A college's ethnic diversity is indicated by the student body's equal inclusion of students from different backgrounds . Students at SWU are primarily White with a sizeable Black population. The school has medium racial diversity. 37% percent of students are minorities or people of color (BIPOC). The ethnic breakdown is detailed in the following table.
| Race | Percent of Students |
|---|---|
| White |
63%
|
| Black |
28%
|
| Hispanic |
5%
|
| Asian |
0%
|
| American Indian / Alaskan |
0%
|
| Hawaiian / Pacific Islander |
0%
|
| Two or more races |
2%
|
| International |
1%
|
| Race Unknown |
1%
|
There are 102% more female students than male students enrolled at Southern Wesleyan University with a gender ratio of 67% women to 33% men. Compared to the US average of 56% female students, SWU has a lower gender diversity than other US colleges and is less inclusive of males.
| Gender | Percent of Students |
|---|---|
| Men |
33%
|
| Women |
67%
|
| Gender | Number of Students |
|---|---|
| Men |
389
|
| Women |
786
|
SWU serves a low number of students outside of South Carolina, with 58 percent of the student body residing in-state.
| Origin | Percent of Students |
|---|---|
| In State |
58%
|
| Out of State |
42%
|
| Foreign |
0%
|
| Unknown Location |
0%
|
43% of students can be considered low-income as indicated by their receipt of Federal Pell Grant Aid.
| Segment | Percent of Students |
|---|---|
| Students Over 25 Years Old | 43.8% |
| Part time Undergrads | 1.2% |
Primary data source, U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/?id=217776 IPEDS survey data for Southern Wesleyan University.