PennWest Clarion vs. South Carolina State University

Should I go to PennWest Clarion or South Carolina State University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if PennWest Clarion or South Carolina State University 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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PennWest Clarion vs. South Carolina State University comparison
PennWest Clarion South Carolina State University College 3 College 4
South Carolina State University
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Overview

PennWest Clarion South Carolina State University
Location Clarion, PA Orangeburg, SC
Setting Remote Town Distant Town
Enrollment 3,922 3,041
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #1011
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website clarion.edu scsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

PennWest Clarion South Carolina State University
Tuition (In State) $7,716 $9,528
Tuition (Out of State) $11,574 $20,218
Room & Board $12,930 $9,000
Avg Net Price - $17,928
Avg Grant Aid $0 $12,130
% Receiving Grant Aid 0% 94%

Admission

PennWest Clarion South Carolina State University
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied - 9,830
Admitted - 8,034
Acceptance Rate 81.7%
Enrolled % 13.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.5 3.17
Typical High School Grades B+ B
Admissions Standards Unavailable Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 15/19
SAT Range 800/1050
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Jul 31, 2026

Academics

PennWest Clarion South Carolina State University
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 19:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (18%)
  • Health Professions (18%)
  • Education (13%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (10%)
  • Communication (6%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Work and Family Studies (11%)
  • Education (10%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • Health Professions (9%)

Outcomes

PennWest Clarion South Carolina State University
Graduation Rate 49% 35%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $39,200 $31,000
Making Student Loan Payments 63% 27%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,000 $33,205
Median Loan Payment $268 $343

Diversity

PennWest Clarion South Carolina State University
% Men 28% 3%
% Women 72% 6%
Racial Diversity Very Low Extremely Low
HBCU No Yes
% White 83% 2%
% Black 8% 96%
% Hispanic 3% 0%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 0%
% International 1% 0%
% Unknown Race 2% 0%

Students

PennWest Clarion South Carolina State University
% In-State 94% 73%
% Out-of-State 5% 26%

Campus

PennWest Clarion South Carolina State University
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No Yes
Daycare Facility Yes No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • PennWest Clarion is larger than than South Carolina State University based on total student enrollment (3,922 students vs. 3,041 students)

PennWest Clarion vs. South Carolina State University Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, PennWest Clarion or South Carolina State University?

  • South Carolina State University is 23.5% more expensive to attend than PennWest Clarion for in-state tuition ($9,528.00 vs. $7,716.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 74.7% higher at South Carolina State University than PennWest Clarion ($20,218.00 vs. $11,574.00)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at South Carolina State University are 43.7% lower than costs at PennWest Clarion ($9,000 vs. $12,930)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at South Carolina State University than PennWest Clarion (94% vs. 0%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by South Carolina State University students is ?% larger than aid received PennWest Clarion ($12,130 vs. $0)

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

  • The average SAT score at PennWest Clarion (934) is 174 points higher than at South Carolina State University (760)
  • Incoming PennWest Clarion students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (20) than students at South Carolina State University (16)
  • Accepted freshman PennWest Clarion students have a 0.33 point higher average high school GPA (3.5) than students at South Carolina State University (3.17)

PennWest Clarion vs. South Carolina State University Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, PennWest Clarion or South Carolina State University? 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 South Carolina State University and PennWest Clarion.

  • The graduation rate at PennWest Clarion is higher than South Carolina State University (49% vs. 35%)
  • Graduates from PennWest Clarion earn on average $8,200 more per year than South Carolina State University graduates after ten years. ($39,200 vs. $31,000)
  • PennWest Clarion students graduate with a $7,205 lower median federal student loan debt than South Carolina State University graduates. ($26,000 vs. $33,205)
  • PennWest Clarion graduates are paying $75 less per month on federal student loans than South Carolina State University graduates. ($268 vs. $343)
  • More PennWest Clarion graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former South Carolina State University students, three years after graduation. (63% vs. 27%)

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