 2019 International: 1.2% 1.2% 2020 International: 2.1% 2.1% 2021 International: 4.8% 4.8% 2022 International: 1.1% 1.1% 2023 International: 2.5% 2.5% 2024 International: 2.4% 2.4%

Share of the full-time first-time degree-seeking cohort. Groups IPEDS reports separately — two or more races, and race unknown — are left out, so the lines don't sum to 100%.

Enrolled Undergraduates by Race & Ethnicity

Native Asian Black Hispanic White International
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2020 Native: 0.1% 0.1% 2021 Native: 0.0% 0.0% 2022 Native: 0.1% 0.1% 2023 Native: 0.0% 0.0% 2024 Native: 0.2% 0.2% 2025 Native: 0.3% 0.3% 2020 Asian: 0.5% 0.5% 2021 Asian: 0.6% 0.6% 2022 Asian: 0.8% 0.8% 2023 Asian: 0.4% 0.4% 2024 Asian: 0.9% 0.9% 2025 Asian: 0.5% 0.5% 2020 Black: 16.0% 16.0% 2021 Black: 13.7% 13.7% 2022 Black: 15.0% 15.0% 2023 Black: 14.2% 14.2% 2024 Black: 13.4% 13.4% 2025 Black: 14.4% 14.4% 2020 Hispanic: 5.8% 5.8% 2021 Hispanic: 6.6% 6.6% 2022 Hispanic: 6.9% 6.9% 2023 Hispanic: 7.0% 7.0% 2024 Hispanic: 9.2% 9.2% 2025 Hispanic: 9.7% 9.7% 2020 White: 71.6% 71.6% 2021 White: 72.9% 72.9% 2022 White: 69.6% 69.6% 2023 White: 67.7% 67.7% 2024 White: 70.2% 70.2% 2025 White: 67.6% 67.6% 2020 International: 1.9% 1.9% 2021 International: 2.1% 2.1% 2022 International: 2.2% 2.2% 2023 International: 0.6% 0.6% 2024 International: 0.5% 0.5% 2025 International: 1.7% 1.7%

Share of all full-time degree-seeking undergraduates, not just the entering class. Same excluded groups as above.

IPEDS Admissions (2011–2024), Graduation Rates (2011–2024) and 12-month Enrollment (2020–2025) surveys. Years a college didn't file leave a gap in the line.

Schools & Majors

⇅ Trends Degrees Male/Female Intl Earnings ROI Employment
School of Arts and Sciences 118 39% / 61% 3% $46,320 22 94%
Computer Science 5 — 80% / 20% 0% $77,736 85 —
Chemistry 2 +2 0% / 100% 0% $56,353 51 —
Mathematics 2 — 50% / 50% 0% — — —
Biology 7 +1 43% / 57% 0% $48,738 28 90%
Environmental Science 3 +1 33% / 67% 0% — — —
Environmental Studies 2 — 100% / 0% 0% — — —
Exercise Science 11 — 45% / 55% 9% $41,928 12 —
Nursing — — — — $82,335 89 —
Pre-Medicine 3 +1 100% / 0% 0% $55,076 47 —
Sport Management 8 — 75% / 25% 0% $38,875 8 100%
Christian Ministry 12 — 67% / 33% 0% $42,490 13 95%
Communication Studies 6 — 67% / 33% 17% $45,425 19 —
English 1 — 0% / 100% 0% — — —
History 4 — 25% / 75% 0% $44,306 17 —
Human Development and Family Studies 15 — 0% / 100% 7% $47,671 25 91%
Human Services 9 — 22% / 78% 0% $39,486 9 94%
Psychology 16 — 25% / 75% 0% $44,060 16 —
Social Sciences 2 — 0% / 100% 0% $45,053 18 —
Music 3 — 0% / 100% 0% $41,016 11 —
Criminology 4 +1 25% / 75% 0% $53,505 43 100%
Forensic Science and Technology 3 — 33% / 67% 0% $51,027 35 —
⇅ Trends Degrees Male/Female Intl Earnings ROI Employment
School of Business 45 71% / 29% 0% $63,341 67 98%
Business Administration 44 — 70% / 30% 0% $63,341 67 98%
Digital Marketing 1 — 100% / 0% 0% — — —
⇅ Trends Degrees Male/Female Intl Earnings ROI Employment
School of Education 21 29% / 71% 0% $63,298 67 100%
Early Childhood Education 3 +3 0% / 100% 0% $64,236 69 100%
Elementary Education 9 — 11% / 89% 0% $64,236 69 100%
Physical Education 4 — 75% / 25% 0% $61,262 63 —
Special Education - Intellectual Disabilities 2 — 50% / 50% 0% $61,590 63 —
Music Education 3 — 33% / 67% 0% $63,402 67 —

