C
#1 Best Public Universities in South Carolina

Clemson Admission Requirements

Clemson, South Carolina

 9 Reviews

Chances of getting into Clemson University

Acceptance Rate

Admitted 
49%
Admission Difficulty for Clemson University
Measure Difficulty
Admission Standards Very High 
Applicant Competition Average 
How hard is it to get into Clemson and can I get accepted?

The acceptance rate at Clemson is 49%.  It ranks #2 in South Carolina for lowest rate of acceptance. Clemson is a more competitive school to get into with a good chance of acceptance for qualifying applicants. Last year, 23,138 out of 47,007 applicants were admitted.

The school has very high admission requirements, generally admitting students who can score in the top 18 percent on standardized admission tests. Clemson University typically accepts and attracts "A-" average high school students with an average GPA around 3.75. Most incoming freshmen graduate in the top ten percent of their high school class. 20% of those admitted chose to enroll in the school.

The Clemson application fee is $70 and applications are due by May 1.

Test Optional

Submission of SAT or ACT scores is not required for admission to Clemson University. If you submit test scores, they will be considered with your application, but they are not mandatory. 40% of students submitted SAT scores and 30% submitted ACT scores for admission for the 2021/2022 academic year..

Clemson SAT Scores

SAT Requirements & Average SAT Score

SAT Range 
1220-1420
Applicants Submitting SAT 
40%
SAT Scores for Clemson University
SAT Test 25th Percentile Score
SAT Reading 25th 610
SAT Math 25th 610
SAT Composite 25th 1220
SAT Scores for Clemson University
SAT Test 25th Percentile Score
SAT Reading 75th 700
SAT Math 75th 720
SAT Composite 75th 1420
Average SAT Score 1320

SAT Scores you need to get in

What are the SAT requirements for students to be admitted to Clemson University?

Clemson University is a test optional school meaning applicants are not required to submit SAT scores with their application. The position on SAT scores from the school is "considered but not required".

Students who get into Clemson University score in the top 22 percent of all SAT test takers.. The SAT composite score range for the middle 50% of students is 1220-1420.

Find other colleges with similar SAT score requirements

Data Sources, IPEDS for Fall 2021 starting class

Estimated Chance of Acceptance by SAT Score

Clemson University admission chances by SAT score
SAT Score (1600 scale) Competitiveness  Admission Chances 
1420 and Above Good >65%
1320 to 1420 Avg + 49%-65%
1220 to 1320 Avg - 34%-49%
1120 to 1220 Reach 21%-34%
Less than 1120 Low <21%
Calculate My Chances 
Connect with Clemson

Engage with counselors on a personal level to demonstrate your interest in their school and get answers to all of your admissions-related questions.

Sponsored by CollegeVine

Clemson ACT Scores

ACT Requirements & Average ACT Score

ACT Range 
27-32 
Applicants Submitting ACT 
30%
ACT Scores for Clemson University
ACT Test 25th Percentile Score
ACT Reading 25th 25
ACT Math 25th 26
ACT Composite 25th 27
ACT Scores for Clemson University
ACT Test 75th Percentile Score
ACT Reading 75th 34
ACT Math 75th 31
ACT Composite 75th 32
Average ACT Score 29

ACT Scores needed to get accepted

What are the ACT requirements for prospective students to get into Clemson?

Clemson University is test optional. Students are not required to submit ACT scores with their application. The policy on ACT scores is "considered but not required".

Clemson regularly accepts students who score 27 and above on the ACT. These students typically score in the top 15 percent nationally. The ACT composite score range for the middle 50% of students is 27-32.

Find other colleges with similar ACT score requirements

Data Sources, IPEDS for Fall 2021 starting class

Estimated Chance of Acceptance by ACT Score

Clemson University admission chances by ACT score
ACT Score Competitiveness  Admission Chances 
32 and Above Good >67%
29 to 32 Avg + 49%-67%
27 to 29 Avg - 37%-49%
25 to 27 Reach 26%-37%
Less than 25 Low <26%
Calculate My Chances 

Clemson GPA

Estimated GPA Requirements & Average GPA

Avg. High School GPA 
3.75*
Typical High School Grades 
A-

What GPA do you need to get into Clemson University?

Applicants require exceptionally good grades to get into Clemson. The average high school GPA of the admitted freshman class at Clemson University was 3.75 on the 4.0 scale indicating that primarily A- students are accepted and ultimately attend. The school ranks #9 in South Carolina for highest average GPA. Even with a competitive GPA, admission to Clemson will be challenging as the school denies more applicants than it admits.

 What do these ratings mean?

Explore more colleges with similar GPA requirements

High School GPA's for admitted Clemson University students
High School GPA Freshmen Within Range Competitiveness 
4.0 77.0% Avg +
3.75 to 3.99 11.0% Avg -
3.50 to 3.74 7.0% Reach
3.25 to 3.49 3.0% Reach
3.00 to 3.24 1.0% Reach
2.50 to 2.99 1.0% Low
2.00 to 2.49 0% Low
1.00 to 1.99 0% Low
less than 1.00 0% Low

*This school has not released high school GPA data for its incoming freshmen. In these cases, CollegeSimply employs an artificial intelligence (AI) process to predict GPA based on this school's test scores and a large sample of other colleges' data. 3.75 is an estimate of the school's average incoming freshman GPA.

High School Class Rank

54.7% of Clemson University freshman were in the top ten percent of their high school graduating class.

High School Class Rank for admitted Clemson University students
High School Class Rank Freshmen Within Range
Top 10% of class 54.7%
Top 25% of class 87%
Top 50% of class 100%
Data Source, Peterson's Data

Applying

Admission Statistics

Clemson University admission statistics
Women Men Total
Applied 28,733 18,268 47,007
Accepted 14,595 8,542 23,138
Acceptance Rate 51% 47% 49%
Enrolled 2,660 1,933 4,593
Percent of Admitted Who Enrolled (Admission Yield) 18% 23% 20%
Data Sources, IPEDS for Fall 2021 starting class

Fall 2023 Application Deadline

Applications are Due
May 1, 2023
Days left to Apply
31

Applicants have 31 days left until the Fall 2023 term applications are due on May 1, 2023.

Application Fee

The cost for prospective students to apply to Clemson University is $70.

Application Requirements

What are the requirements for admission to Clemson University and what student information is used for admission decisions?

Clemson University Application Requirements
Test Scores Considered but not required
High School GPA Required
High School Class Rank Considered but not required
Completion of College Preparatory Program Required
Recommendations Neither required nor recommended
Demonstration of Competencies Neither required nor recommended

Credits Accepted

High School Credits Accepted at Clemson University
AP Credit Yes
Dual Credit Yes
Credit for Life Experiences No
Other Colleges to Consider 

Primary data source, U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/?id=217882 IPEDS survey data for Clemson University.

FAQs

Does Clemson University prefer SAT or ACT?

40% of students submit their SAT scores to Clemson. 30% of applicants send their ACT scores when applying.

What is my chance of getting into Clemson University?

49% of those who apply are granted admission to Clemson. Admission competition is low and the college has very high admission standards. See if your grades and scores are good enough for admission.

What SAT score is required for Clemson University?

The middle 50% of addmitted applicants have SAT scores between 1220 and 1420. 40% of students submit SAT scores when applying. See if your SAT score is good enough for admission.

What ACT score is required for Clemson University?

The middle 50% of addmitted applicants have ACT scores between 27 and 32. 30% of students submit ACT scores when applying. See if your ACT score is good enough for admission.