Alabama State vs. University of South Carolina-Upstate

Should I go to Alabama State University or University of South Carolina Upstate? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Alabama State or University of South Carolina-Upstate is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.

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Alabama State University vs. University of South Carolina Upstate comparison
Alabama State University University of South Carolina Upstate College 3 College 4
Alabama State University
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Overview

Alabama State University of South Carolina-Upstate
Location Montgomery, AL Spartanburg, SC
Setting Midsize City Midsize Suburban
Enrollment 3,828 4,913
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #1016 #823
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website alasu.edu uscupstate.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Alabama State University of South Carolina-Upstate
Tuition (In State) $8,328 $11,208
Tuition (Out of State) $16,656 $22,170
Room & Board $6,050 $9,520
Avg Net Price $13,176 $13,835
Avg Grant Aid $10,029 $12,038
% Receiving Grant Aid 97% 99%

Admission

Alabama State University of South Carolina-Upstate
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 6,731 3,090
Admitted 6,502 2,428
Acceptance Rate 96.6% 78.6%
Enrolled % 14.5% 28.3%
Avg High School GPA 2.95 2.53
Typical High School Grades B- C+
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 16/20 20/25
SAT Range 828/1041 950/1150
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Jul 31, 2025

Academics

Alabama State University of South Carolina-Upstate
Student to Faculty Ratio 14:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Education (18%)
  • Business (14%)
  • Biology (11%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (11%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Health Professions (26%)
  • Education (20%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)
  • Psychology (6%)

Outcomes

Alabama State University of South Carolina-Upstate
Graduation Rate 26% 39%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $29,500 $39,300
Making Student Loan Payments 20% 55%
Median Student Loan Debt $32,091 $22,500
Median Loan Payment $331 $232

Diversity

Alabama State University of South Carolina-Upstate
% Men 35% 32%
% Women 65% 68%
Racial Diversity Extremely Low High
HBCU Yes No
% White 2% 56%
% Black 93% 29%
% Hispanic 1% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 1% 4%
% International 2% 2%
% Unknown Race 1% 2%

Students

Alabama State University of South Carolina-Upstate
% In-State 37% 92%
% Out-of-State 62% 6%

Campus

Alabama State University of South Carolina-Upstate
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility No Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • University of South Carolina Upstate is larger than than Alabama State based on total student enrollment (4,913 students vs. 3,828 students)

Alabama State vs. University of South Carolina-Upstate Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Alabama State or University of South Carolina-Upstate?

  • University of South Carolina Upstate is 34.6% more expensive to attend than Alabama State for in-state tuition ($11,208.00 vs. $8,328.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 33.1% higher at University of South Carolina-Upstate than Alabama State University ($22,170.00 vs. $16,656.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Alabama State University than University of South Carolina-Upstate ($13,176 vs. $13,835)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Alabama State University are 57.4% lower than costs at University of South Carolina Upstate ($6,050 vs. $9,520)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of South Carolina Upstate than Alabama State University (99% vs. 97%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of South Carolina Upstate students is 20% larger than aid received Alabama State University ($12,038 vs. $10,029)

Alabama State vs. University of South Carolina-Upstate Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Alabama State or University of South Carolina-Upstate? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between University of South Carolina-Upstate or Alabama State .

  • The average SAT score at University of South Carolina Upstate (950) is 106 points higher than at Alabama State (844)
  • Incoming University of South Carolina-Upstate students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (20) than students at Alabama State (18)
  • Accepted freshman Alabama State students have a 0.42 point higher average high school GPA (2.95) than students at University of South Carolina-Upstate (2.53)
  • Alabama State has a higher acceptance rate (96.6%) than University of South Carolina-Upstate (78.6%)

Alabama State vs. University of South Carolina-Upstate Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Alabama State or University of South Carolina-Upstate? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between University of South Carolina-Upstate and Alabama State.

  • The graduation rate at University of South Carolina-Upstate is higher than Alabama State University (39% vs. 26%)
  • Graduates from University of South Carolina Upstate earn on average $9,800 more per year than Alabama State graduates after ten years. ($39,300 vs. $29,500)
  • University of South Carolina Upstate students graduate with a $9,591 lower median federal student loan debt than Alabama State graduates. ($22,500 vs. $32,091)
  • University of South Carolina-Upstate graduates are paying $99 less per month on federal student loans than Alabama State graduates. ($232 vs. $331)
  • More University of South Carolina-Upstate graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Alabama State students, three years after graduation. (55% vs. 20%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/