Coastal Carolina vs. South Carolina State University

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

Coastal Carolina South Carolina State University
Location Conway, SC Orangeburg, SC
Setting Small City Distant Town
Enrollment 10,337 2,649
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #821 #1011
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website coastal.edu scsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Coastal Carolina South Carolina State University
Tuition (In State) $11,460 $9,528
Tuition (Out of State) $28,310 $20,218
Room & Board $10,628 $9,000
Avg Net Price $14,016 $17,435
Avg Grant Aid $10,610 $15,873
% Receiving Grant Aid 88% 96%

Admission

Coastal Carolina South Carolina State University
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 17,161 6,833
Admitted 13,493 5,733
Acceptance Rate 78.6% 83.9%
Enrolled % 19.7% 15.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.72 3.17
Typical High School Grades A- B
Admissions Standards Easy Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 20/25 15/19
SAT Range 1020/1190 800/1050
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Jul 31, 2025

Academics

Coastal Carolina South Carolina State University
Student to Faculty Ratio 16:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (30%)
  • Biology (11%)
  • Education (10%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (7%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Work and Family Studies (11%)
  • Education (10%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • Health Professions (9%)

Outcomes

Coastal Carolina South Carolina State University
Graduation Rate 46% 35%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $42,200 $31,000
Making Student Loan Payments 54% 27%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,930 $33,205
Median Loan Payment $257 $343

Diversity

Coastal Carolina South Carolina State University
% Men 45% 44%
% Women 55% 56%
Racial Diversity Medium Extremely Low
HBCU No Yes
% White 68% 2%
% Black 20% 96%
% Hispanic 4% 0%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 0%
% International 1% 0%
% Unknown Race 0% 0%

Students

Coastal Carolina South Carolina State University
% In-State 31% 77%
% Out-of-State 68% 23%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Coastal Carolina University is larger than than South Carolina State University based on total student enrollment (10,337 students vs. 2,649 students)

Coastal Carolina vs. South Carolina State University Cost Comparison

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

  • Coastal Carolina University is 20.3% more expensive to attend than South Carolina State University for in-state tuition ($11,460.00 vs. $9,528.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 40% higher at Coastal Carolina than South Carolina State University ($28,310.00 vs. $20,218.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Coastal Carolina University than South Carolina State University ($14,016 vs. $17,435)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at South Carolina State University are 18.1% lower than costs at Coastal Carolina University ($9,000 vs. $10,628)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at South Carolina State University than Coastal Carolina University (96% vs. 88%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by South Carolina State University students is 49.6% larger than aid received Coastal Carolina University ($15,873 vs. $10,610)

Coastal Carolina vs. South Carolina State University Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Coastal Carolina 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 Coastal Carolina .

  • The average SAT score at Coastal Carolina University (1009) is 249 points higher than at South Carolina State University (760)
  • Incoming Coastal Carolina students have a 6 point higher average ACT score (22) than students at South Carolina State University (16)
  • Accepted freshman Coastal Carolina students have a 0.55 point higher average high school GPA (3.72) than students at South Carolina State University (3.17)
  • South Carolina State University has a higher acceptance rate (83.9%) than Coastal Carolina (78.6%)

Coastal Carolina vs. South Carolina State University Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Coastal Carolina 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 Coastal Carolina.

  • The graduation rate at Coastal Carolina is higher than South Carolina State University (46% vs. 35%)
  • Graduates from Coastal Carolina University earn on average $11,200 more per year than South Carolina State University graduates after ten years. ($42,200 vs. $31,000)
  • Coastal Carolina University students graduate with a $8,275 lower median federal student loan debt than South Carolina State University graduates. ($24,930 vs. $33,205)
  • Coastal Carolina graduates are paying $86 less per month on federal student loans than South Carolina State University graduates. ($257 vs. $343)
  • More Coastal Carolina graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former South Carolina State University students, three years after graduation. (54% vs. 27%)

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