SCAD vs. CofC

Should I go to Savannah College of Art and Design or College of Charleston? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if SCAD or CofC 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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Savannah College of Art and Design vs. College of Charleston comparison
Savannah College of Art and Design College of Charleston College 3 College 4
Savannah College of Art and Design College of Charleston
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Overview

 SCAD CofC
Location Savannah, GA Charleston, SC
Setting Midsize City Midsize City
Enrollment 16,414 10,885
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #765 #428
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website scad.edu cofc.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 SCAD CofC
Tuition (In State) $39,105 $12,518
Tuition (Out of State) $39,105 $35,338
Room & Board $15,594 $12,986
Avg Net Price $45,976 $21,120
Avg Grant Aid $13,157 $9,499
% Receiving Grant Aid 98% 100%

Admission

 SCAD CofC
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 14,387 22,020
Admitted 11,759 16,666
Acceptance Rate 81.7% 75.7%
Enrolled % 29.5% 13.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.56 3.94
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Challenging Difficult
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 20/28 24/30
SAT Range 1060/1280 1130/1300
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 Jan 15, 2025

Academics

 SCAD CofC
Student to Faculty Ratio 20:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Visual and Performing Arts (74%)
  • Communications Technology (13%)
  • Architecture (5%)
  • Work and Family Studies (3%)
  • Communication (3%)
  • Business (23%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • Education (10%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Biology (9%)

Outcomes

 SCAD CofC
Graduation Rate 64% 63%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $39,800 $46,200
Making Student Loan Payments 55% 60%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $21,500
Median Loan Payment $279 $222

Diversity

 SCAD CofC
% Men 30% 32%
% Women 70% 68%
Racial Diversity High Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 54% 80%
% Black 12% 7%
% Hispanic 9% 5%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 0% 4%
% International 15% 1%
% Unknown Race 4% 1%

Students

 SCAD CofC
% In-State 16% 44%
% Out-of-State 72% 54%

Campus

 SCAD CofC
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Savannah College of Art and Design is larger than than CofC based on total student enrollment (16,414 students vs. 10,885 students)

SCAD vs. CofC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, SCAD or CofC?

  • Savannah College of Art and Design is 212.4% more expensive to attend than CofC for in-state tuition ($39,105.00 vs. $12,518.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 10.7% higher at SCAD than College of Charleston ($39,105.00 vs. $35,338.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at College of Charleston than SCAD ($21,120 vs. $45,976)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at College of Charleston are 20.1% lower than costs at Savannah College of Art and Design ($12,986 vs. $15,594)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at College of Charleston than Savannah College of Art and Design (100% vs. 98%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Savannah College of Art and Design students is 38.5% larger than aid received College of Charleston ($13,157 vs. $9,499)

SCAD vs. CofC Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at College of Charleston (1141) is 77 points higher than at SCAD (1064)
  • Incoming CofC students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (26) than students at SCAD (23)
  • Accepted freshman CofC students have a 0.38 point higher average high school GPA (3.94) than students at SCAD (3.56)
  • SCAD has a higher acceptance rate (81.7%) than CofC (75.7%)

SCAD vs. CofC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, SCAD or CofC? 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 CofC and SCAD.

  • The graduation rate at SCAD is higher than College of Charleston (64% vs. 63%)
  • Graduates from College of Charleston earn on average $6,400 more per year than SCAD graduates after ten years. ($46,200 vs. $39,800)
  • College of Charleston students graduate with a $5,500 lower median federal student loan debt than SCAD graduates. ($21,500 vs. $27,000)
  • CofC graduates are paying $57 less per month on federal student loans than SCAD graduates. ($222 vs. $279)
  • More CofC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former SCAD students, three years after graduation. (60% vs. 55%)

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