Claflin University

Private · Moderately Selective · SC

Photo: Gerry Dincher (CC BY-SA 2.0)

School data & stats

TypePrivate

LocationSC · South

SettingRural

Undergrads1,706

Student:faculty13:1

Outcomes

4-yr grad rate40.6%

6-yr grad rate51.6%

Drop-out rate24.5%

Study abroad—

Cost

In-state tuition$18k

Out-of-state tuition$18k

Application fee—

Community

Racial diversity97.6%

Gender diversity70.6%

International2.3%

IdentityHBCU · United Methodist

Overview

A private historically Black university in Orangeburg, South Carolina, founded in 1869 and affiliated with the United Methodist Church — the oldest HBCU in the state. It is known for a close, mentorship-heavy culture and for punching above its size in undergraduate research.

Academics

Strong in the sciences, with active undergraduate research programs and partnerships that place students in labs and summer research programs beyond campus, feeding graduate and professional-school pipelines. Education and business are also established programs, and class sizes are small enough for faculty to know students individually.

Campus & student life

A traditional HBCU campus culture in a small South Carolina college town shared with South Carolina State University next door, giving Orangeburg an unusually large concentration of Black collegiate life for its size. Greek life, marching band, and homecoming carry real weight.

Getting in

Holistic, with the university known to prioritize students who will engage with its mentoring and research culture rather than admitting on numbers alone.

After graduation

Notably strong alumni giving for an HBCU, which the university points to as evidence of loyalty and engagement, and graduates move on in solid numbers to graduate and professional programs in the sciences and health fields.

claflin.edu ↗

Admissions

Acceptance rate64.9%

Enrolled mid-50%—

Test policynot used

Rec letters0

Deadlines (2026–27 cycle)

Applying