South Carolina · Columbia

Benedict College

A private Baptist HBCU in Columbia, South Carolina, founded in 1870 to educate formerly enslaved people.

4-year, PrivateFounded 1870

Snapshot

At a glance

Undergraduate enrollment

1,536

Admission rate

96%

Retention (first-year)

57%

Completion (150% of time)

24%

Pell recipients

62%

Black undergraduate share

79%

These figures come from federal college data updated May 26, 2026. A dash means the number was not available.

Student body

Undergraduate composition

Black

79%

Hispanic

3%

White

1%

Asian

0%

American Indian / Alaska Native

0%

Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander

0%

Two or more races

3%

Nonresident

10%

Unknown

4%

Percentages may not add to 100% when a category is not reported.

Costs

Tuition and financial aid

Tuition, in-state

$17,440

Tuition, out-of-state

$17,440

Median federal loan debt

$16,000

Federal loan recipients

63%

Pell recipients

62%

Sticker tuition only. Real cost after federal, state, and institutional aid is typically lower — see the school’s net price calculator.

Outcomes

Earnings, retention, and completion

Median earnings, 6 years

$24,908

Median earnings, 10 years

$31,902

Median debt

$16,000

Retention

57%

Completion

24%

Earnings and debt are shown only when federal data is available.

Institution

Campus and classification

Accreditor

Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges

Campus setting

City: midsize

Carnegie basic

Baccalaureate colleges: diverse fields

Undergraduate profile

Full-time four-year, selective, lower transfer-in

Size and setting

Small four-year, highly residential

Average faculty salary

$6,890 monthly

Full-time faculty share

73%

DOE unit ID

217721

These labels describe the school’s size, location, and academic mix. They are not rankings.

44 programs

Academic programs

Bachelor · 42

  • Accounting and Related Services
  • Arts, Entertainment, and Media Management
  • Biology, General
  • Business Administration, Management and Operations
  • Chemistry
  • Civil Engineering
  • Communication and Media Studies
  • Computer Engineering
  • Computer Science
  • Computer and Information Sciences, General
  • Criminal Justice and Corrections
  • Economics
  • Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering
  • Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/Technicians
  • Engineering Physics
  • English Language and Literature, General
  • Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations
  • Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering
  • Finance and Financial Management Services
  • Fine and Studio Arts
  • History
  • Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services
  • Information Science/Studies
  • Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
  • Marketing
  • Mathematics
  • Music
  • Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Studies
  • Philosophy and Religious Studies, Other
  • Physical Sciences, Other
  • Physics
  • Political Science and Government
  • Psychology, General
  • Public Health
  • Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication
  • Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions
  • Security Science and Technology
  • Social Work
  • Sociology
  • Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness
  • Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
  • Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas

Master · 2

  • Business Administration, Management and Operations
  • Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness

This is a broad program list. Check the school’s own catalog for current majors, minors, concentrations, and course details.