CU Boulder vs. UofSC

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

CU Boulder UofSC
Location Boulder, CO Columbia, SC
Setting Small City Midsize City
Enrollment 39,585 35,653
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #191 #208
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website colorado.edu sc.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

CU Boulder UofSC
Tuition (In State) $11,520 $12,288
Tuition (Out of State) $38,770 $33,528
Room & Board $16,146 $11,780
Avg Net Price $21,836 $22,427
Avg Grant Aid $10,477 $6,880
% Receiving Grant Aid 57% 98%

Admission

CU Boulder UofSC
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 53,781 42,188
Admitted 43,416 27,022
Acceptance Rate 80.7% 64.1%
Enrolled % 16.4% 24.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.68 3.69
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Very High Very High
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 26/32 27/32
SAT Range 1160/1390 1180/1380
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 Dec 1, 2024

Academics

CU Boulder UofSC
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 18:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • Business (12%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Business (35%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • Psychology (6%)

Outcomes

CU Boulder UofSC
Graduation Rate 68% 70%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $56,900 $51,700
Making Student Loan Payments 73% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $19,500 $23,250
Median Loan Payment $201 $240

Diversity

CU Boulder UofSC
% Men 55% 42%
% Women 45% 58%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 71% 77%
% Black 2% 10%
% Hispanic 11% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 4%
% International 6% 1%
% Unknown Race 1% 1%

Students

CU Boulder UofSC
% In-State 53% 52%
% Out-of-State 45% 47%

Campus

CU Boulder 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 Colorado Boulder is larger than than UofSC based on total student enrollment (39,585 students vs. 35,653 students)

CU Boulder vs. UofSC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, CU Boulder or UofSC?

  • University of South Carolina Columbia is 6.7% more expensive to attend than CU Boulder for in-state tuition ($12,288.00 vs. $11,520.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 15.6% higher at CU Boulder than University of South Carolina Columbia ($38,770.00 vs. $33,528.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Colorado Boulder than UofSC ($21,836 vs. $22,427)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of South Carolina Columbia are 37.1% lower than costs at University of Colorado Boulder ($11,780 vs. $16,146)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of South Carolina Columbia than University of Colorado Boulder (98% vs. 57%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Colorado Boulder students is 52.3% larger than aid received University of South Carolina Columbia ($10,477 vs. $6,880)

CU Boulder vs. UofSC Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of South Carolina Columbia (1220) is 8 points higher than at CU Boulder (1212)
  • Incoming UofSC students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (28) than students at CU Boulder (27)
  • Accepted freshman UofSC students have a 0.01 point higher average high school GPA (3.69) than students at CU Boulder (3.68)
  • CU Boulder has a higher acceptance rate (80.7%) than UofSC (64.1%)

CU Boulder vs. UofSC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, CU Boulder 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 CU Boulder.

  • The graduation rate at UofSC is higher than University of Colorado Boulder (70% vs. 68%)
  • Graduates from University of Colorado Boulder earn on average $5,200 more per year than UofSC graduates after ten years. ($56,900 vs. $51,700)
  • University of Colorado Boulder students graduate with a $3,750 lower median federal student loan debt than UofSC graduates. ($19,500 vs. $23,250)
  • CU Boulder graduates are paying $39 less per month on federal student loans than UofSC graduates. ($201 vs. $240)
  • More CU Boulder graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UofSC students, three years after graduation. (73% vs. 69%)

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