SC colleges continue tuition freezes for in-state students

COLUMBIA — South Carolina colleges continue to hold tuition steady for in-state students.

The governing boards of both Clemson University and the University of South Carolina voted last week to freeze tuition rates for a sixth and seventh consecutive year, respectively. Other state schools, including the College of Charleston and Coastal Carolina University, are doing the same.

Tuition for in-state undergraduates at the four largest universities in the state ranges from $11,640 per year at Coastal to $15,120 at Clemson.

“Clemson University remains committed to providing an affordable, accessible and quality education,” board chairwoman Kim Wilkerson said in a statement.

While tuition won’t go up, housing and meal plans will.

For example, USC will charge about $660 more on average for housing and meals in the upcoming school year, similar to increases for the school year that ended in May.

The other schools did not provide exact figures for fee increases.

The holds on tuition for South Carolinians attending the state’s public universities follow $65 million allocated by legislators in the state budget in exchange for the continued freeze — a priority pushed by Gov. Henry McMaster. The Republican governor pledged to veto a proposal that would have allowed universities to raise costs for incoming freshmen.

The budget’s distribution specifically for “tuition mitigation” ranges from $412,000 for USC’s Salkehatchie campuses in rural Allendale and Walterboro to $14.4 million for USC’s main campus in Columbia. The Medical University of South Carolina’s share is $12.5 million, while Clemson’s is $12.2 million.

The budget that takes effect July 1 additionally provides public colleges more than $500 million for projects that renovate existing buildings, build new facilities and establish new programs.

“The General Assembly has demonstrated its robust support for higher education in this year’s state budget,” USC President Michael Amiridis said in a statement.

SC colleges have frozen tuition for several years. University presidents say that’s not sustainable.

Students coming to South Carolina from other states for college will continue to see costs go up — 3% at USC and Clemson.

At the College of Charleston, where President Andrew Hsu has expressed concerns about the college pricing itself out of the market for students from other states, out-of-state rates will rise 1.5%. Coastal, which has the highest concentration students from other state, will raise out-of-state tuition 1%.

Students coming from outside South Carolina face a sticker price about three times that of in-state students.

“At the College of Charleston, we are deeply committed to keeping education within reach,” board Chairwoman Renee Romberger said in a statement.

“With the continued support of the South Carolina General Assembly, we’ve been able to hold tuition steady for our in-state students and keep increases for out-of-state students modest – because we believe that every student deserves access to a high-quality, affordable education.”