Financial

Tuition & Fees $32,500
ROI Percentile 40th

Retention & Graduation

Full-Time Retention 69%
4-Year Graduation Rate 50%
6-Year Graduation Rate 52%
Transfer-Out Rate 33%

Six-Year Graduation Rate

Graduated
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2011 Graduated: 38.1% 38.1% 2012 Graduated: 56.7% 56.7% 2013 Graduated: 44.3% 44.3% 2014 Graduated: 48.6% 48.6% 2015 Graduated: 50.0% 50.0% 2016 Graduated: 60.1% 60.1% 2017 Graduated: 43.8% 43.8% 2018 Graduated: 52.9% 52.9% 2019 Graduated: 54.4% 54.4% 2020 Graduated: 54.2% 54.2% 2021 Graduated: 52.1% 52.1% 2022 Graduated: 59.7% 59.7% 2023 Graduated: 52.0% 52.0% 2024 Graduated: 52.4% 52.4%

Students finishing within 150% of normal time. Each year labels the cohort that entered six years earlier — 2024 tracks the class that started in 2018.

Six-Year Graduation Rate by Gender

Men Women
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2011 Men: 36.4% 36.4% 2012 Men: 54.7% 54.7% 2013 Men: 50.7% 50.7% 2014 Men: 43.1% 43.1% 2015 Men: 51.5% 51.5% 2016 Men: 61.6% 61.6% 2017 Men: 38.3% 38.3% 2018 Men: 50.0% 50.0% 2019 Men: 51.4% 51.4% 2020 Men: 45.6% 45.6% 2021 Men: 46.2% 46.2% 2022 Men: 51.3% 51.3% 2023 Men: 40.4% 40.4% 2024 Men: 38.1% 38.1% 2011 Women: 39.1% 39.1% 2012 Women: 58.1% 58.1% 2013 Women: 40.4% 40.4% 2014 Women: 52.4% 52.4% 2015 Women: 49.0% 49.0% 2016 Women: 58.8% 58.8% 2017 Women: 47.3% 47.3% 2018 Women: 54.5% 54.5% 2019 Women: 57.0% 57.0% 2020 Women: 60.4% 60.4% 2021 Women: 59.8% 59.8% 2022 Women: 66.0% 66.0% 2023 Women: 61.5% 61.5% 2024 Women: 64.3% 64.3%

IPEDS reports the cohort as men and women only.

Six-Year Graduation Rate by Race & Ethnicity

Black Hispanic White International
0% 25% 50% 75% 100% 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2011 Black: 24.4% 24.4% 2012 Black: 47.1% 47.1% 2013 Black: 18.8% 18.8% 2014 Black: 27.8% 27.8% 2015 Black: 10.0% 10.0% 2016 Black: 36.0% 36.0% 2017 Black: 31.8% 31.8% 2018 Black: 46.7% 46.7% 2019 Black: 31.1% 31.1% 2020 Black: 37.0% 37.0% 2021 Black: 35.7% 35.7% 2022 Black: 35.1% 35.1% 2023 Black: 46.2% 46.2% 2024 Black: 41.7% 41.7% 2011 Hispanic: 50.0% 50.0% 2012 Hispanic: 100.0% 100.0% 2013 Hispanic: 33.3% 33.3% 2014 Hispanic: 100.0% 100.0% 2015 Hispanic: 33.3% 33.3% 2016 Hispanic: 66.7% 66.7% 2017 Hispanic: 25.0% 25.0% 2018 Hispanic: 50.0% 50.0% 2019 Hispanic: 60.0% 60.0% 2020 Hispanic: 40.0% 40.0% 2021 Hispanic: 38.5% 38.5% 2022 Hispanic: 50.0% 50.0% 2023 Hispanic: 50.0% 50.0% 2024 Hispanic: 33.3% 33.3% 2011 White: 43.3% 43.3% 2012 White: 59.3% 59.3% 2013 White: 51.1% 51.1% 2014 White: 52.6% 52.6% 2015 White: 56.4% 56.4% 2016 White: 64.7% 64.7% 2017 White: 48.8% 48.8% 2018 White: 56.1% 56.1% 2019 White: 64.1% 64.1% 2020 White: 61.3% 61.3% 2021 White: 62.3% 62.3% 2022 White: 66.4% 66.4% 2023 White: 54.0% 54.0% 2024 White: 58.5% 58.5% 2011 International: 0.0% 0.0% 2012 International: 66.7% 66.7% 2013 International: 66.7% 66.7% 2014 International: 100.0% 100.0% 2015 International: 100.0% 100.0% 2016 International: 100.0% 100.0% 2017 International: 100.0% 100.0% 2018 International: 60.0% 60.0% 2019 International: 100.0% 100.0% 2020 International: 50.0% 50.0% 2021 International: 44.4% 44.4% 2022 International: 50.0% 50.0% 2023 International: 40.0% 40.0% 2024 International: 20.0% 20.0%

