CofC vs. SVU

Should I go to College of Charleston or Southern Virginia University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if CofC or SVU 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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College of Charleston vs. Southern Virginia University comparison
College of Charleston Southern Virginia University College 3 College 4
College of Charleston Southern Virginia University
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Overview

CofC SVU
Location Charleston, SC Buena Vista, VA
Setting Midsize City Distant Town
Enrollment 11,729 967
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #435
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website cofc.edu svu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

CofC SVU
Tuition (In State) $12,518 $19,790
Tuition (Out of State) $36,398 $19,790
Room & Board $14,032 $9,376
Avg Net Price $20,806 $25,440
Avg Grant Aid $9,811 $7,775
% Receiving Grant Aid 81% 100%

Admission

CofC SVU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 26,683 1,101
Admitted 19,212 1,097
Acceptance Rate 72% 99.6%
Enrolled % 13.7% 26.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.94 3.19
Typical High School Grades A- B
Admissions Standards Challenging Moderate
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 24/29 18/25
SAT Range 1130/1300 943/1253
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 Jan 15, 2026

Academics

CofC SVU
Student to Faculty Ratio 16:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (23%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • Education (10%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • Business (21%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (15%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (14%)
  • English and Literature (13%)
  • Work and Family Studies (12%)

Outcomes

CofC SVU
Graduation Rate 63% 25%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $46,200 $40,600
Making Student Loan Payments 60% 53%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,500 $23,654
Median Loan Payment $222 $244

Diversity

CofC SVU
% Men 2% 31%
% Women 7% 29%
Racial Diversity Very Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 80% 80%
% Black 7% 4%
% Hispanic 5% 4%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 1%
% Two or More Races 4% 7%
% International 1% 2%
% Unknown Race 1% 1%

Students

CofC SVU
% In-State 38% 12%
% Out-of-State 61% 73%

Campus

CofC SVU
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • College of Charleston is larger than than SVU based on total student enrollment (11,729 students vs. 967 students)

CofC vs. SVU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, CofC or SVU?

  • Southern Virginia University is 58.1% more expensive to attend than CofC for in-state tuition ($19,790.00 vs. $12,518.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 83.9% higher at CofC than Southern Virginia University ($36,398.00 vs. $19,790.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at College of Charleston than SVU ($20,806 vs. $25,440)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Southern Virginia University are 49.7% lower than costs at College of Charleston ($9,376 vs. $14,032)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Southern Virginia University than College of Charleston (100% vs. 81%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by College of Charleston students is 26.2% larger than aid received Southern Virginia University ($9,811 vs. $7,775)

CofC vs. SVU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at College of Charleston (1141) is 100 points higher than at SVU (1041)
  • Incoming CofC students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (26) than students at SVU (23)
  • Accepted freshman CofC students have a 0.75 point higher average high school GPA (3.94) than students at SVU (3.19)
  • SVU has a higher acceptance rate (99.6%) than CofC (72%)

CofC vs. SVU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, CofC or SVU? 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 SVU and CofC.

  • The graduation rate at CofC is higher than Southern Virginia University (63% vs. 25%)
  • Graduates from College of Charleston earn on average $5,600 more per year than SVU graduates after ten years. ($46,200 vs. $40,600)
  • College of Charleston students graduate with a $2,154 lower median federal student loan debt than SVU graduates. ($21,500 vs. $23,654)
  • CofC graduates are paying $22 less per month on federal student loans than SVU graduates. ($222 vs. $244)
  • More CofC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former SVU students, three years after graduation. (60% vs. 53%)

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