Piedmont College vs. USC Beaufort

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

Piedmont College USC Beaufort
Location Demorest, GA Bluffton, SC
Setting Distant Town Distant Rural
Enrollment 1,843 2,124
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #522 #977
Religious Affiliation United Church of Christ - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website piedmont.edu uscb.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Piedmont College USC Beaufort
Tuition (In State) $28,970 $10,344
Tuition (Out of State) $28,970 $21,390
Room & Board $11,562 $8,722
Avg Net Price $18,792 $16,113
Avg Grant Aid $24,065 $8,452
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 98%

Admission

Piedmont College USC Beaufort
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 2,331 2,479
Admitted 1,500 1,984
Acceptance Rate 64.4% 80%
Enrolled % 20.1% 24%
Avg High School GPA 3.54 3.82
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Easy Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 19/25 17/22
SAT Range 990/1200 940/1110
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Jul 15, 2025

Academics

Piedmont College USC Beaufort
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Education (40%)
  • Business (20%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Health Professions (7%)
  • Social Sciences (4%)
  • Business (37%)
  • Health Professions (15%)
  • Education (10%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • Psychology (10%)

Outcomes

Piedmont College USC Beaufort
Graduation Rate 46% 21%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $41,000 $36,700
Making Student Loan Payments 44% 50%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,736 $24,474
Median Loan Payment $245 $253

Diversity

Piedmont College USC Beaufort
% Men 28% 32%
% Women 72% 68%
Racial Diversity Low High
HBCU No No
% White 71% 57%
% Black 9% 22%
% Hispanic 5% 7%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 4%
% International 1% 1%
% Unknown Race 10% 7%

Students

Piedmont College USC Beaufort
% In-State 85% 79%
% Out-of-State 14% 18%

Campus

Piedmont College USC Beaufort
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

  • University of South Carolina Beaufort is larger than than Piedmont College based on total student enrollment (2,124 students vs. 1,843 students)

Piedmont College vs. USC Beaufort Cost Comparison

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

  • Piedmont College is 180.1% more expensive to attend than USC Beaufort for in-state tuition ($28,970.00 vs. $10,344.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 35.4% higher at Piedmont College than University of South Carolina Beaufort ($28,970.00 vs. $21,390.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of South Carolina Beaufort than Piedmont College ($16,113 vs. $18,792)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of South Carolina Beaufort are 32.6% lower than costs at Piedmont College ($8,722 vs. $11,562)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Piedmont College than University of South Carolina Beaufort (100% vs. 98%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Piedmont College students is 184.7% larger than aid received University of South Carolina Beaufort ($24,065 vs. $8,452)

Piedmont College vs. USC Beaufort Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Piedmont College (995) is 68 points higher than at USC Beaufort (927)
  • Incoming Piedmont College students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (22) than students at USC Beaufort (20)
  • Accepted freshman USC Beaufort students have a 0.28 point higher average high school GPA (3.82) than students at Piedmont College (3.54)
  • USC Beaufort has a higher acceptance rate (80%) than Piedmont College (64.4%)

Piedmont College vs. USC Beaufort Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Piedmont College or USC Beaufort? 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 Beaufort and Piedmont College.

  • The graduation rate at Piedmont College is higher than University of South Carolina Beaufort (46% vs. 21%)
  • Graduates from Piedmont College earn on average $4,300 more per year than USC Beaufort graduates after ten years. ($41,000 vs. $36,700)
  • Piedmont College students graduate with a $738 lower median federal student loan debt than USC Beaufort graduates. ($23,736 vs. $24,474)
  • Piedmont College graduates are paying $8 less per month on federal student loans than USC Beaufort graduates. ($245 vs. $253)
  • More USC Beaufort 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/