Each group's completers over its own share of the entering cohort. Groups making up less than 2% of everyone this college graduated over the period are left off — their rates swing on a handful of students and read as noise.

IPEDS Graduation Rates survey, 2011–2024. Years a college didn't file leave a gap in the line.

Earnings by Major Category

Each major category's degree-weighted estimated median 5-year earnings at this college, expressed as a z-score against the national degree-weighted distribution for that category. 0 is the national average. The shaded band between +1.28 and −1.28 marks the central 80% of the national distribution (10th–90th percentile).

Academics

⇅ % Degrees Male/Female Intl Earnings ROI Employment
Humanities & Social Sciences 35.3% 65 29% / 71% 3% $44,143 16 93%
Business & Economics 28.8% 53 72% / 28% 0% $59,577 59 98%
Education 9.8% 18 28% / 72% 0% $63,281 67 100%
Health Sciences 7.6% 14 57% / 43% 7% $44,745 18 —
Life & Natural Sciences 3.8% 7 43% / 57% 0% $48,738 28 90%
Professional 3.8% 7 29% / 71% 0% $52,443 40 100%
Arts 3.3% 6 17% / 83% 0% $52,209 39 —
Agriculture & Food Science 2.7% 5 60% / 40% 0% — — —
Computer Science 2.7% 5 80% / 20% 0% $77,736 85 —
Physical Sciences & Math 2.2% 4 25% / 75% 0% $56,353 51 —

Research

⇅ Research $ Rank Federal Industry $ PhDs Rank PhD students Postdocs
Education — — — — 9 #341 — —
Agriculture & Food Science — — — — — — — —
Business & Economics — — — — — — — —
Computer Science — — — — — — — —
Engineering — — — — — — — —
Health Sciences — — — — — — — —
Humanities & Social Sciences — — — — — — — —
Life & Natural Sciences — — — — — — — —
Physical Sciences & Math — — — — — — — —
Total — — — — 9 #481 — —

Expenditure and funding source: NSF HERD, FY2024. Degrees: IPEDS completions, 2023–24. Students and postdocs: NSF Survey of Graduate Students and Postdoctorates, fall 2024, which covers science, engineering and selected health fields only. An em dash means the source does not report the figure, which is not the same as zero.

Admissions

Uses Common App No
Acceptance Rate 57%
Yield (Unbound) 32%
Regular Decision Jan 1

Acceptance Rates

In-State Out-of-State International
Regular Decision 57% 57% 57%

Acceptance & Yield

Acceptance Yield
0% 25% 50% 75% 100% 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2011 Acceptance: 97.4% 97.4% 2012 Acceptance: 96.2% 96.2% 2013 Acceptance: 93.7% 93.7% 2014 Acceptance: 63.1% 63.1% 2015 Acceptance: 62.2% 62.2% 2016 Acceptance: 55.0% 55.0% 2017 Acceptance: 52.6% 52.6% 2018 Acceptance: 53.6% 53.6% 2019 Acceptance: 35.0% 35.0% 2020 Acceptance: 55.7% 55.7% 2021 Acceptance: 56.6% 56.6% 2022 Acceptance: 51.2% 51.2% 2023 Acceptance: 100.0% 100.0% 2024 Acceptance: 99.5% 99.5% 2011 Yield: 20.3% 20.3% 2012 Yield: 29.6% 29.6% 2013 Yield: 24.2% 24.2% 2014 Yield: 36.8% 36.8% 2015 Yield: 35.8% 35.8% 2016 Yield: 27.6% 27.6% 2017 Yield: 38.3% 38.3% 2018 Yield: 39.4% 39.4% 2019 Yield: 54.5% 54.5% 2020 Yield: 37.7% 37.7% 2021 Yield: 38.4% 38.4% 2022 Yield: 34.2% 34.2% 2023 Yield: 33.7% 33.7% 2024 Yield: 33.4% 33.4%

