Charleston, SC · Clery Act 2023 · Public

College of Charleston

According to the U.S. Department of Education's Clery Act filings, this profile covers campus safety, crime statistics, fire-safety data, and peer comparison for this 11,729-student campus.

2.13
Incidents / 1k students
#2,044
Rank of 3,050
#40
SC rank
11,729
Enrolled students

Data updated June 2026

The verdict

College of Charleston reports 2.13 on-campus Clery incidents per 1,000 enrolled students, ranking #2,044 of 3,050 ranked U.S. campuses - with more reported incidents than 66% of ranked campuses its size.

2.13
incidents / 1,000 students
#2,044
of 3,050 ranked nationally
66%
report fewer incidents than this campus
21
on-campus incidents, 2023

Safety score = reported on-campus Clery incidents per 1,000 enrolled students (lower is safer).

Reporting-period change

What changed in 2023

+5 reported incidents

College of Charleston increased from 16 to 21 reported on-campus incidents between the 2022 and 2023 reporting years in the U.S. Department of Education OPE Campus Safety Survey.

This is a change in reported incidents, not a measure of individual safety. Enrollment, reporting practice, and category coverage can affect the count.

See national reporting-year changes

College of Charleston is a Public institution located in Charleston, SC, enrolling approximately 11,729 students. Clery Act data spanning 2021–2023 records 55 total on-campus incidents across all reported crime categories. Within SC, it ranks #40 by safety score. Verify with the U.S. Department of Education Clery Act database →

With 11,729 enrolled students, this campus sits in the mid-sized institution bracket, which shapes how raw incident counts should be interpreted.

The most frequently reported category at College of Charleston is "Rape" with 28 cumulative incidents across the reporting window. Compared to 5 peer institutions of similar enrollment size in SC averaging 0.75 incidents per 1,000 students, College of Charleston reports 185% more incidents per student.

Fire safety data covers 1 reporting year for on-campus residential facilities, logging 0 total fires. Arrests and disciplinary actions span 27 category-year records, covering liquor law violations, drug law violations, and weapons possession on-campus. No Department of Education Clery Act enforcement actions are recorded against this institution.

Safety Score

2.13 /1K students

incidents per 1,000 enrolled

National Rank

#2044

See peer comparison

State Rank (SC)

#40

within state peers

Incidents (2023)

21

across 11 crime categories

Where College of Charleston sits among ranked U.S. campuses

On-campus Clery incidents per 1,000 students, every ranked campus with 2,000+ students

2 safer than 34% of 1,807 ranked campuses

0–1: 874 ranked campuses (48%). Below this entry. 1–2: 281 ranked campuses (16%). Below this entry. 2–3: 186 ranked campuses (10%). This entry sits in this band. 3–4: 135 ranked campuses (7%). Above this entry. 4–5: 84 ranked campuses (5%). Above this entry. 5–6: 71 ranked campuses (4%). Above this entry. 6–7: 36 ranked campuses (2%). Above this entry. 7–8: 37 ranked campuses (2%). Above this entry. 8–9: 103 ranked campuses (6%). Above this entry. This campus 0 9 every ranked campus, bucketed by value

Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more ranked campuses. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Department of Education, Campus Safety & Security Survey (Clery Act) · 2023

Safety percentile vs. peers

College of Charleston percentile rank 33.0%
National median

Higher percentile = safer than more peers. Rank #2044 out of 3,050 ranked institutions (enrollment >= 500) in the OPE Campus Safety Survey.

Reporting density vs peer median

College of Charleston reports 185% more incidents per student than the median of 5 peer institutions.

Academic & Financial Profile

Tuition & Costs

In-State Tuition
$12,978
Out-of-State Tuition
$38,296
Avg Net Price
$18,960
Median Debt
$23,250
Pell Grant Recipients
19%
How does this cost rank in SC? →

Admissions

Acceptance Rate
60%
SAT Average
1247
SAT Math Range
550–640
ACT Average
26
ACT Range
25–30

Outcomes

4-Year Graduation Rate
65%
Retention Rate
82%
Median Earnings (6yr)
$43,821
Median Earnings (10yr)
$56,416
Loan Repayment (3yr)
68%

Source: IPEDS & College Scorecard. Methodology.

