Piedmont College vs. CSU

Should I go to Piedmont College or Charleston Southern University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Piedmont College or CSU 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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Piedmont College vs. Charleston Southern University comparison
Piedmont College Charleston Southern University College 3 College 4
Piedmont College Charleston Southern University
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Overview

Piedmont College CSU
Location Demorest, GA Charleston, SC
Setting Distant Town Small City
Enrollment 1,843 3,418
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #522 #918
Religious Affiliation United Church of Christ Baptist - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website piedmont.edu csuniv.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Piedmont College CSU
Tuition (In State) $28,970 $29,490
Tuition (Out of State) $28,970 $29,490
Room & Board $11,562 $11,250
Avg Net Price $18,792 $17,536
Avg Grant Aid $24,065 $26,417
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 99%

Admission

Piedmont College CSU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 2,331 4,967
Admitted 1,500 4,309
Acceptance Rate 64.4% 86.8%
Enrolled % 20.1% 16.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.54 3.24
Typical High School Grades B+ B
Admissions Standards Easy Very Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 19/25 18/23
SAT Range 990/1200 940/1170
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 Jul 15, 2025

Academics

Piedmont College CSU
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Education (40%)
  • Business (20%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Health Professions (7%)
  • Social Sciences (4%)
  • Business (24%)
  • Education (11%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Biology (8%)

Outcomes

Piedmont College CSU
Graduation Rate 46% 38%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $41,000 $39,800
Making Student Loan Payments 44% 50%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,736 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $245 $279

Diversity

Piedmont College CSU
% Men 28% 36%
% Women 72% 64%
Racial Diversity Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 71% 61%
% Black 9% 26%
% Hispanic 5% 3%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 2%
% International 1% 1%
% Unknown Race 10% 4%

Students

Piedmont College CSU
% In-State 85% 76%
% Out-of-State 14% 23%

Campus

Piedmont College CSU
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

  • Charleston Southern University is larger than than Piedmont College based on total student enrollment (3,418 students vs. 1,843 students)

Piedmont College vs. CSU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Piedmont College or CSU?

  • Charleston Southern University is 1.8% more expensive to attend than Piedmont College for in-state tuition ($29,490.00 vs. $28,970.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 1.8% higher at CSU than Piedmont College ($29,490.00 vs. $28,970.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Charleston Southern University than Piedmont College ($17,536 vs. $18,792)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Charleston Southern University are 2.8% lower than costs at Piedmont College ($11,250 vs. $11,562)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Piedmont College than Charleston Southern University (100% vs. 99%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Charleston Southern University students is 9.8% larger than aid received Piedmont College ($26,417 vs. $24,065)

Piedmont College vs. CSU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Charleston Southern University (1030) is 35 points higher than at Piedmont College (995)
  • Incoming CSU students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at Piedmont College (22)
  • Accepted freshman Piedmont College students have a 0.3 point higher average high school GPA (3.54) than students at CSU (3.24)
  • CSU has a higher acceptance rate (86.8%) than Piedmont College (64.4%)

Piedmont College vs. CSU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Piedmont College or CSU? 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 CSU and Piedmont College.

  • The graduation rate at Piedmont College is higher than Charleston Southern University (46% vs. 38%)
  • Graduates from Piedmont College earn on average $1,200 more per year than CSU graduates after ten years. ($41,000 vs. $39,800)
  • Piedmont College students graduate with a $3,264 lower median federal student loan debt than CSU graduates. ($23,736 vs. $27,000)
  • Piedmont College graduates are paying $34 less per month on federal student loans than CSU graduates. ($245 vs. $279)
  • More CSU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Piedmont College students, three years after graduation. (50% vs. 44%)

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