Benedict College

Private · Moderately Selective · SC

Photo: 2C2K Photography (CC BY 4.0)

School data & stats

TypePrivate

LocationSC · South

SettingUrban

Undergrads1,536

Student:faculty13:1

Outcomes

4-yr grad rate12.9%

6-yr grad rate24.3%

Drop-out rate42.7%

Study abroad—

Cost

In-state tuition$17k

Out-of-state tuition$17k

Application fee—

Community

Racial diversity98.8%

Gender diversity50.5%

International10.3%

IdentityHBCU · Baptist

Overview

Benedict College is a private historically Black college in Columbia, South Carolina, founded in 1870 and affiliated with the Baptist tradition, operating under the motto "Powers for Good."

Academics

Business, STEM fields, and criminal justice are established program strengths, and the college has invested in STEM infrastructure to build pipelines into technical and scientific careers for its students. Class sizes are small and faculty attention is a frequently cited strength.

Campus & student life

Benedict carries strong HBCU traditions, including a well-known Tiger marching band that performs at games and events with real showmanship, and a campus community that emphasizes mutual support and shared identity rooted in the college's founding mission.

Getting in

Admission review considers the whole applicant, with Benedict serving as an access point for many first-generation students, consistent with its historic mission of educating formerly enslaved people and their descendants.

Worth knowing

The marching band and broader HBCU cultural traditions are a significant part of campus identity and draw alumni and community members back for games and events well beyond the graduating class itself.

benedict.edu ↗

Admissions

Acceptance rate95.7%

Enrolled mid-50%—

Test policynot used

Rec letters0

Deadlines (2026–27 cycle)

AdmissionRolling

Applying