Crime Statistics by Year

11 categories 3 reporting years on-campus only

College of Charleston: on-campus incidents by year

Rising 17% (18 → 21 incidents)

1416182022 202120222023 18 21 ▲ +16.7%
Crime Type 202320222021
Aggravated Assault 001
Arson 000
Burglary 414
Fondling 346
Incest 000
Motor Vehicle Theft 121
Murder / Non-Negligent Manslaughter 000
Negligent Manslaughter 000
Rape 1396
Robbery 000
Statutory Rape 000

Source: US Dept US Dept of Education OPE Campus Safety Survey. Figures show on-campus incidents

Fire Safety

Year Fires Inj. Deaths Cat I Cat II
2023 0 0 0 0 0

Arrests & Disciplinary Actions

27 category-year records
Disposition26%47%27%ArrestsDisciplinary referralsNo action
27 reported records
Category Year Arrests Discipline
Drugs 2023 0 0
Drugs 2023 0 0
Drugs 2023 32 30
Liquor 2023 0 0
Liquor 2023 0 0
Liquor 2023 24 167
Weapons 2023 0 0
Weapons 2023 0 0
Weapons 2023 2 1
Drugs 2022 0 0
Drugs 2022 0 0
Drugs 2022 11 33
Liquor 2022 0 0
Liquor 2022 0 0
Liquor 2022 12 92
Weapons 2022 0 0
Weapons 2022 0 0
Weapons 2022 3 0
Drugs 2021 0 0
Drugs 2021 0 0

College of Charleston vs peer institutions

Side-by-side safety scores for 3 peers of similar enrollment

Scores are incidents per 1,000 enrolled students (lower is fewer).

Selected

SC

College of Charleston

2.13 incidents / 1,000 students
National rank
#2,044
Enrollment
11,729
Data year
2023

VA

ECPI University

0.26 incidents / 1,000 students
National rank
#1,114
Enrollment
11,745
Data year
2023

CA

MiraCosta College

0.51 incidents / 1,000 students
National rank
#1,324
Enrollment
11,707
Data year
2023

Similar Institutions

ECPI University
Virginia Beach, VA · 11,745 enrolled
Safety Score 0.26
MiraCosta College
Oceanside, CA · 11,707 enrolled
Safety Score 0.51
Tallahassee Community College
Tallahassee, FL · 11,699 enrolled
Safety Score 0.17
University of Maine
Orono, ME · 11,760 enrolled
Safety Score 2.72
Bergen Community College
Paramus, NJ · 11,801 enrolled
Safety Score 0.08

Closest by National Rank

Institutions ranked nearest College of Charleston nationally (rank #2044), regardless of size or state.

Lawrence University
Appleton, WI
National Rank #2043
Pacific Union College
Angwin, CA
National Rank #2045
Emerson College
Boston, MA
National Rank #2042
New Mexico Highlands University
Las Vegas, NM
National Rank #2046
Monroe Community College
Rochester, NY
National Rank #2041

Frequently Asked Questions

Is College of Charleston safe?
College of Charleston has a safety score of 2.13 (total on-campus incidents per 1,000 enrolled students) and ranks #2,044 nationally out of 3,050+ ranked institutions. Compare this with peer institutions for context.
What crimes are reported at College of Charleston?
Aggravated Assault, Arson, Burglary, Fondling, Incest, and other categories, for calendar year 2023.
How does College of Charleston compare to similar schools?
See the Similar Institutions section below for peers of similar enrollment in SC.
Does College of Charleston have fire safety data?
Yes. College of Charleston reports fire safety data for on-campus residential facilities, including total fires, injuries, deaths, and fire damage categories. No fires were reported in the most recent year.

Understanding College of Charleston's Safety Profile

College of Charleston in Charleston, SC enrolls 11,729 students and has a safety score of 2.13 incidents per 1,000 enrolled students , ranking #2044 nationally.

Reported incidents cover 2021 to 2023. On-campus incidents increased from 16 in 2022 to 21 in 2023.

Fire safety data covers on-campus residential facilities. No fires were reported in the most recent year, indicating effective fire prevention measures.

What this means for you

College of Charleston's 2.13 reported on-campus incidents per 1,000 students is a starting point for comparison, not a verdict on any student's safety.

Figures reflect the 2023 Clery Act reporting year as filed with the U.S. Department of Education.

Data sourced from the U.S. Department of Education, OPE Campus Safety & Security Survey (Clery Act). See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCampus Editorial

Every figure on PlainCampus is rendered directly from federal Clery Act source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on federal Clery Act source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.

PlainCampus is for informational purposes only and does not constitute safety, security, legal, or enrollment advice; the data describes reported on-campus activity, it is not a complete picture of safety at any campus and cannot predict any individual student's experience. See our appropriate use guidance.