Campus & Student Life at Clemson University

Home to about 20,868 undergraduates in 2020, Clemson is a very large, public university located in Clemson, South Carolina. A safe, suburban environment can offer many of the amenities of city living without the constant hum. Should you tire of the campus however, Clemson offers a “study abroad” program. Please note, some classes/degrees offered by Clemson can be taken “online” so keep that in mind when reviewing this report. For more context, you might also check out our Clemson Guide to Distance and Online Learning.

Clemson Has a Disability Services Site

For more information on policies and accommodations that the university provides to ensure all students get the opportunity to participate, you can visit Clemson Disability Services.

Clemson for the Military

While not a "service academy", Clemson does offer support for veterans and those seeking a career in the armed forces. Undergraduates have access to one or more ROTC programs and there is an active student veterans group on campus. For more information on policies related to veterans, you can visit Clemson Veteran Services . For more information, check out our Clemson for Veterans Guide.

Freshmen Living Arrangements at Clemson University

Clemson offers on-campus housing, but freshmen are not required to take advantage of it. In the end though, most do choose to live in the dorms.

* Data compiled from students who received financial aid, including loans.

Full-time vs. Part-time Studies at Clemson University

Clemson has a comparatively very large, student body. There were 20,868 undergraduates in 2020. Full-time attendance was 20,021 (95.9%). Part-time attendance was 847 (4.1%).

Clemson University is Ranked #325 for Overall Diversity

Compared to other colleges and universities across the nation, Clemson receives top marks for overall diversity. We rank Clemson #325 out of 3,451.

The chart below shows each element that we looked at to determine this ranking, and how that metric compares to the national average. 100 would indicate excellent diversity in each category, and 1 would mean poor diversity.

You can learn more about the diversity of the student body at Clemson by looking closer at the ethnic,  gender,  age, and geographic diversity metrics from the Clemson Diversity Guide.

Clemson University Competes in the NCAA

Clemson has a total of 572 student athletes, 311 men and 261 women who compete in inter-collegiate athletics.

Athletics Financing

For more information about athletics including per-team sizes, coaching and scholarships check out our Guide to Clemson University Athletics