Cost of Attendance
The cost of attendance (COA) budget figure is different than the school's catalog costs - or actual billing charges that the student pays to attend the college each year. See the Treasurer's Office Tuition & Fees Webpage for more information about actual charges and per credit hour fees.
What is the Cost of Attendance?
The COA figure is an annual budget number regulated by the federal government that serves as a ceiling in each student's financial aid account. This means that the COA limits the total amount of loans, grants, and scholarships (aid) that the school can award each year. The individual budget line items used to establish the COA, which is always higher than the school's actual catalog costs, includes estimated costs that might be incurred each year beyond what the school charges, such as travel/transportation expenses, loan fees, and personal items.
2020-21 Cost of Attendance
| SOUTH CAROLINA RESIDENT FULL TIME | ||||
| BUDGET ITEM | CADET FRESHMAN | CADET UPPERCLASS |
COLLEGE TRANSFER PROGRAM & DAY STUDENT |
GRADUATE STUDENT |
| Tuition & Fees | $14,643 | $14,438 | $12,252 | $14,556 |
| Room & Board | $7,968 | $7,968 | $19,313 | $19,313 |
| Books & Supplies | $8,144 | $3,003 | $888 | $888 |
| Travel | $2,003 | $2,003 | $2,619 | $2,619 |
| Personal | $1,966 | $1,966 | $4,728 | $4,728 |
| Loan Fees | $62 | $62 | $62 | $160 |
| Total COA | $34,786 | $29,485 | $39,862 | $42,264 |
| SOUTH CAROLINA NON-RESIDENT FULL TIME | ||||
| BUDGET ITEM | CADET FRESHMAN | CADET UPPERCLASS | COLLEGE TRANSFER PROGRAM & DAY STUDENT | GRADUATE STUDENT |
| Tuition & Fees | $38,528 | $38,368 | $22,980 | $25,452 |
| Room & Board | $7,968 | $7,968 | $19,313 | $19,313 |
| Books & Supplies | $8,144 | $3,003 | $888 | $888 |
| Travel | $2,662 | $2,662 | $2,619 | $2,619 |
| Personal | $1,966 | $1,966 | $4,728 | $4,728 |
| Loan Fees | $62 | $62 | $62 | $160 |
| Total COA | $59,290 | $53,989 | $50,590 | $53,160 |
| RESIDENT & NON-RESIDENT FULL TIME ONLINE | ||
| BUDGET ITEM | UNDERGRADUATE STUDENT | GRADUATE STUDENT |
| Tuition & Fees | $12,330 | $17,010 |
| Room & Board | $19,315 | $19,315 |
| Books & Supplies | $852 | $852 |
| Computer/Internet | $675 | $675 |
| Personal | $4,504 | $4,504 |
| Loan Fees | $62 | $62 |
| Total COA | $37,737 | $42,417 |