Paine College vs. South Carolina State University

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

Paine College South Carolina State University
Location Augusta, GA Orangeburg, SC
Setting Midsize City Distant Town
Enrollment 310 2,649
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #1011
Religious Affiliation United Methodist - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website paine.edu scsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Paine College South Carolina State University
Tuition (In State) $12,706 $9,528
Tuition (Out of State) $12,706 $20,218
Room & Board $7,512 $9,000
Avg Net Price $15,877 $17,435
Avg Grant Aid $11,755 $15,873
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 96%

Admission

Paine College South Carolina State University
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 3,302 6,833
Admitted 1,701 5,733
Acceptance Rate 51.5% 83.9%
Enrolled % 5.3% 15.7%
Avg High School GPA 2.81 3.17
Typical High School Grades B- B
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 15/19 15/19
SAT Range 776/976 800/1050
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Jul 1, 2025 Jul 31, 2025

Academics

Paine College South Carolina State University
Student to Faculty Ratio 10:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (19%)
  • Communication (16%)
  • Social Sciences (15%)
  • Biology (14%)
  • Psychology (11%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Work and Family Studies (11%)
  • Education (10%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • Health Professions (9%)

Outcomes

Paine College South Carolina State University
Graduation Rate 27% 35%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $28,400 $31,000
Making Student Loan Payments 15% 27%
Median Student Loan Debt $35,750 $33,205
Median Loan Payment $369 $343

Diversity

Paine College South Carolina State University
% Men 43% 44%
% Women 57% 56%
Racial Diversity Very Low Extremely Low
HBCU Yes Yes
% White 2% 2%
% Black 89% 96%
% Hispanic 2% 0%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 0%
% International 3% 0%
% Unknown Race 2% 0%

Students

Paine College South Carolina State University
% In-State 71% 77%
% Out-of-State 28% 23%

Campus

Paine College South Carolina State University
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No Yes
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • South Carolina State University is larger than than Paine College based on total student enrollment (2,649 students vs. 310 students)

Paine College vs. South Carolina State University Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Paine College or South Carolina State University?

  • Paine College is 33.4% more expensive to attend than South Carolina State University for in-state tuition ($12,706.00 vs. $9,528.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 59.1% higher at South Carolina State University than Paine College ($20,218.00 vs. $12,706.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Paine College than South Carolina State University ($15,877 vs. $17,435)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Paine College are 19.8% lower than costs at South Carolina State University ($7,512 vs. $9,000)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Paine College than South Carolina State University (100% vs. 96%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by South Carolina State University students is 35% larger than aid received Paine College ($15,873 vs. $11,755)

Paine College vs. South Carolina State University Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at South Carolina State University (760) is 11 points higher than at Paine College (749)
  • Incoming Paine College students have at the same average ACT score (16) as students at South Carolina State University (16)
  • Accepted freshman South Carolina State University students have a 0.36 point higher average high school GPA (3.17) than students at Paine College (2.81)
  • South Carolina State University has a higher acceptance rate (83.9%) than Paine College (51.5%)

Paine College vs. South Carolina State University Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Paine College or South Carolina State University? 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 South Carolina State University and Paine College.

  • The graduation rate at South Carolina State University is higher than Paine College (35% vs. 27%)
  • Graduates from South Carolina State University earn on average $2,600 more per year than Paine College graduates after ten years. ($31,000 vs. $28,400)
  • South Carolina State University students graduate with a $2,545 lower median federal student loan debt than Paine College graduates. ($33,205 vs. $35,750)
  • South Carolina State University graduates are paying $26 less per month on federal student loans than Paine College graduates. ($343 vs. $369)
  • More South Carolina State University graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Paine College students, three years after graduation. (27% vs. 15%)

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