South Carolina State University

What South Carolina State University does

South Carolina State University is a public, land-grant historically black university founded in 1896 in Orangeburg, South Carolina, and is the state's only public HBCU. The institution enrolls more than 3,000 students across 40+ academic programs spanning six colleges, with a flagship STEM-T College anchoring programs that are uniquely offered in South Carolina (and, for Nuclear Engineering, among all HBCUs). Core academic and research infrastructure includes the 1890 Research & Extension program, the Center for Energy and Environmental Solutions, a Cybersecurity Center of Excellence, and the Center for Applied AI for Sustainable Agriculture. Revenue is generated through tuition and fees (differentiated by residency), South Carolina state appropriations, federal land-grant and USDA funding, NCAA Division I athletics (Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference; 2025 Celebration Bowl champions), sponsored research, and philanthropic giving via the 'Power of SC State' capital campaign.

SC State's go-to-market combines direct-to-consumer undergraduate and graduate admissions with community-led workforce and extension outreach. The Center for Online and Distance Education (CODE) distributes certificates and degrees nationally, including the Addiction and Trauma Graduate Certificate which charges flat in-state/out-of-state tuition. Strategic partnerships anchor the institution's growth: an $8 million state STEM grant (part of a $40 million multi-institutional initiative with USC, Clemson, SRNL, and BSRA), a $25 million Scout Motors Training Center in Blythewood operated with readySC, and a June 2026 NVIDIA collaboration for applied AI education. The institution is pursuing a five-year plan to elevate to Research II Carnegie classification. Recent adverse events include a February 2026 on-campus shooting resulting in two deaths and an April 2026 commencement speaker controversy that prompted political defunding threats from state lawmakers, introducing meaningful governance and appropriations risk.

Name

South Carolina State University

Legal name

South Carolina State University

Website

https://scsu.edu

Company type

Public

Founded year

1896

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

South Carolina State University is a public, land-grant HBCU founded in 1896 in Orangeburg, SC, serving 3,000+ students across 40+ programs including uniquely offered nuclear engineering, agribusiness, and transportation degrees, with revenue from tuition, state and federal appropriations, 1890 extension funding, and NCAA Division I athletics.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Public HBCUs (State-Supported) (EDAHAMAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Historically Black Land-Grant Universities (1862/1890) (EDAHAMAD)

Keywords

• Higher education
• Undergraduate programs
• Graduate programs
• STEM education
• Workforce development

Headquarters

HQ city

Orangeburg

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Fees: The university generates revenue primarily through tuition and fees charged to undergraduate and graduate students. Tuition rates differ for in-state and out-of-state residents, as reflected in the university's published fee sheets.
2. State Appropriations and Grants: SC State receives state funding allocations for STEM research and workforce development, including the $8 million state allocation for STEM-T programs and Savannah River National Laboratory partnership, with potential additional funding of up to $40 million under a larger initiative.
3. 1890 Research & Extension Programs: Federal and state-funded agricultural research and extension programs under the 1890 land-grant designation, supporting climate-smart commodities, controlled environment agriculture, and community development across South Carolina.
4. Athletics Revenue: Revenue generated through the university's NCAA Division I athletics programs, including ticket sales, media rights, and conference distributions from the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

South Carolina State University is a public historically black university (HBCU) in Orangeburg, South Carolina that delivers undergraduate, graduate, and certificate degree programs across 40+ academic areas organized through six colleges. The university operates as a land-grant institution with 1890 Research & Extension programs, providing hands-on STEM education, online learning via its Center for Online and Distance Education, and workforce development training through industry partnerships.

Product overview

South Carolina State University offers a comprehensive portfolio of undergraduate and graduate degree programs as a public HBCU. The university operates as a multi-college institution with six colleges including Agriculture, Business & Information Systems, Education, STEM-T, and Graduate Studies. Notable flagship programs include Nuclear Engineering (the only HBCU program in SC), Cybersecurity, Agribusiness, Speech Pathology & Audiology, and the renowned Marching 101 Band. Unique statewide offerings include the only Master of Science in Transportation and only MBA with Agribusiness concentration in South Carolina. The institution also offers specialized programs like the Call Me MiSTER teacher training initiative and 1890 Research & Extension services. Online and distance education is delivered through the Center for Online and Distance Education (CODE).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Marching 101 Band: The world-famous Marching 101 Band at South Carolina State University, known nationally for performances at Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, presidential inaugurations, and professional football games.
• Bulldogs
• STEM-T College
• The Power of SC State

