University of South Carolina-Sumter
Tel:
(803)775-8727
- The University of South Carolina Sumter, a regional campus of the University of South Carolina, has as its mission to provide higher education and intellectual leadership for the Sumter area. At the heart of this mission is a teaching faculty of high quality dedicated to excellence in instruction, scholarship, public and professional service and creative endeavor which enrich the classroom experience. USC Sumter offers a varied curriculum rooted in the liberal arts and aimed at preparing students to continue their education in the university and throughout life. The University of South Carolina Sumter recruits students prepared to begin or planning to complete a baccalaureate level education.
School Highlights
- University of South Carolina-Sumter serves 878 students (60% of students are full-time).
- The college's student:teacher ratio of 24:1 is lower than the state community college average of 28:1.
- Minority enrollment is 52% of the student body (majority Black), which is more than the state average of 38%.
- University of South Carolina-Sumter is one of 2 community colleges within Sumter County, SC.
- The nearest community college to University of South Carolina-Sumter is Central Carolina Technical College (0.1 miles away).
Top Placements
University of South Carolina-Sumter places among the top 20% of community colleges in South Carolina for:
- Category Attribute
- Diversity Diversity in US community colleges
- Student Earnings Highest graduate earnings (10 years post graduation)
School Overview
- The teacher population of 36 teachers has stayed relatively flat over five years.
| University of South Carolina-Sumter | (SC) Community College Avg. | |
| Institution Level | At least 2 but less than 4 years | At least 2 but less than 4 years |
| Institution Control | Public | Public |
| Total Faculty | 36 staff | 55 staff |
| Total Enrollment | 878 students | 1,260 students |
 | ||
| Student : Teacher Ratio | 24:1 | 28:1 |
| # Full-Time Students | 523 students | 726 students |
| # Part-Time Students | 355 students | 534 students |
 |  | |
| % Asian | 1% | 1% |
| % Hispanic | 2% | 3% |
| % Black | 40% | 27% |
| % White | 48% | 62% |
| % Two or more races | 6% | 2% |
| % Unknown races | 3% | 4% |
 |  | |
| Diversity Score | 0.60 | 0.54 |
 | ||
| College Completion Rate | 12% | 12% |
| Average Graduate Earnings (10 Years) | $34,400 | $28,900 |
Source: 2016 (or latest year available) IPEDS
School Notes
- The University of South Carolina Sumter was established to encourage higher education in Sumter and adjacent counties. It primarily serves students from Sumter, Lee, Clarendon, Williamsburg, and Kershaw counties. The institution itself grants the Associate in Arts and Associate in Science degrees and provides for the completion of selected bachelor degrees on campus through cooperative agreements with other institutions. As early as 1960, a dialogue was established between representatives of Sumter and Clemson University to establish a two-year branch campus. The desire for an institution of higher learning was not abated after the opening of Sumter Area Technical Center in 1962 and a partnership was struck in 1965 to establish Clemson's first academic branch in Sumter. The Sumter County Commission for Higher Education resisted this concept, but were ultimately forced to agree to the plot selected by Edwards. The site occupied 35 acres of grassy fields that once served as the Sumter Airport. The original campus designed by Charles McCreight consisted of four one-story buildings: an Administration Building, Classroom Building, Science Building and Library totaling 59,000 square feet. The Administration Building was sited on Miller Drive, considered the "front door" of the campus. The remaining buildings were located behind the Administration Building, forming a pedestrian courtyard between them. The landscape design by Robert Marvin featured many trees, mostly live oaks and bald cypress trees. The facility was formally dedicated on April 24, 1967. A full range of programs is available on the USC Sumter campus from associate degrees through a variety of graduate offerings. The bachelor's degree offerings in business administration, elementary education, early childhood education, interdisciplinary studies, and nursing meet the educational needs of most students without having to leave Sumter. A wide range of transfer programs is also available into undergraduate programs such as accounting, engineering, pharmacy, liberal arts, biology, computer science, criminal justice, media arts without loss of any credit.
Nearby Schools
- The nearest community college to University of South Carolina-Sumter is Central Carolina Technical College (0.1 miles away).
- College Location Mi. Students
- 3,963 students | 0.10 Mi506 N Guignard Dr
Sumter, SC 29150
(803)778-1961 0.103,963 - Centura College-ColumbiaPrivate, for profit70 students | 34.20 Mi7500 Two Notch Road
Columbia, SC 29223
(803)754-7544 34.2070 - 717 students | 37.00 Mi601 Martin Luther King Jr Ave
Kingstree, SC 29556
(843)355-4110 37.00717 - 3,060 students | 37.40 Mi3250 Saint Matthews Rd
Orangeburg, SC 29118
(803)536-0311 37.403,060 - 6,215 students | 38.40 Mi2715 W. Lucas Street
Florence, SC 29501
(843)661-8324 38.406,215
Recent Articles
We look at why millions of Americans are choosing community college over a traditional four-year school today.
Many students enroll in community college with the intent of transferring to a four-year school. Of those who do, many succeed, and yet traditional colleges and universities continue to overlook them. Read on to learn more about why more community college students don’t transfer schools and to receive some tips for making the transfer yourself.
Community college is the only option for many students who either can’t afford a traditional four-year university or who need a more flexible school environment. Just because community college is different, however, doesn’t mean that its students matter any less. The Aspen Prize exists to encourage community colleges to do more for their students and to continually strive for improvement.
