by our College Data Analytics TeamMost students will never be charged the complete price tag of a school. Rather, they are presented a financial aid deal that includes a mix of loans, grants, scholarships, and possibly work-study opportunities. The total cost of going to University of South Carolina-Union can seem overpowering, but remember that the majority of students are given some form of financial assistance.
Just what financial aid solutions can USC Union provide, and just what are you going to be eligible for? Keep reading for answers. Keep going to discover just how much financial aid could be open to you.
How much aid you qualify for depends largely on your family’s financial circumstances. The information provided on this page can help you determine how much aid you may receive from University of South Carolina-Union.
Financial aid, in the form of loans, grants, work-study, and scholarships, is one way colleges reduce the cost of attendance so most students can actually afford to attend. Keep in mind that certain forms of assistance are more beneficial than others, and aid amounts differ from student to student.
Among first-time, full-time freshmen at University of South Carolina-Union, 100% of first-time, full-time freshmen received some form of financial aid approximately 123 new students).
| Type of Aid | % of Freshmen Receiving | Average Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Grant or scholarship aid (all sources) | 100% | $8,477 |
| Institutional grants & scholarships | 48% | $1,401 |
| Federal Pell grants | 54% | $6,315 |
| State/local grants | 81% | $5,280 |
| Federal student loans | 17% | $5,001 |
Unlike loans, grants and scholarships are gift aid that does not need to be paid back, making them the most desirable form of assistance. Here, around 92% of undergrads got grants or scholarships worth on average $2,165 (across approximately 1287 recipients).
| Award | % of Undergrads Receiving | Average Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Grant or scholarship aid (all sources) | 92% | $2,165 |
| Federal Pell grants | 10% | $5,684 |
| Federal student loans | 6% | $5,626 |
For students living on campus and receiving title-IV aid, grants averaged $11,047.
Since aid is largely need-based, the real cost of attendance falls steeply for lower-income families.
| Family Income | Average Net Price |
|---|---|
| $0 – $48,000 | $8,212 |
| $30,001 – $75,000 | $10,805 |
| Over $75,000 | $15,073 |
These figures reflect what title-IV aid recipients pay after grant and scholarship aid is applied.
After grants and scholarships come off the published price, what remains is the net price — the best estimate of true out-of-pocket cost.
| Cohort | Average Net Price |
|---|---|
| On-campus title-IV students | $8,065 |
| Off-campus title-IV students | $11,125 |
For a customized cost estimate, visit USC Union’s official net price calculator: sc.edu/pcnetprice/union/.
A typical borrower at USC Union leaves with $5,500 in federal student debt.
| Metric | Amount |
|---|---|
| Median federal debt (all student-aid borrowers) | $5,500 |
| Median federal debt (graduates only) | $11,000 |
| Typical 10-year monthly payment (graduates) | $116.62/mo |
Under a standard ten-year plan, the median graduate’s monthly payment lands near the figure above.
Looking only at the median can be misleading because it hides the spread. The four reference points below map the debt distribution at USC Union.
| Percentile | Cumulative Federal Debt |
|---|---|
| 10th percentile (lowest-debt students) | $2,750 |
| 25th percentile | $5,066 |
| 75th percentile | $11,000 |
| 90th percentile (highest-debt students) | $22,928 |
Outcomes differ by income bracket, by first-generation status, and by whether a student is financially dependent.
Median Debt by Income Bracket
| Income tier | Median federal debt |
|---|---|
| Low income | $5,500 |
| Middle income | $6,391 |
| High income | $6,250 |
First-Generation Comparison
| Cohort | Median federal debt |
|---|---|
| First-generation students | $5,500 |
| Continuing-generation students | $5,500 |
Dependent vs Independent Students
| Cohort | Median federal debt |
|---|---|
| Dependent students | $5,500 |
| Independent students | $9,498 |
These indicators are derived from the underlying debt data and summarize the overall picture at USC Union.
Stafford loans make up the bulk of federal direct lending to undergraduates. The annual Stafford volume below reflects program activity at USC Union:
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Stafford loan recipients | 2150 |
| Total Stafford loan amount | $26,614,226 |
GI Bill and DoD Tuition Assistance are the two federal aid programs targeted at military-affiliated students.
GI Bill volume
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| GI Bill recipients | 5 |
| Total GI Bill amount | $47,140 |
| Average GI Bill amount per recipient | $9,428 |
DoD Tuition Assistance activity
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| DoD Tuition Assistance recipients | 0 |
| Total DoD amount | $0 |
References
More about our data sources and methodologies.