UCF vs. UofSC

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

 UCF UofSC
Location Orlando, FL Columbia, SC
Setting Large Suburban Midsize City
Enrollment 69,233 36,579
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #387 #210
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website ucf.edu sc.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 UCF UofSC
Tuition (In State) $4,478 $12,288
Tuition (Out of State) $19,810 $34,534
Room & Board $12,070 $12,558
Avg Net Price $13,110 $26,068
Avg Grant Aid $9,585 $6,762
% Receiving Grant Aid 85% 91%

Admission

 UCF UofSC
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 60,627 46,682
Admitted 23,961 28,706
Acceptance Rate 39.5% 61.5%
Enrolled % 34.2% 25.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.64 3.69
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Difficult Very High
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 25/29 26/32
SAT Range 1190/1350 1180/1380
Submit Test Scores Required to be considered for admission Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline May 1, 2026 Dec 1, 2025

Academics

 UCF UofSC
Student to Faculty Ratio 29:1 18:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (25%)
  • Health Professions (10%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Education (8%)
  • Engineering (5%)
  • Business (35%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • Psychology (6%)

Outcomes

 UCF UofSC
Graduation Rate 63% 70%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $48,900 $51,700
Making Student Loan Payments 59% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $18,270 $23,250
Median Loan Payment $188 $240

Diversity

 UCF UofSC
% Men 6% 8%
% Women 8% 14%
Racial Diversity High Low
HBCU No No
% White 53% 77%
% Black 11% 10%
% Hispanic 24% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 4%
% International 1% 1%
% Unknown Race 1% 1%

Students

 UCF UofSC
% In-State 92% 54%
% Out-of-State 8% 45%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of Central Florida is larger than than UofSC based on total student enrollment (69,233 students vs. 36,579 students)

UCF vs. UofSC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UCF or UofSC?

  • University of South Carolina Columbia is 174.4% more expensive to attend than UCF for in-state tuition ($12,288.00 vs. $4,478.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 74.3% higher at UofSC than University of Central Florida ($34,534.00 vs. $19,810.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Central Florida than UofSC ($13,110 vs. $26,068)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Central Florida are 4% lower than costs at University of South Carolina Columbia ($12,070 vs. $12,558)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of South Carolina Columbia than University of Central Florida (91% vs. 85%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Central Florida students is 41.7% larger than aid received University of South Carolina Columbia ($9,585 vs. $6,762)

UCF vs. UofSC Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of South Carolina Columbia (1220) is 41 points higher than at UCF (1179)
  • Incoming UofSC students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (28) than students at UCF (26)
  • Accepted freshman UofSC students have a 0.05 point higher average high school GPA (3.69) than students at UCF (3.64)
  • UofSC has a higher acceptance rate (61.5%) than UCF (39.5%)

UCF vs. UofSC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UCF or UofSC? 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 UofSC and UCF.

  • The graduation rate at UofSC is higher than University of Central Florida (70% vs. 63%)
  • Graduates from University of South Carolina Columbia earn on average $2,800 more per year than UCF graduates after ten years. ($51,700 vs. $48,900)
  • University of Central Florida students graduate with a $4,980 lower median federal student loan debt than UofSC graduates. ($18,270 vs. $23,250)
  • UCF graduates are paying $52 less per month on federal student loans than UofSC graduates. ($188 vs. $240)
  • More UofSC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UCF students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 59%)

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