Piedmont College vs. USC Aiken

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

Piedmont College USC Aiken
Location Demorest, GA Aiken, SC
Setting Distant Town Rural Fringe
Enrollment 1,843 3,840
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #522 #888
Religious Affiliation United Church of Christ - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website piedmont.edu usca.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Piedmont College USC Aiken
Tuition (In State) $28,970 $10,398
Tuition (Out of State) $28,970 $20,856
Room & Board $11,562 $8,376
Avg Net Price $18,792 $11,872
Avg Grant Aid $24,065 $9,891
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 100%

Admission

Piedmont College USC Aiken
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 2,331 2,453
Admitted 1,500 1,855
Acceptance Rate 64.4% 75.6%
Enrolled % 20.1% 29.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.54 3.19
Typical High School Grades B+ B
Admissions Standards Easy Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 19/25 18/24
SAT Range 990/1200 950/1180
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 Aug 1, 2025

Academics

Piedmont College USC Aiken
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Education (40%)
  • Business (20%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Health Professions (7%)
  • Social Sciences (4%)
  • Business (25%)
  • Education (14%)
  • Health Professions (12%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (9%)

Outcomes

Piedmont College USC Aiken
Graduation Rate 46% 41%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $41,000 $39,600
Making Student Loan Payments 44% 54%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,736 $26,000
Median Loan Payment $245 $268

Diversity

Piedmont College USC Aiken
% Men 28% 36%
% Women 72% 64%
Racial Diversity Low High
HBCU No No
% White 71% 58%
% Black 9% 27%
% Hispanic 5% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 4%
% International 1% 4%
% Unknown Race 10% 2%

Students

Piedmont College USC Aiken
% In-State 85% 87%
% Out-of-State 14% 11%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of South Carolina Aiken is larger than than Piedmont College based on total student enrollment (3,840 students vs. 1,843 students)

Piedmont College vs. USC Aiken Cost Comparison

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

  • Piedmont College is 178.6% more expensive to attend than USC Aiken for in-state tuition ($28,970.00 vs. $10,398.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 38.9% higher at Piedmont College than University of South Carolina Aiken ($28,970.00 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 Piedmont College ($11,872 vs. $18,792)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of South Carolina Aiken are 38% lower than costs at Piedmont College ($8,376 vs. $11,562)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Piedmont College as University of South Carolina Aiken (100% vs. 100%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Piedmont College students is 143.3% larger than aid received University of South Carolina Aiken ($24,065 vs. $9,891)

Piedmont College vs. USC Aiken Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Piedmont College (995) is 19 points higher than at USC Aiken (976)
  • Incoming Piedmont College students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (22) than students at USC Aiken (21)
  • Accepted freshman Piedmont College students have a 0.35 point higher average high school GPA (3.54) than students at USC Aiken (3.19)
  • USC Aiken has a higher acceptance rate (75.6%) than Piedmont College (64.4%)

Piedmont College vs. USC Aiken Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Piedmont 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 Piedmont College.

  • The graduation rate at Piedmont College is higher than University of South Carolina Aiken (46% vs. 41%)
  • Graduates from Piedmont College earn on average $1,400 more per year than USC Aiken graduates after ten years. ($41,000 vs. $39,600)
  • Piedmont College students graduate with a $2,264 lower median federal student loan debt than USC Aiken graduates. ($23,736 vs. $26,000)
  • Piedmont College graduates are paying $23 less per month on federal student loans than USC Aiken graduates. ($245 vs. $268)
  • More USC Aiken graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Piedmont College students, three years after graduation. (54% vs. 44%)

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