Columbus State vs. USC Aiken

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

Columbus State USC Aiken
Location Columbus, GA Aiken, SC
Setting Midsize City Rural Fringe
Enrollment 7,479 3,840
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #995 #888
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website columbusstate.edu usca.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Columbus State USC Aiken
Tuition (In State) $4,371 $10,398
Tuition (Out of State) $15,425 $20,856
Room & Board $12,080 $8,376
Avg Net Price $12,902 $11,872
Avg Grant Aid $9,147 $9,891
% Receiving Grant Aid 98% 100%

Admission

Columbus State USC Aiken
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 3,870 2,453
Admitted 3,398 1,855
Acceptance Rate 87.8% 75.6%
Enrolled % 30.4% 29.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.07 3.19
Typical High School Grades B B
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 16/23 18/24
SAT Range 900/1130 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 Jun 30, 2025 Aug 1, 2025

Academics

Columbus State USC Aiken
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (24%)
  • Business (19%)
  • Education (14%)
  • Health Professions (14%)
  • English and Literature (4%)
  • Business (25%)
  • Education (14%)
  • Health Professions (12%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (9%)

Outcomes

Columbus State USC Aiken
Graduation Rate 31% 41%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $37,400 $39,600
Making Student Loan Payments 37% 54%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,000 $26,000
Median Loan Payment $268 $268

Diversity

Columbus State USC Aiken
% Men 40% 36%
% Women 60% 64%
Racial Diversity High High
HBCU No No
% White 51% 58%
% Black 37% 27%
% Hispanic 6% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 4%
% International 1% 4%
% Unknown Race 0% 2%

Students

Columbus State USC Aiken
% In-State 92% 87%
% Out-of-State 5% 11%

Campus

Columbus State 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

  • Columbus State University is larger than than USC Aiken based on total student enrollment (7,479 students vs. 3,840 students)

Columbus State vs. USC Aiken Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Columbus State or USC Aiken?

  • University of South Carolina Aiken is 137.9% more expensive to attend than Columbus State for in-state tuition ($10,398.00 vs. $4,371.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 35.2% higher at USC Aiken than Columbus State University ($20,856.00 vs. $15,425.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of South Carolina Aiken than Columbus State ($11,872 vs. $12,902)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of South Carolina Aiken are 44.2% lower than costs at Columbus State University ($8,376 vs. $12,080)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of South Carolina Aiken than Columbus State University (100% vs. 98%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of South Carolina Aiken students is 8.1% larger than aid received Columbus State University ($9,891 vs. $9,147)

Columbus State vs. USC Aiken Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of South Carolina Aiken (976) is 15 points higher than at Columbus State (961)
  • Incoming USC Aiken students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (21) than students at Columbus State (20)
  • Accepted freshman USC Aiken students have a 0.12 point higher average high school GPA (3.19) than students at Columbus State (3.07)
  • Columbus State has a higher acceptance rate (87.8%) than USC Aiken (75.6%)

Columbus State vs. USC Aiken Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Columbus State 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 Columbus State.

  • The graduation rate at USC Aiken is higher than Columbus State University (41% vs. 31%)
  • Graduates from University of South Carolina Aiken earn on average $2,200 more per year than Columbus State graduates after ten years. ($39,600 vs. $37,400)
  • University of South Carolina Aiken and Columbus State graduates both have the same median student loan debt upon graduation ($26,000 vs. $26,000)
  • University of South Carolina Aiken and Columbus State graduates both have a median monthly student loan payment upon graduation ($268 vs. $268)
  • More USC Aiken graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Columbus State students, three years after graduation. (54% vs. 37%)

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