CSU vs. USC Aiken

Should I go to California State University Chico or University of South Carolina Aiken? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if CSU or USC Aiken 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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California State University Chico vs. University of South Carolina Aiken comparison
California State University Chico University of South Carolina Aiken College 3 College 4
California State University Chico
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Overview

CSU USC Aiken
Location Chico, CA Aiken, SC
Setting Small City Rural Fringe
Enrollment 14,183 3,840
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #659 #888
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website csuchico.edu usca.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

CSU USC Aiken
Tuition (In State) $5,742 $10,398
Tuition (Out of State) $17,622 $20,856
Room & Board $15,212 $8,376
Avg Net Price $15,517 $11,872
Avg Grant Aid $9,162 $9,891
% Receiving Grant Aid 62% 100%

Admission

CSU USC Aiken
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 21,417 2,453
Admitted 20,347 1,855
Acceptance Rate 95% 75.6%
Enrolled % 9.9% 29.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.37 3.19
Typical High School Grades B+ B
Admissions Standards Very Easy Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 18/24 18/24
SAT Range 970/1170 950/1180
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Dec 15, 2024 Aug 1, 2025

Academics

CSU USC Aiken
Student to Faculty Ratio 20:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (17%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (8%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Business (25%)
  • Education (14%)
  • Health Professions (12%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (9%)

Outcomes

CSU USC Aiken
Graduation Rate 59% 41%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $52,400 $39,600
Making Student Loan Payments 70% 54%
Median Student Loan Debt $17,000 $26,000
Median Loan Payment $175 $268

Diversity

CSU USC Aiken
% Men 45% 36%
% Women 55% 64%
Racial Diversity Very High High
HBCU No No
% White 46% 58%
% Black 2% 27%
% Hispanic 29% 4%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 4%
% International 3% 4%
% Unknown Race 7% 2%

Students

CSU USC Aiken
% In-State 97% 87%
% Out-of-State 2% 11%

Campus

CSU USC Aiken
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility Yes Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • California State University Chico is larger than than USC Aiken based on total student enrollment (14,183 students vs. 3,840 students)

CSU vs. USC Aiken Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, CSU or USC Aiken?

  • University of South Carolina Aiken is 81.1% more expensive to attend than CSU for in-state tuition ($10,398.00 vs. $5,742.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 18.4% higher at USC Aiken than California State University Chico ($20,856.00 vs. $17,622.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of South Carolina Aiken than CSU ($11,872 vs. $15,517)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of South Carolina Aiken are 81.6% lower than costs at California State University Chico ($8,376 vs. $15,212)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of South Carolina Aiken than California State University Chico (100% vs. 62%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of South Carolina Aiken students is 8% larger than aid received California State University Chico ($9,891 vs. $9,162)

CSU vs. USC Aiken Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, CSU or USC Aiken? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between USC Aiken or CSU .

  • The average SAT score at California State University Chico (1003) is 27 points higher than at USC Aiken (976)
  • Incoming CSU students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (22) than students at USC Aiken (21)
  • Accepted freshman CSU students have a 0.18 point higher average high school GPA (3.37) than students at USC Aiken (3.19)
  • CSU has a higher acceptance rate (95%) than USC Aiken (75.6%)

CSU vs. USC Aiken Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, CSU or USC Aiken? 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 USC Aiken and CSU.

  • The graduation rate at CSU is higher than University of South Carolina Aiken (59% vs. 41%)
  • Graduates from California State University Chico earn on average $12,800 more per year than USC Aiken graduates after ten years. ($52,400 vs. $39,600)
  • California State University Chico students graduate with a $9,000 lower median federal student loan debt than USC Aiken graduates. ($17,000 vs. $26,000)
  • CSU graduates are paying $93 less per month on federal student loans than USC Aiken graduates. ($175 vs. $268)
  • More CSU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former USC Aiken students, three years after graduation. (70% vs. 54%)

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