Clemson University will welcome approximately 5,100 first-year students and 1,800 transfer students to its main campus as well as 2,000 graduate students after another competitive admissions cycle. This year’s group of first-year students includes the second-largest class of South Carolinians, representing all 46 counties, alongside students from 49 states and 34 countries.
Nearly 65,000 first-year students applied for undergraduate admission to Clemson, including a record 10,714 from South Carolina, the highest number of in-state applicants in the University’s history.
The Class of 2029 will embrace new possibilities and challenges alongside a community of Tigers that offers encouragement and guidance every step of the way.
Every new Tiger arrives at Clemson with their own unique story, and we can’t wait to see how these students will transform our University, South Carolina and beyond as we move Fiercely Forward in our pursuit of purpose, impact and excellence.
Who they are
This year’s incoming first-year class includes 137 high school valedictorians and 93 salutatorians. Of these, 83 valedictorians and 65 salutatorians are from South Carolina.
Additionally, more than 400 new students will join the Clemson University Honors College, including 221 from South Carolina, continuing in their endeavors for academic excellence.
Popular student names include Emma, Ava, William, Andrew, Isabella, John and Matthew.
644 students
Identify as first-generation students, including 540 from South Carolina
755 students
Reported that one or both of their parents are Clemson graduates
Where they’re from
Our new Tigers are from everywhere! Some hail from just around the corner, representing 285 high schools across South Carolina, while others will travel from as far as Fairbanks, Alaska (~4,200 miles); Haleiwa, Hawaii (~4,600 miles); and Seoul, South Korea, to be Tigers (~7,200 miles).
Top five states for first-year enrollment
South Carolina
New Jersey
North Carolina
New York
Georgia
Top five South Carolina counties for first-year enrollment
Greenville
Charleston
York
Anderson
Spartanburg
What they’re doing
These students are steadfastly committed to curiosity and discovery, making up the next generation of entrepreneurs, engineers, health care professionals, researchers, educators and creatives.
Top 10 intended majors for first-year students
General Engineering
Prebusiness
Biological Sciences
Psychology
Animal and Veterinary Sciences
Nursing
Health Science
Computer Science
Political Science
Exploratory Studies (formerly undeclared)
Top five intended majors for in-state first-year students
General Engineering
Prebusiness
Biological Sciences
Animal and Veterinary Sciences
Nursing
Image Description
Infographic titled “Meet the Class of 2029” for Clemson University, set on a purple background with orange and white text. Key statistics include:
- 64,852 first-year applications
- 10,714 in-state applications (a university record)
- 5,100 incoming first-year students
- Top 10 Intended Majors: General Engineering, Prebusiness, Biological Sciences, Psychology, Animal and Veterinary Sciences, Nursing, Health Science, Computer Science, Political Science, and Exploratory Studies.
- Student Demographics: 644 students identify as first-generation college students (540 from South Carolina)
- 755 students have one or both parents as Clemson graduates
- 285 South Carolina high schools represented
- Students come from all 46 counties in South Carolina
- Top 5 States Represented (with a simple U.S. map highlighting them): South Carolina (SC), North Carolina (NC), Georgia (GA), New Jersey (NJ), and New York (NY)
- Footer note: “Information current as of July 18-25, 2025”
We are also welcoming a new group of graduate students.
First-year graduate students
Master’s — 1,532
Ph.D. — 318
Education Specialist — 20
Certificate and nondegree — 131
Top five first-year master’s program enrollment
MBA Business Administration
M.S. Civil Engineering
MPAcc Accounting
M.S. Mechanical Engineering
M.S. Automotive Engineering
Top five first-year Ph.D. program enrollment
Ph.D. Chemistry
Ph.D. Physics
Ph.D. Mathematical Sciences
Ph.D. Construction Science and Management
Ph.D. Educational Leadership
North Carolina, Georgia, Florida, New York and Texas lead this year’s out-of-state enrollment for incoming graduate students. International enrollment leaders include India, Ghana, Nigeria, Bangladesh and Nepal.
Students are traveling from as far as Wahiawa, Hawaii (4,571 miles), and Probolinggo, Indonesia (9,843 miles), to continue their education at Clemson.
All information pertaining to undergraduate and graduate students is current as of July 18-25, 2025, and July 30, 2025, respectively. These are unofficial data points provided by the Clemson University Office of Admissions and the Clemson University Graduate School, and they are subject to change.
The Clemson University Office of Institutional Research will release official data points to the South Carolina Commission on Higher Education and the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System later in the Fall 2025 semester. That data can be found in the Clemson University Interactive Factbook.
