Kentucky vs. UofSC

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

 Kentucky UofSC
Location Lexington, KY Columbia, SC
Setting Large City Midsize City
Enrollment 31,547 35,653
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #408 #208
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website uky.edu sc.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Kentucky UofSC
Tuition (In State) $11,496 $12,288
Tuition (Out of State) $30,913 $33,528
Room & Board $14,676 $11,780
Avg Net Price $18,693 $22,427
Avg Grant Aid $14,114 $6,880
% Receiving Grant Aid 94% 98%

Admission

 Kentucky UofSC
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 22,109 42,188
Admitted 20,979 27,022
Acceptance Rate 94.9% 64.1%
Enrolled % 28.9% 24.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.59 3.69
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Very High
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 21/28 27/32
SAT Range 1070/1290 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 Feb 15, 2025 Dec 1, 2024

Academics

 Kentucky UofSC
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 18:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (19%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Engineering (8%)
  • Education (8%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Business (35%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • Psychology (6%)

Outcomes

 Kentucky UofSC
Graduation Rate 59% 70%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $51,000 $51,700
Making Student Loan Payments 62% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,750 $23,250
Median Loan Payment $235 $240

Diversity

 Kentucky UofSC
% Men 40% 42%
% Women 60% 58%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 76% 77%
% Black 8% 10%
% Hispanic 4% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 4%
% International 3% 1%
% Unknown Race 3% 1%

Students

 Kentucky UofSC
% In-State 61% 52%
% Out-of-State 37% 47%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of South Carolina Columbia is larger than than Kentucky based on total student enrollment (35,653 students vs. 31,547 students)

Kentucky vs. UofSC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Kentucky or UofSC?

  • University of South Carolina Columbia is 6.9% more expensive to attend than Kentucky for in-state tuition ($12,288.00 vs. $11,496.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 8.5% higher at UofSC than University of Kentucky ($33,528.00 vs. $30,913.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Kentucky than UofSC ($18,693 vs. $22,427)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of South Carolina Columbia are 24.6% lower than costs at University of Kentucky ($11,780 vs. $14,676)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of South Carolina Columbia than University of Kentucky (98% vs. 94%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Kentucky students is 105.1% larger than aid received University of South Carolina Columbia ($14,114 vs. $6,880)

Kentucky vs. UofSC Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of South Carolina Columbia (1220) is 77 points higher than at Kentucky (1143)
  • Incoming UofSC students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (28) than students at Kentucky (25)
  • Accepted freshman UofSC students have a 0.1 point higher average high school GPA (3.69) than students at Kentucky (3.59)
  • Kentucky has a higher acceptance rate (94.9%) than UofSC (64.1%)

Kentucky vs. UofSC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Kentucky 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 Kentucky.

  • The graduation rate at UofSC is higher than University of Kentucky (70% vs. 59%)
  • Graduates from University of South Carolina Columbia earn on average $700 more per year than Kentucky graduates after ten years. ($51,700 vs. $51,000)
  • University of Kentucky students graduate with a $500 lower median federal student loan debt than UofSC graduates. ($22,750 vs. $23,250)
  • Kentucky graduates are paying $5 less per month on federal student loans than UofSC graduates. ($235 vs. $240)
  • More UofSC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Kentucky students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 62%)

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