Columbus State vs. University of South Carolina-Upstate

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

Columbus State University of South Carolina-Upstate
Location Columbus, GA Spartanburg, SC
Setting Midsize City Midsize Suburban
Enrollment 7,479 4,913
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #995 #823
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website columbusstate.edu uscupstate.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Columbus State University of South Carolina-Upstate
Tuition (In State) $4,371 $11,208
Tuition (Out of State) $15,425 $22,170
Room & Board $12,080 $9,520
Avg Net Price $12,902 $13,835
Avg Grant Aid $9,147 $12,038
% Receiving Grant Aid 98% 99%

Admission

Columbus State University of South Carolina-Upstate
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 3,870 3,090
Admitted 3,398 2,428
Acceptance Rate 87.8% 78.6%
Enrolled % 30.4% 28.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.07 2.53
Typical High School Grades B C+
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 16/23 20/25
SAT Range 900/1130 950/1150
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

Academics

Columbus State University of South Carolina-Upstate
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%)
  • Health Professions (26%)
  • Education (20%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)
  • Psychology (6%)

Outcomes

Columbus State University of South Carolina-Upstate
Graduation Rate 31% 39%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $37,400 $39,300
Making Student Loan Payments 37% 55%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,000 $22,500
Median Loan Payment $268 $232

Diversity

Columbus State University of South Carolina-Upstate
% Men 40% 32%
% Women 60% 68%
Racial Diversity High High
HBCU No No
% White 51% 56%
% Black 37% 29%
% Hispanic 6% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 4%
% International 1% 2%
% Unknown Race 0% 2%

Students

Columbus State University of South Carolina-Upstate
% In-State 92% 92%
% Out-of-State 5% 6%

Campus

Columbus State University of South Carolina-Upstate
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 University of South Carolina-Upstate based on total student enrollment (7,479 students vs. 4,913 students)

Columbus State vs. University of South Carolina-Upstate Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Columbus State or University of South Carolina-Upstate?

  • University of South Carolina Upstate is 156.4% more expensive to attend than Columbus State for in-state tuition ($11,208.00 vs. $4,371.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 43.7% higher at University of South Carolina-Upstate than Columbus State University ($22,170.00 vs. $15,425.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Columbus State University than University of South Carolina-Upstate ($12,902 vs. $13,835)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of South Carolina Upstate are 26.9% lower than costs at Columbus State University ($9,520 vs. $12,080)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of South Carolina Upstate than Columbus State University (99% vs. 98%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of South Carolina Upstate students is 31.6% larger than aid received Columbus State University ($12,038 vs. $9,147)

Columbus State vs. University of South Carolina-Upstate Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Columbus State University (961) is 11 points higher than at University of South Carolina-Upstate (950)
  • Incoming Columbus State students have at the same average ACT score (20) as students at University of South Carolina-Upstate (20)
  • Accepted freshman Columbus State students have a 0.54 point higher average high school GPA (3.07) than students at University of South Carolina-Upstate (2.53)
  • Columbus State has a higher acceptance rate (87.8%) than University of South Carolina-Upstate (78.6%)

Columbus State vs. University of South Carolina-Upstate Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Columbus State or University of South Carolina-Upstate? 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 University of South Carolina-Upstate and Columbus State.

  • The graduation rate at University of South Carolina-Upstate is higher than Columbus State University (39% vs. 31%)
  • Graduates from University of South Carolina Upstate earn on average $1,900 more per year than Columbus State graduates after ten years. ($39,300 vs. $37,400)
  • University of South Carolina Upstate students graduate with a $3,500 lower median federal student loan debt than Columbus State graduates. ($22,500 vs. $26,000)
  • University of South Carolina-Upstate graduates are paying $36 less per month on federal student loans than Columbus State graduates. ($232 vs. $268)
  • More University of South Carolina-Upstate graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Columbus State students, three years after graduation. (55% vs. 37%)

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