Humboldt State University vs. USC Aiken

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

Humboldt State University USC Aiken
Location Arcata, CA Aiken, SC
Setting Remote Town Rural Fringe
Enrollment 6,156 3,855
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #803 #883
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website humboldt.edu usca.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Humboldt State University USC Aiken
Tuition (In State) $5,742 $10,398
Tuition (Out of State) $17,622 $20,856
Room & Board $13,166 $8,736
Avg Net Price $13,837 $11,697
Avg Grant Aid $10,046 $9,701
% Receiving Grant Aid 65% 98%

Admission

Humboldt State University USC Aiken
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 14,019 2,905
Admitted 13,855 2,316
Acceptance Rate 98.8% 79.7%
Enrolled % 6.9% 26.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.33 3.19
Typical High School Grades B+ B
Admissions Standards Easy Very Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 17/25 17/23
SAT Range 970/1190 970/1200
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Apr 30, 2025 Aug 1, 2025

Academics

Humboldt State University USC Aiken
Student to Faculty Ratio 14:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Natural Resources Conservation (12%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (11%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)
  • Business (25%)
  • Education (14%)
  • Health Professions (12%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (9%)

Outcomes

Humboldt State University USC Aiken
Graduation Rate 40% 41%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $39,000 $39,600
Making Student Loan Payments 56% 54%
Median Student Loan Debt $19,500 $26,000
Median Loan Payment $201 $268

Diversity

Humboldt State University USC Aiken
% Men 3% 6%
% Women 6% 13%
Racial Diversity Very High High
HBCU No No
% White 45% 58%
% Black 3% 27%
% Hispanic 33% 4%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 6% 4%
% International 1% 4%
% Unknown Race 7% 2%

Students

Humboldt State University USC Aiken
% In-State 93% 88%
% Out-of-State 7% 11%

Campus

Humboldt State University USC Aiken
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility Yes Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Humboldt State University is larger than than USC Aiken based on total student enrollment (6,156 students vs. 3,855 students)

Humboldt State University vs. USC Aiken Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Humboldt State University or USC Aiken?

  • University of South Carolina Aiken is 81.1% more expensive to attend than Humboldt State University for in-state tuition ($10,398.00 vs. $5,742.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 18.4% higher at USC Aiken than Humboldt State University ($20,856.00 vs. $17,622.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of South Carolina Aiken than Humboldt State University ($11,697 vs. $13,837)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of South Carolina Aiken are 50.7% lower than costs at Humboldt State University ($8,736 vs. $13,166)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of South Carolina Aiken than Humboldt State University (98% vs. 65%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Humboldt State University students is 3.6% larger than aid received University of South Carolina Aiken ($10,046 vs. $9,701)

Humboldt State University vs. USC Aiken Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Humboldt State University (990) is 14 points higher than at USC Aiken (976)
  • Incoming Humboldt State University students have at the same average ACT score (21) as students at USC Aiken (21)
  • Accepted freshman Humboldt State University students have a 0.14 point higher average high school GPA (3.33) than students at USC Aiken (3.19)
  • Humboldt State University has a higher acceptance rate (98.8%) than USC Aiken (79.7%)

Humboldt State University vs. USC Aiken Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Humboldt State University 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 Humboldt State University.

  • The graduation rate at USC Aiken is higher than Humboldt State University (41% vs. 40%)
  • Graduates from University of South Carolina Aiken earn on average $600 more per year than Humboldt State University graduates after ten years. ($39,600 vs. $39,000)
  • Humboldt State University students graduate with a $6,500 lower median federal student loan debt than USC Aiken graduates. ($19,500 vs. $26,000)
  • Humboldt State University graduates are paying $67 less per month on federal student loans than USC Aiken graduates. ($201 vs. $268)
  • More Humboldt State University graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former USC Aiken students, three years after graduation. (56% vs. 54%)

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