South Carolina State University vs. University of South Carolina-Upstate

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

South Carolina State University University of South Carolina-Upstate
Location Orangeburg, SC Spartanburg, SC
Setting Distant Town Midsize Suburban
Enrollment 2,649 4,913
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #1011 #823
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website scsu.edu uscupstate.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

South Carolina State University University of South Carolina-Upstate
Tuition (In State) $9,528 $11,208
Tuition (Out of State) $20,218 $22,170
Room & Board $9,000 $9,520
Avg Net Price $17,435 $13,835
Avg Grant Aid $15,873 $12,038
% Receiving Grant Aid 96% 99%

Admission

South Carolina State University University of South Carolina-Upstate
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 6,833 3,090
Admitted 5,733 2,428
Acceptance Rate 83.9% 78.6%
Enrolled % 15.7% 28.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.17 2.53
Typical High School Grades B C+
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 15/19 20/25
SAT Range 800/1050 950/1150
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Jul 31, 2025

Academics

South Carolina State University University of South Carolina-Upstate
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (18%)
  • Work and Family Studies (11%)
  • Education (10%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Health Professions (26%)
  • Education (20%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)
  • Psychology (6%)

Outcomes

South Carolina State University University of South Carolina-Upstate
Graduation Rate 35% 39%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $31,000 $39,300
Making Student Loan Payments 27% 55%
Median Student Loan Debt $33,205 $22,500
Median Loan Payment $343 $232

Diversity

South Carolina State University University of South Carolina-Upstate
% Men 44% 32%
% Women 56% 68%
Racial Diversity Extremely Low High
HBCU Yes No
% White 2% 56%
% Black 96% 29%
% Hispanic 0% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 0% 4%
% International 0% 2%
% Unknown Race 0% 2%

Students

South Carolina State University University of South Carolina-Upstate
% In-State 77% 92%
% Out-of-State 23% 6%

Campus

South Carolina State University University of South Carolina-Upstate
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes No
Daycare Facility No Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • University of South Carolina Upstate is larger than than South Carolina State University based on total student enrollment (4,913 students vs. 2,649 students)

South Carolina State University vs. University of South Carolina-Upstate Cost Comparison

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

  • University of South Carolina Upstate is 17.6% more expensive to attend than South Carolina State University for in-state tuition ($11,208.00 vs. $9,528.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 9.7% higher at University of South Carolina-Upstate than South Carolina State University ($22,170.00 vs. $20,218.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of South Carolina Upstate than South Carolina State University ($13,835 vs. $17,435)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at South Carolina State University are 5.8% lower than costs at University of South Carolina Upstate ($9,000 vs. $9,520)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of South Carolina Upstate than South Carolina State University (99% vs. 96%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by South Carolina State University students is 31.9% larger than aid received University of South Carolina Upstate ($15,873 vs. $12,038)

South Carolina State University vs. University of South Carolina-Upstate Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, South Carolina State University 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 South Carolina State University .

  • The average SAT score at University of South Carolina Upstate (950) is 190 points higher than at South Carolina State University (760)
  • Incoming University of South Carolina-Upstate students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (20) than students at South Carolina State University (16)
  • Accepted freshman South Carolina State University students have a 0.64 point higher average high school GPA (3.17) than students at University of South Carolina-Upstate (2.53)
  • South Carolina State University has a higher acceptance rate (83.9%) than University of South Carolina-Upstate (78.6%)

South Carolina State University vs. University of South Carolina-Upstate Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, South Carolina State University 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 South Carolina State University.

  • The graduation rate at University of South Carolina-Upstate is higher than South Carolina State University (39% vs. 35%)
  • Graduates from University of South Carolina Upstate earn on average $8,300 more per year than South Carolina State University graduates after ten years. ($39,300 vs. $31,000)
  • University of South Carolina Upstate students graduate with a $10,705 lower median federal student loan debt than South Carolina State University graduates. ($22,500 vs. $33,205)
  • University of South Carolina-Upstate graduates are paying $111 less per month on federal student loans than South Carolina State University graduates. ($232 vs. $343)
  • More University of South Carolina-Upstate graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former South Carolina State University students, three years after graduation. (55% vs. 27%)

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