CofC vs. USD

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

CofC USD
Location Charleston, SC Vermillion, SD
Setting Midsize City Distant Town
Enrollment 10,885 9,856
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #428 #597
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website cofc.edu usd.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

CofC USD
Tuition (In State) $12,518 $7,773
Tuition (Out of State) $35,338 $11,283
Room & Board $12,986 $8,224
Avg Net Price $21,120 $18,378
Avg Grant Aid $9,499 $6,308
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 79%

Admission

CofC USD
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 22,020 4,480
Admitted 16,666 4,456
Acceptance Rate 75.7% 99.5%
Enrolled % 13.3% 29.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.94 3.43
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Difficult Average
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 24/30 19/25
SAT Range 1130/1300 1020/1300
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

Academics

CofC USD
Student to Faculty Ratio 16:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (23%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • Education (10%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • Health Professions (32%)
  • Business (14%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Social Sciences (6%)

Outcomes

CofC USD
Graduation Rate 63% 47%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $46,200 $48,200
Making Student Loan Payments 60% 70%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,500 $25,000
Median Loan Payment $222 $258

Diversity

CofC USD
% Men 32% 37%
% Women 68% 63%
Racial Diversity Very Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 80% 85%
% Black 7% 3%
% Hispanic 5% 3%
% Native American 0% 2%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 3%
% International 1% 2%
% Unknown Race 1% 0%

Students

CofC USD
% In-State 44% 54%
% Out-of-State 54% 43%

Campus

CofC USD
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 USD based on total student enrollment (10,885 students vs. 9,856 students)

CofC vs. USD Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, CofC or USD?

  • College of Charleston is 61% more expensive to attend than USD for in-state tuition ($12,518.00 vs. $7,773.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 213.2% higher at CofC than University of South Dakota ($35,338.00 vs. $11,283.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of South Dakota than CofC ($18,378 vs. $21,120)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of South Dakota are 57.9% lower than costs at College of Charleston ($8,224 vs. $12,986)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at College of Charleston than University of South Dakota (100% vs. 79%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by College of Charleston students is 50.6% larger than aid received University of South Dakota ($9,499 vs. $6,308)

CofC vs. USD Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at College of Charleston (1141) is 92 points higher than at USD (1049)
  • Incoming CofC students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (26) than students at USD (23)
  • Accepted freshman CofC students have a 0.51 point higher average high school GPA (3.94) than students at USD (3.43)
  • USD has a higher acceptance rate (99.5%) than CofC (75.7%)

CofC vs. USD Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at CofC is higher than University of South Dakota (63% vs. 47%)
  • Graduates from University of South Dakota earn on average $2,000 more per year than CofC graduates after ten years. ($48,200 vs. $46,200)
  • College of Charleston students graduate with a $3,500 lower median federal student loan debt than USD graduates. ($21,500 vs. $25,000)
  • CofC graduates are paying $36 less per month on federal student loans than USD graduates. ($222 vs. $258)
  • More USD graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former CofC students, three years after graduation. (70% vs. 60%)

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