Products and services

• Nuclear Engineering (Bachelor of Science) Bachelor of Science in Nuclear Engineering — the only Nuclear Engineering degree program in South Carolina and among all HBCUs. Prepares students for careers in nuclear-related industries, with talent pipeline into Savannah River National Laboratory.
• Cybersecurity (Bachelor of Science) Bachelor of Science program in Cybersecurity preparing students for careers in the rapidly growing cybersecurity field, supported by a Cybersecurity Center of Excellence.
• Agribusiness (Bachelor of Science) Bachelor of Science in Agribusiness focused on South Carolina's leading industry (agriculture).
• Speech Pathology & Audiology Programs Undergraduate and graduate programs in Speech Pathology & Audiology; SC State is one of two schools in South Carolina with an accredited master's degree program in Speech-Language Pathology.
• Physical Education (Bachelor's with multiple concentrations) Bachelor's degree in Physical Education with concentrations including Applied Exercise Science, Teacher Education, Sport Communication, Physical Activity Management, and Health Education Services. 100% of PETE certification completers have job offers before graduation.
• Accounting (Bachelor of Science) Bachelor of Science in Accounting with emphasis on CPA exam preparation; 90% of accounting majors are employed or in graduate school within six months of graduation.
• Master of Science in Transportation Master of Science degree in Transportation — the only such program in South Carolina.
• Master of Business Administration with Agribusiness Concentration Master of Business Administration degree with a concentration in Agribusiness — the only MBA with this concentration in South Carolina.
• Doctor of Education Doctor of Education degree with a concentration in Educational Administration — one of only three universities in South Carolina offering this degree; SC State ranks third nationwide in graduating minority students with this degree.
• Call Me MiSTER Teacher Recruitment Program Teacher recruitment and training program launched in 2000 designed to increase the diversity of South Carolina's teaching workforce by placing minority educators in public schools.
• 1890 Research & Extension Federally and state-funded agricultural research and extension programs under the 1890 land-grant designation, supporting climate-smart commodities, controlled environment agriculture, family and consumer sciences, and youth development across South Carolina counties.
• Center for Online and Distance Education (CODE) Online and distance education delivery channel offering fully online undergraduate and graduate programs and certificates accessible to students regardless of geographic location, including business, education, and public administration programs.
• Addiction and Trauma Graduate Certificate Online graduate certificate of 18 semester credit hours focused on evidence-based addiction education for working professionals, offered in condensed 8-week terms with the same tuition rate for in-state and out-of-state residents.

Quantifiable outcome

• 95% of graduates are employed or attend graduate school within six months of graduation.
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Association of Governing Boards (AGB) InstituteminorOthers · 23 June 2026Dr. Louis D. Whitesides, SC State's vice president for public service and agriculture and acting vice president for research, was selected for the AGB Institute for Leadership & Governance in Higher Education Class of 2026-27, a prestigious national leadership development program.
• NVIDIAcoreTechnology or Integration · 18 June 2026SC State and NVIDIA announced a collaboration to expand artificial intelligence education, strengthen workforce development, and position South Carolina as a leader in applied AI innovation. This partnership is designed to advance AI curriculum and research capabilities at the university.
• City Club of GreenvilleminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 9 June 2026The City Club of Greenville selected SC State as the primary charitable beneficiary of the 2026 President's Cup, launching a partnership to support scholarships, student success, workforce development, and expanded university engagement in the Upstate region of South Carolina.
• Scout MotorscoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 20 April 2026Scout Motors partnered with readySC (workforce development division of the SC Technical College System) to open a $25 million Training Center in Blythewood, SC. The facility serves as the primary hub for onboarding, upskilling, and continuous workforce development for Scout Motors' Production Center employees as the company ramps toward 2027 production, with SC State providing programmatic support.
• readySCcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 20 April 2026readySC, the workforce development division of the South Carolina Technical College System, partnered with Scout Motors to establish the $25 million Training Center in Blythewood on Scout Motors' Production Center site. readySC manages workforce onboarding and training programs for the facility, with SC State supporting educational initiatives.
• Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 July 2024SC State received $8 million in state funding as part of a broader $40 million initiative to advance STEM research and workforce development, creating a talent pipeline for SRNL. The partnership supports hiring research faculty, student scholarships and internships, pre-college programs, and enhanced research infrastructure at both SC State and SRNL.
• University of South Carolina (USC)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 July 2024USC is a partner in the $40 million multi-institutional STEM research and workforce development initiative alongside SC State, Clemson University, SRNL, and BSRA, aimed at enhancing research infrastructure and expanding STEM education across South Carolina.
• Clemson UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 July 2024Clemson University collaborates with SC State as part of the multi-institutional $40 million STEM workforce development initiative involving SRNL and BSRA, focusing on expanding research capabilities and talent pipelines in STEM fields including nuclear engineering.
• Battelle Savannah River Alliance (BSRA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 July 2024BSRA is part of the $40 million multi-institutional initiative with SC State, USC, Clemson, and SRNL to enhance STEM research infrastructure and workforce development for Savannah River National Laboratory.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Regional players

• Claflin University: Private HBCU located in Orangeburg, SC alongside SC State, competing for the same regional African-American undergraduate pool and STEM talent in South Carolina.
• Benedict College: Private HBCU in Columbia, SC offering STEM and education programs that directly overlap with SC State's recruitment geography and programmatic mix.
• Voorhees University: Private HBCU in South Carolina competing with SC State for in-state African-American students and HBCU-bound out-of-state applicants.
• Allen University: Private HBCU in Columbia, SC; smaller but competes with SC State for the same SC-based African-American undergraduate market.

Direct peers

• North Carolina A&T State University: Largest public HBCU and fellow 1890 land-grant institution with a comparable STEM/agriculture portfolio and Division I MEAC athletics; the closest analog by mission and scale.
• Florida A&M University: Public HBCU and 1890 land-grant university in FL with similar STEM-T structure, MEAC athletics, and a renowned marching band (Marching 100); the source institution for SC State's new Director of Bands.
• Tuskegee University: Private HBCU in Alabama with overlapping STEM and engineering programs; previous employer of SC State's Director of Bands, making it a relevant talent and programmatic comparator.
• Alabama A&M University: Public HBCU and 1890 land-grant peer in Alabama with parallel STEM, agriculture, and engineering programs targeting similar student demographics.
• Southern University and A&M College: Public HBCU and 1890 land-grant system flagship in Louisiana offering STEM, agribusiness, and engineering programs with comparable mission and funding profile.
• Prairie View A&M University: Public HBCU and 1890 land-grant university in Texas with parallel engineering, agriculture, and education offerings competing for federal and state workforce development dollars.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/scstate1896
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/SCSTATE1896
• Facebookfacebook.com/SCState
• Instagraminstagram.com/scstate1896
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/south-carolina-state-university

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles16 records

Subsidiaries6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds3 records

Investors2 records

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about South Carolina State University