Applicants, Admitted & Enrolled

Applicants Admitted Enrolled
0 500 1,000 1,500 2,000 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2011 Applicants: 606 606 2012 Applicants: 425 425 2013 Applicants: 698 698 2014 Applicants: 822 822 2015 Applicants: 874 874 2016 Applicants: 896 896 2017 Applicants: 953 953 2018 Applicants: 1,016 1,016 2019 Applicants: 1,042 1,042 2020 Applicants: 922 922 2021 Applicants: 749 749 2022 Applicants: 846 846 2023 Applicants: 472 472 2024 Applicants: 427 427 2011 Admitted: 590 590 2012 Admitted: 409 409 2013 Admitted: 654 654 2014 Admitted: 519 519 2015 Admitted: 544 544 2016 Admitted: 493 493 2017 Admitted: 501 501 2018 Admitted: 545 545 2019 Admitted: 365 365 2020 Admitted: 514 514 2021 Admitted: 424 424 2022 Admitted: 433 433 2023 Admitted: 472 472 2024 Admitted: 425 425 2011 Enrolled: 120 120 2012 Enrolled: 121 121 2013 Enrolled: 158 158 2014 Enrolled: 191 191 2015 Enrolled: 195 195 2016 Enrolled: 136 136 2017 Enrolled: 192 192 2018 Enrolled: 215 215 2019 Enrolled: 199 199 2020 Enrolled: 194 194 2021 Enrolled: 163 163 2022 Enrolled: 148 148 2023 Enrolled: 159 159 2024 Enrolled: 142 142

IPEDS Admissions survey, 2011–2024. Years a college didn't file leave a gap in the line.

Standardized Tests

Test Policy optional
Submitted Test Scores 20%
SAT Range 1040 – 1210
SAT Math Range 510 – 590
SAT RW Range 530 – 620

SAT Composite

25th 75th
800 1000 1200 1400 1600 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2011 25th: 840 840 2012 25th: 840 840 2013 25th: 810 810 2018 25th: 970 970 2019 25th: 948 948 2020 25th: 1050 1050 2021 25th: 980 980 2022 25th: 1013 1013 2023 25th: 980 980 2024 25th: 1040 1040 2011 75th: 1030 1030 2012 75th: 1030 1030 2013 75th: 1050 1050 2018 75th: 1150 1150 2019 75th: 1153 1153 2020 75th: 1100 1100 2021 75th: 1168 1168 2022 75th: 1160 1160 2023 75th: 1200 1200 2024 75th: 1210 1210

SAT Math

25th 75th
400 450 500 550 600 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2011 25th: 430 430 2012 25th: 430 430 2013 25th: 410 410 2018 25th: 490 490 2019 25th: 480 480 2020 25th: 570 570 2021 25th: 480 480 2022 25th: 503 503 2023 25th: 480 480 2024 25th: 510 510 2011 75th: 520 520 2012 75th: 520 520 2013 75th: 510 510 2018 75th: 590 590 2019 75th: 593 593 2020 75th: 600 600 2021 75th: 570 570 2022 75th: 570 570 2023 75th: 600 600 2024 75th: 590 590

SAT Reading & Writing

25th 75th
400 500 600 700 800 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2011 25th: 410 410 2012 25th: 410 410 2013 25th: 400 400 2018 25th: 480 480 2019 25th: 468 468 2020 25th: 480 480 2021 25th: 500 500 2022 25th: 510 510 2023 25th: 500 500 2024 25th: 530 530 2011 75th: 510 510 2012 75th: 510 510 2013 75th: 540 540 2018 75th: 560 560 2019 75th: 560 560 2020 75th: 500 500 2021 75th: 598 598 2022 75th: 590 590 2023 75th: 600 600 2024 75th: 620 620

Submitting a Test Score

Submitted
0% 25% 50% 75% 100% 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2011 Submitted: 100.0% 100.0% 2012 Submitted: 100.0% 100.0% 2013 Submitted: 100.0% 100.0% 2018 Submitted: 100.0% 100.0% 2019 Submitted: 100.0% 100.0% 2020 Submitted: 100.0% 100.0% 2021 Submitted: 81.0% 81.0% 2022 Submitted: 56.0% 56.0% 2023 Submitted: 45.0% 45.0% 2024 Submitted: 20.0% 20.0%

IPEDS Admissions survey, 2011–2024. Years a college didn't file leave a gap in the line. Test-score submission adds SAT and ACT submitters, capped at 100% — a student can send both.