The Citadel, in Charleston, South Carolina, is one of the six senior military colleges in the U.S. But unlike the country’s five service academies, its graduates are not required to serve in the military upon graduation, though many choose that route: one in three graduates earns an officer commission.
Campus life here is very structured. Students in the Corps of Cadets, as undergraduates are known, wear uniforms and march in military formations. Developing leadership skills is a major focus, as is regular physical training.
It’s pretty easy to get into The Citadel, with an acceptance rate of 98%. But students who do enroll tend to be successful: 72% graduate within six years, a rate Money calculates is higher than predicted given the academic and economic backgrounds of enrolled students.
Plus, graduates from the Citadel earn higher-than-average salaries — the median early career income is nearly $72,000 — and 90% of cadets are employed, in graduate school or accepted into the military within six months of graduation.
The school offers wide-ranging opportunities, including the Citadel Success Institute, a summer program that helps incoming students prepare for life on campus, and the Global Scholars Program, which allows students to get a full semester of credits abroad in places like Greece and Cyprus.
