The Darla Moore School of Business at the University of South Carolina finished No. 57 on Poets&Quants’ 2025 ranking of the Best Undergraduate Business Programs in the U.S. In our three methodological categories, it finished No. 48 in Admission Standards, No. 73 in Career Outcomes, and No. 68 in Academic Experience (based solely on our alumni survey).
The B-school’s acceptance rate for the fall 2024 incoming class was 49.2%, and the class also reported an average SAT score of 1294. Its six-year graduation rate is 83.8%.
In career data, 48.8% of Class of 2024 graduates and 65.2% of Class of 2023 grads completed at least one business-specific internship before graduation. Some 85.5% of 2024 grads found jobs within three months, compared to 92.3% of 2023 grads.
Average salary for the most recent graduates was $67,624, with 58.4% of them reporting an average signing bonus of $6,614. The top employers included Bank of America, Wells Fargo, Nucor, Goosehead Insurance, Deloitte, Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan Chase, Jefferies, Tom James, and PepsiCo.
WHAT SETS DARLA MOORE BUSINESS APART?
The Darla Moore School of Business is renowned for its global business expertise and top-ranked International Business program, which has been ranked No. 1 in the U.S. for 26 consecutive years. With 98 international university partners spanning 51 countries, students have opportunities for global experiences, double-degree programs, and exchange partnerships with top business schools worldwide.
The Operations and Supply Chain program consistently ranks among the top three in North America, and the Management Science department was awarded the 2024 UPS George D. Smith Prize from INFORMS, placing it among institutions like MIT, Michigan, and Carnegie Mellon. The school also boasts a Risk Management and Insurance program recognized as one of the 20 inaugural Global Centers for Insurance Excellence.
Students benefit from real-world learning experiences through faculty-led research, corporate partnerships, and consulting projects supported by the school’s 13 research centers. The Rising Scholars and Business Success Academy initiatives have been instrumental in increasing enrollment and retention for first-generation, low-income South Carolina residents, with financial support including a $5,500 housing allowance and a renewable $5,000 annual scholarship.
STRONG CURRICULUM FOUNDATION
The Moore School offers a diverse range of majors that blend academic rigor with hands-on experiential learning. Students can pursue degrees in Accounting, Business Economics, Finance, International Business, Management, Marketing, Operations and Supply Chain, Real Estate, and Risk Management and Insurance.
It also offers a concentration in business analytics that attracts over 800 students annually, project-based coursework, experiential learning opportunities, and a wide array of study abroad options. Many students complement their first major with a second major in business and also enhance their degree with a concentration in Business Analytics.
GLOBAL BUSINESS IS A FOCUS
On top of the core business classes, international business majors also take courses on globalization and business, international financial management, foreign market entry and growth, and more. All international business majors must complete a second business major — a very important choice because it’s this major where first jobs are typically landed.
Students can choose the Classic International Business program or one of the Cohort programs including the Chinese business track, European Business track, Global Business track, Middle East and North Africa business track, South American business track, or tracks in Eurasian Business or Global Business Innovation.
What really makes the international business program at the Moore School strong are the study abroad opportunities it offers. An overwhelming number of alumni we surveyed highlighted the lasting impact that study abroad had on both their personal and professional lives.
QUALITY PROJECT-BASED LEARNING
Project-based learning is a huge component at the Moore School. Many class projects feature the valuable experience of working with a real business to solve a real problem. With project-based learning and real-world applications, Moore students enter the professional world with impressive experience and skill sets.
The Moore School is continuously updating and innovating its program.
The Office of Access, Opportunity, and Community Engagement (AOCE) was launched in January 2024 to expand outreach to first-generation and underrepresented students. Programs such as Power Forward, Rising Scholars, and the Business Success Academy provide college planning, career mentorship, and business fundamentals training for high school and incoming first-year students. These efforts were recognized with the 2024 “Inspiring Programs in Business” Award from Insight into Diversity magazine.
The Economics Department launched the Economic Policy and Innovation Center (EPIC), which provides policy consulting and program evaluation for state and federal agencies. Economics students in the Scholars Program now have opportunities to work directly on real-world policy initiatives.
The school has also redesigned Management and Marketing tracks to better align with industry needs. The Management major now includes tracks in Human Resources and Entrepreneurship, with new courses in HR Analytics, Diversity & Inclusion, and Employee Engagement. Marketing students can now choose concentrations in Product Management and Sales Leadership, while a new Sales Engineering track was launched in partnership with the Molinaroli College of Engineering and Computing.
Additionally, high-achieving students now have access to an Accelerated Master of International Business (MIB) program, allowing them to complete their undergraduate and graduate degrees in five years. The MIB program was ranked No. 1 in the U.S. for salary three years post-graduation and No. 1 for value for the money, according to Financial Times’ 2023 Master of Management ranking.
ALUMNI SAY
“We did a consulting project for Breakthru Bourbon and presented to the actual employees at the end of the semester. It was great research and actually simulated working for a company on their marketing and development team.”
“I was part of the Carolina Finance Scholars program which was invaluable to teaching me the skills needed for my career.”
“Participated in the Deloitte Annual Audit Innovation Challenge that directly lead to an internship and full time job offer.”
“The Darla Moore School of Business allows students to grow at their own pace. Additionally, a committed faculty facilitates engaging conversation while helping students build strong business fundamentals.”
“The business fraternities are the next level of preparation for success at the Moore School. Everyone is so impressive and not only are you more than prepared for entering the workforce, you enter it with invaluable and lifelong connections to lean on.”
