Penn State vs. UofSC

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

 Penn State UofSC
Location University Park, PA Columbia, SC
Setting Small City Midsize City
Enrollment 50,399 36,579
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #171 #210
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website psu.edu sc.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Penn State UofSC
Tuition (In State) $19,672 $12,288
Tuition (Out of State) $39,626 $34,534
Room & Board $13,030 $12,558
Avg Net Price $27,450 $26,068
Avg Grant Aid $11,577 $6,762
% Receiving Grant Aid 36% 91%

Admission

 Penn State UofSC
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 85,956 46,682
Admitted 46,605 28,706
Acceptance Rate 54.2% 61.5%
Enrolled % 19.4% 25.5%
Avg High School GPA - 3.69
Typical High School Grades - B+
Admissions Standards Very High Very High
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 27/32 26/32
SAT Range 1220/1400 1180/1380
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 Dec 1, 2025

Academics

 Penn State UofSC
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 18:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (16%)
  • Engineering (12%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (7%)
  • Social Sciences (7%)
  • Business (35%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • Psychology (6%)

Outcomes

 Penn State UofSC
Graduation Rate 87% 70%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $55,300 $51,700
Making Student Loan Payments 69% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,818 $23,250
Median Loan Payment $277 $240

Diversity

 Penn State UofSC
% Men 8% 8%
% Women 8% 14%
Racial Diversity Medium Low
HBCU No No
% White 69% 77%
% Black 4% 10%
% Hispanic 6% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 4%
% International 11% 1%
% Unknown Race 2% 1%

Students

 Penn State UofSC
% In-State 51% 54%
% Out-of-State 40% 45%

Campus

 Penn State UofSC
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required Yes No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes Yes
Daycare Facility Yes Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Penn State Main Campus is larger than than UofSC based on total student enrollment (50,399 students vs. 36,579 students)

Penn State vs. UofSC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Penn State or UofSC?

  • Penn State Main Campus is 60.1% more expensive to attend than UofSC for in-state tuition ($19,672.00 vs. $12,288.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 14.7% higher at Penn State than University of South Carolina Columbia ($39,626.00 vs. $34,534.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of South Carolina Columbia than Penn State ($26,068 vs. $27,450)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of South Carolina Columbia are 3.8% lower than costs at Penn State Main Campus ($12,558 vs. $13,030)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of South Carolina Columbia than Penn State Main Campus (91% vs. 36%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Penn State Main Campus students is 71.2% larger than aid received University of South Carolina Columbia ($11,577 vs. $6,762)

Penn State vs. UofSC Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of South Carolina Columbia (1220) is 18 points higher than at Penn State (1202)
  • Incoming UofSC students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (28) than students at Penn State (27)
  • UofSC has a higher acceptance rate (61.5%) than Penn State (54.2%)

Penn State vs. UofSC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Penn State or UofSC? 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 UofSC and Penn State.

  • The graduation rate at Penn State is higher than University of South Carolina Columbia (87% vs. 70%)
  • Graduates from Penn State Main Campus earn on average $3,600 more per year than UofSC graduates after ten years. ($55,300 vs. $51,700)
  • University of South Carolina Columbia students graduate with a $3,568 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State graduates. ($23,250 vs. $26,818)
  • UofSC graduates are paying $37 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State graduates. ($240 vs. $277)
  • More UofSC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 69%)

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