Georgia Southwestern vs. USC Aiken

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

Georgia Southwestern USC Aiken
Location Americus, GA Aiken, SC
Setting Distant Town Rural Fringe
Enrollment 3,070 3,840
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #908 #888
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website gsw.edu usca.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Georgia Southwestern USC Aiken
Tuition (In State) $4,064 $10,398
Tuition (Out of State) $14,786 $20,856
Room & Board $8,978 $8,376
Avg Net Price $12,186 $11,872
Avg Grant Aid $9,472 $9,891
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 100%

Admission

Georgia Southwestern USC Aiken
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,939 2,453
Admitted 1,419 1,855
Acceptance Rate 73.2% 75.6%
Enrolled % 34.2% 29.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.17 3.19
Typical High School Grades B B
Admissions Standards Easy Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 19/25 18/24
SAT Range 1010/1160 950/1180
Submit Test Scores Required to be considered for admission Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Jul 21, 2025 Aug 1, 2025

Academics

Georgia Southwestern USC Aiken
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (37%)
  • Education (25%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Psychology (6%)
  • Social Sciences (3%)
  • Business (25%)
  • Education (14%)
  • Health Professions (12%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (9%)

Outcomes

Georgia Southwestern USC Aiken
Graduation Rate 30% 41%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $38,100 $39,600
Making Student Loan Payments 45% 54%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,000 $26,000
Median Loan Payment $227 $268

Diversity

Georgia Southwestern USC Aiken
% Men 33% 36%
% Women 67% 64%
Racial Diversity Medium High
HBCU No No
% White 62% 58%
% Black 29% 27%
% Hispanic 3% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 4%
% International 2% 4%
% Unknown Race 0% 2%

Students

Georgia Southwestern USC Aiken
% In-State 95% 87%
% Out-of-State 4% 11%

Campus

Georgia Southwestern 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

  • University of South Carolina Aiken is larger than than Georgia Southwestern based on total student enrollment (3,840 students vs. 3,070 students)

Georgia Southwestern vs. USC Aiken Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Georgia Southwestern or USC Aiken?

  • University of South Carolina Aiken is 155.9% more expensive to attend than Georgia Southwestern for in-state tuition ($10,398.00 vs. $4,064.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 41.1% higher at USC Aiken than Georgia Southwestern State University ($20,856.00 vs. $14,786.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of South Carolina Aiken than Georgia Southwestern ($11,872 vs. $12,186)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of South Carolina Aiken are 7.2% lower than costs at Georgia Southwestern State University ($8,376 vs. $8,978)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Georgia Southwestern State University as University of South Carolina Aiken (100% vs. 100%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of South Carolina Aiken students is 4.4% larger than aid received Georgia Southwestern State University ($9,891 vs. $9,472)

Georgia Southwestern vs. USC Aiken Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of South Carolina Aiken (976) is 9 points higher than at Georgia Southwestern (967)
  • Incoming Georgia Southwestern students have at the same average ACT score (21) as students at USC Aiken (21)
  • Accepted freshman USC Aiken students have a 0.02 point higher average high school GPA (3.19) than students at Georgia Southwestern (3.17)
  • USC Aiken has a higher acceptance rate (75.6%) than Georgia Southwestern (73.2%)

Georgia Southwestern vs. USC Aiken Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Georgia Southwestern 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 Georgia Southwestern.

  • The graduation rate at USC Aiken is higher than Georgia Southwestern State University (41% vs. 30%)
  • Graduates from University of South Carolina Aiken earn on average $1,500 more per year than Georgia Southwestern graduates after ten years. ($39,600 vs. $38,100)
  • Georgia Southwestern State University students graduate with a $4,000 lower median federal student loan debt than USC Aiken graduates. ($22,000 vs. $26,000)
  • Georgia Southwestern graduates are paying $41 less per month on federal student loans than USC Aiken graduates. ($227 vs. $268)
  • More USC Aiken graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Georgia Southwestern students, three years after graduation. (54% vs. 45%)

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