Montreat College vs. USC Aiken

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

 Montreat College USC Aiken
Location Montreat, NC Aiken, SC
Setting Midsize Suburban Rural Fringe
Enrollment 932 3,855
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #883
Religious Affiliation Presbyterian Church (USA) - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website montreat.edu usca.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Montreat College USC Aiken
Tuition (In State) $31,460 $10,398
Tuition (Out of State) $31,460 $20,856
Room & Board $10,730 $8,736
Avg Net Price $26,294 $11,697
Avg Grant Aid $19,528 $9,701
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 98%

Admission

 Montreat College USC Aiken
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 2,154 2,905
Admitted 1,412 2,316
Acceptance Rate 65.6% 79.7%
Enrolled % 14.2% 26.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.07 3.19
Typical High School Grades B B
Admissions Standards Average Very Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 21/28 17/23
SAT Range 1030/1220 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 Aug 1, 2025

Academics

 Montreat College USC Aiken
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (65%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)
  • Education (5%)
  • Natural Resources Conservation (5%)
  • Philosophy and Religious Studies (4%)
  • Business (25%)
  • Education (14%)
  • Health Professions (12%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (9%)

Outcomes

 Montreat College USC Aiken
Graduation Rate 35% 41%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $40,900 $39,600
Making Student Loan Payments 55% 54%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,000 $26,000
Median Loan Payment $258 $268

Diversity

 Montreat College USC Aiken
% Men 6% 6%
% Women 13% 13%
Racial Diversity Medium High
HBCU No No
% White 64% 58%
% Black 16% 27%
% Hispanic 3% 4%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 4%
% International 5% 4%
% Unknown Race 7% 2%

Students

 Montreat College USC Aiken
% In-State 52% 88%
% Out-of-State 44% 11%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of South Carolina Aiken is larger than than Montreat College based on total student enrollment (3,855 students vs. 932 students)

Montreat College vs. USC Aiken Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Montreat College or USC Aiken?

  • Montreat College is 202.6% more expensive to attend than USC Aiken for in-state tuition ($31,460.00 vs. $10,398.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 50.8% higher at Montreat College than University of South Carolina Aiken ($31,460.00 vs. $20,856.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of South Carolina Aiken than Montreat College ($11,697 vs. $26,294)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of South Carolina Aiken are 22.8% lower than costs at Montreat College ($8,736 vs. $10,730)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Montreat College than University of South Carolina Aiken (100% vs. 98%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Montreat College students is 101.3% larger than aid received University of South Carolina Aiken ($19,528 vs. $9,701)

Montreat College vs. USC Aiken Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of South Carolina Aiken (976) is 16 points higher than at Montreat College (960)
  • Incoming Montreat College students have at the same average ACT score (21) as students at USC Aiken (21)
  • Accepted freshman USC Aiken students have a 0.12 point higher average high school GPA (3.19) than students at Montreat College (3.07)
  • USC Aiken has a higher acceptance rate (79.7%) than Montreat College (65.6%)

Montreat College vs. USC Aiken Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Montreat College 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 Montreat College.

  • The graduation rate at USC Aiken is higher than Montreat College (41% vs. 35%)
  • Graduates from Montreat College earn on average $1,300 more per year than USC Aiken graduates after ten years. ($40,900 vs. $39,600)
  • Montreat College students graduate with a $1,000 lower median federal student loan debt than USC Aiken graduates. ($25,000 vs. $26,000)
  • Montreat College graduates are paying $10 less per month on federal student loans than USC Aiken graduates. ($258 vs. $268)
  • More Montreat College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former USC Aiken students, three years after graduation. (55% vs. 54%)

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