“A pioneering HBCU in South Carolina's capital — where HBCU legacy meets STEM innovation and social justice.”
Benedict College is a private, historically Black liberal arts college located on a 90-acre campus in Columbia, South Carolina — built on the site of a former plantation. Founded in 1870 by Bathsheba A. Benedict, a Northern philanthropist who created the institution in the post-Civil War South to serve formerly enslaved people, Benedict is a UNCF member institution and a cornerstone of Black higher education in the Southeast. Under the leadership of Dr. Roslyn Clark Artis — the college's first female president — Benedict has achieved record enrollment and seen its four-year graduation rates more than double over the past eight years, placing it among the national leaders for outcomes among Pell Grant recipients. Academically, Benedict offers programs across four schools: the Tyrone Adam Burroughs School of Business and Entrepreneurship (ACBSP-accredited), the School of Education, Health, and Human Services, the School of Communication, Arts, and Social Sciences, and the School of Science and Engineering. The School of Science and Engineering is home to an ABET-accredited Environmental Engineering program — making Benedict the first HBCU in South Carolina to receive ABET accreditation — alongside Computer Science, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, and the EHAC-accredited Environmental Health Science program. The college also offers an online synchronous MBA and a Master of Education, with a 13:1 student-to-faculty ratio supporting personalized academic engagement. Campus life at Benedict is vibrant and community-focused, with approximately 1,600 students from 34 U.S. states and five countries competing in NCAA Division II athletics as the Tigers of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC). Benedict is notably one of the few HBCUs in the country with a majority-male enrollment. Located in Columbia — South Carolina's state capital — students benefit from access to government agencies, major healthcare systems, and a growing technology sector for internships and career development. With 97% of full-time students receiving financial aid and total on-campus costs starting around $26,000 per year before aid, Benedict offers exceptional value for students pursuing STEM, business, education, and the social sciences.
Visa, OPT, H-1B alumni outcomes, and acceptance rates by country — sourced from FOIA, USCIS H-1B Hub, and DHS SEVIS.
Regional Colleges South
US News 2026
Test Required — All applicants must submit SAT or ACT scores.
Official SourceSpring 2026 Priority
Fall 2026 Priority
Rolling Admissions
Applications considered on a rolling basis after priority deadlines; application fee currently waived
The deep admissions playbook beyond the headline acceptance rate — round-by-round breakdowns, nationality data, requirements, and contact paths.
Tuition & Fees (All Students)
$16,022
/yr
Beyond the sticker price — every named scholarship, the financial aid policy, need-aware notes, and a personalized net-cost estimate.
How life on campus actually feels — clubs, sports, traditions, housing realities, and how the school integrates with its city.
ACBSP-accredited school offering undergraduate and graduate programs in business and accounting.
Programs in elementary education, child and family studies, sport management, public health, and health/PE.
Programs in mass communication, psychology, social work, and studio art.
ABET-accredited Environmental Engineering (first HBCU in SC with ABET); EHAC-accredited Environmental Health Science; Computer Science, Biology, Chemistry, Physics.
4 years
ABET-accredited; the only such program at an HBCU in South Carolina. Strong graduate school and STEM OPT pathway for international students.
4 years
Growing tech program qualifying graduates for the 24-month STEM OPT extension; strong demand from employers.
4 years
Most enrolled undergraduate program; ACBSP-accredited with entrepreneurship focus.
2 years
Fully online synchronous format; accessible to working professionals and international students seeking an advanced business credential.
Where alumni go after graduation — top industries, grad-school continuation, and the qualitative outcomes story.
Sticker price (annual, out-of-state): $17,440
Net-cost estimate is US-resident-only — international applicants are typically excluded from need-based aid at most schools and should treat the sticker price as the planning baseline.
