Piedmont College vs. University of South Carolina-Upstate

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

Piedmont College University of South Carolina-Upstate
Location Demorest, GA Spartanburg, SC
Setting Distant Town Midsize Suburban
Enrollment 1,843 4,913
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #522 #823
Religious Affiliation United Church of Christ - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website piedmont.edu uscupstate.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Piedmont College University of South Carolina-Upstate
Tuition (In State) $28,970 $11,208
Tuition (Out of State) $28,970 $22,170
Room & Board $11,562 $9,520
Avg Net Price $18,792 $13,835
Avg Grant Aid $24,065 $12,038
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 99%

Admission

Piedmont College University of South Carolina-Upstate
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 2,331 3,090
Admitted 1,500 2,428
Acceptance Rate 64.4% 78.6%
Enrolled % 20.1% 28.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.54 2.53
Typical High School Grades B+ C+
Admissions Standards Easy Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 19/25 20/25
SAT Range 990/1200 950/1150
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 University of South Carolina-Upstate
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Education (40%)
  • Business (20%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Health Professions (7%)
  • Social Sciences (4%)
  • Health Professions (26%)
  • Education (20%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)
  • Psychology (6%)

Outcomes

Piedmont College University of South Carolina-Upstate
Graduation Rate 46% 39%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $41,000 $39,300
Making Student Loan Payments 44% 55%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,736 $22,500
Median Loan Payment $245 $232

Diversity

Piedmont College University of South Carolina-Upstate
% Men 28% 32%
% Women 72% 68%
Racial Diversity Low High
HBCU No No
% White 71% 56%
% Black 9% 29%
% Hispanic 5% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 4%
% International 1% 2%
% Unknown Race 10% 2%

Students

Piedmont College University of South Carolina-Upstate
% In-State 85% 92%
% Out-of-State 14% 6%

Campus

Piedmont College University of South Carolina-Upstate
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 Upstate is larger than than Piedmont College based on total student enrollment (4,913 students vs. 1,843 students)

Piedmont College vs. University of South Carolina-Upstate Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Piedmont College or University of South Carolina-Upstate?

  • Piedmont College is 158.5% more expensive to attend than University of South Carolina-Upstate for in-state tuition ($28,970.00 vs. $11,208.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 30.7% higher at Piedmont College than University of South Carolina Upstate ($28,970.00 vs. $22,170.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of South Carolina Upstate than Piedmont College ($13,835 vs. $18,792)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of South Carolina Upstate are 21.4% lower than costs at Piedmont College ($9,520 vs. $11,562)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Piedmont College than University of South Carolina Upstate (100% vs. 99%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Piedmont College students is 99.9% larger than aid received University of South Carolina Upstate ($24,065 vs. $12,038)

Piedmont College vs. University of South Carolina-Upstate Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Piedmont College (995) is 45 points higher than at University of South Carolina-Upstate (950)
  • Incoming Piedmont College students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (22) than students at University of South Carolina-Upstate (20)
  • Accepted freshman Piedmont College students have a 1.01 point higher average high school GPA (3.54) than students at University of South Carolina-Upstate (2.53)
  • University of South Carolina-Upstate has a higher acceptance rate (78.6%) than Piedmont College (64.4%)

Piedmont College vs. University of South Carolina-Upstate Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Piedmont College or University of South Carolina-Upstate? 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 University of South Carolina-Upstate and Piedmont College.

  • The graduation rate at Piedmont College is higher than University of South Carolina Upstate (46% vs. 39%)
  • Graduates from Piedmont College earn on average $1,700 more per year than University of South Carolina-Upstate graduates after ten years. ($41,000 vs. $39,300)
  • University of South Carolina Upstate students graduate with a $1,236 lower median federal student loan debt than Piedmont College graduates. ($22,500 vs. $23,736)
  • University of South Carolina-Upstate graduates are paying $13 less per month on federal student loans than Piedmont College graduates. ($232 vs. $245)
  • More University of South Carolina-Upstate graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Piedmont College students, three years after graduation. (55% vs. 44%)

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