Eastern vs. USC Aiken

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

 Eastern USC Aiken
Location Richmond, KY Aiken, SC
Setting Distant Town Rural Fringe
Enrollment 14,324 3,840
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #854 #888
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website eku.edu usca.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Eastern USC Aiken
Tuition (In State) $9,544 $10,398
Tuition (Out of State) $19,922 $20,856
Room & Board $10,360 $8,376
Avg Net Price $10,806 $11,872
Avg Grant Aid $10,583 $9,891
% Receiving Grant Aid 98% 100%

Admission

 Eastern USC Aiken
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 15,821 2,453
Admitted 10,174 1,855
Acceptance Rate 64.3% 75.6%
Enrolled % 26.9% 29.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.39 3.19
Typical High School Grades B+ B
Admissions Standards Easy Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 17/24 18/24
SAT Range 940/1185 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 Aug 1, 2025 Aug 1, 2025

Academics

 Eastern USC Aiken
Student to Faculty Ratio 16:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Health Professions (16%)
  • Education (16%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (14%)
  • Business (9%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)
  • Business (25%)
  • Education (14%)
  • Health Professions (12%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (9%)

Outcomes

 Eastern USC Aiken
Graduation Rate 38% 41%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $37,900 $39,600
Making Student Loan Payments 49% 54%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,695 $26,000
Median Loan Payment $245 $268

Diversity

 Eastern USC Aiken
% Men 39% 36%
% Women 61% 64%
Racial Diversity Very Low High
HBCU No No
% White 85% 58%
% Black 6% 27%
% Hispanic 2% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 4%
% International 2% 4%
% Unknown Race 1% 2%

Students

 Eastern USC Aiken
% In-State 91% 87%
% Out-of-State 9% 11%

Campus

 Eastern 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

  • Eastern Kentucky University is larger than than USC Aiken based on total student enrollment (14,324 students vs. 3,840 students)

Eastern vs. USC Aiken Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Eastern or USC Aiken?

  • University of South Carolina Aiken is 8.9% more expensive to attend than Eastern for in-state tuition ($10,398.00 vs. $9,544.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 4.7% higher at USC Aiken than Eastern Kentucky University ($20,856.00 vs. $19,922.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Eastern Kentucky University than USC Aiken ($10,806 vs. $11,872)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of South Carolina Aiken are 23.7% lower than costs at Eastern Kentucky University ($8,376 vs. $10,360)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of South Carolina Aiken than Eastern Kentucky University (100% vs. 98%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Eastern Kentucky University students is 7% larger than aid received University of South Carolina Aiken ($10,583 vs. $9,891)

Eastern vs. USC Aiken Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Eastern Kentucky University (1028) is 52 points higher than at USC Aiken (976)
  • Incoming Eastern students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (22) than students at USC Aiken (21)
  • Accepted freshman Eastern students have a 0.2 point higher average high school GPA (3.39) than students at USC Aiken (3.19)
  • USC Aiken has a higher acceptance rate (75.6%) than Eastern (64.3%)

Eastern vs. USC Aiken Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Eastern 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 Eastern.

  • The graduation rate at USC Aiken is higher than Eastern Kentucky University (41% vs. 38%)
  • Graduates from University of South Carolina Aiken earn on average $1,700 more per year than Eastern graduates after ten years. ($39,600 vs. $37,900)
  • Eastern Kentucky University students graduate with a $2,305 lower median federal student loan debt than USC Aiken graduates. ($23,695 vs. $26,000)
  • Eastern graduates are paying $23 less per month on federal student loans than USC Aiken graduates. ($245 vs. $268)
  • More USC Aiken graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Eastern students, three years after graduation. (54% vs. 49%)

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