CofC vs. USC Aiken

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

CofC USC Aiken
Location Charleston, SC Aiken, SC
Setting Midsize City Rural Fringe
Enrollment 10,885 3,840
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #428 #888
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website cofc.edu usca.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

CofC USC Aiken
Tuition (In State) $12,518 $10,398
Tuition (Out of State) $35,338 $20,856
Room & Board $12,986 $8,376
Avg Net Price $21,120 $11,872
Avg Grant Aid $9,499 $9,891
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 100%

Admission

CofC USC Aiken
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 22,020 2,453
Admitted 16,666 1,855
Acceptance Rate 75.7% 75.6%
Enrolled % 13.3% 29.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.94 3.19
Typical High School Grades A- B
Admissions Standards Difficult Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 24/30 18/24
SAT Range 1130/1300 950/1180
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, 2025 Aug 1, 2025

Academics

CofC USC Aiken
Student to Faculty Ratio 16:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (23%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • Education (10%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • Business (25%)
  • Education (14%)
  • Health Professions (12%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (9%)

Outcomes

CofC USC Aiken
Graduation Rate 63% 41%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $46,200 $39,600
Making Student Loan Payments 60% 54%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,500 $26,000
Median Loan Payment $222 $268

Diversity

CofC USC Aiken
% Men 32% 36%
% Women 68% 64%
Racial Diversity Very Low High
HBCU No No
% White 80% 58%
% Black 7% 27%
% Hispanic 5% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 4%
% International 1% 4%
% Unknown Race 1% 2%

Students

CofC USC Aiken
% In-State 44% 87%
% Out-of-State 54% 11%

Campus

CofC USC Aiken
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

  • College of Charleston is larger than than USC Aiken based on total student enrollment (10,885 students vs. 3,840 students)

CofC vs. USC Aiken Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, CofC or USC Aiken?

  • College of Charleston is 20.4% more expensive to attend than USC Aiken for in-state tuition ($12,518.00 vs. $10,398.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 69.4% higher at CofC than University of South Carolina Aiken ($35,338.00 vs. $20,856.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of South Carolina Aiken than CofC ($11,872 vs. $21,120)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of South Carolina Aiken are 55% lower than costs at College of Charleston ($8,376 vs. $12,986)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at College of Charleston as University of South Carolina Aiken (100% vs. 100%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of South Carolina Aiken students is 4.1% larger than aid received College of Charleston ($9,891 vs. $9,499)

CofC vs. USC Aiken Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at College of Charleston (1141) is 165 points higher than at USC Aiken (976)
  • Incoming CofC students have a 5 point higher average ACT score (26) than students at USC Aiken (21)
  • Accepted freshman CofC students have a 0.75 point higher average high school GPA (3.94) than students at USC Aiken (3.19)
  • CofC has a higher acceptance rate (75.7%) than USC Aiken (75.6%)

CofC vs. USC Aiken Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, CofC 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 CofC.

  • The graduation rate at CofC is higher than University of South Carolina Aiken (63% vs. 41%)
  • Graduates from College of Charleston earn on average $6,600 more per year than USC Aiken graduates after ten years. ($46,200 vs. $39,600)
  • College of Charleston students graduate with a $4,500 lower median federal student loan debt than USC Aiken graduates. ($21,500 vs. $26,000)
  • CofC graduates are paying $46 less per month on federal student loans than USC Aiken graduates. ($222 vs. $268)
  • More CofC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former USC Aiken students, three years after graduation. (60% vs. 54%)

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