UNCW vs. UofSC

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

UNCW UofSC
Location Wilmington, NC Columbia, SC
Setting Midsize City Midsize City
Enrollment 17,843 35,653
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #377 #208
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website uncw.edu sc.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

UNCW UofSC
Tuition (In State) $4,443 $12,288
Tuition (Out of State) $19,063 $33,528
Room & Board $12,120 $11,780
Avg Net Price $18,709 $22,427
Avg Grant Aid $6,217 $6,880
% Receiving Grant Aid 56% 98%

Admission

UNCW UofSC
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 16,860 42,188
Admitted 11,605 27,022
Acceptance Rate 68.8% 64.1%
Enrolled % 20.4% 24.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.56 3.69
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Difficult Very High
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 24/29 27/32
SAT Range 1220/1370 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 1, 2025 Dec 1, 2024

Academics

UNCW UofSC
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 18:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (22%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Business (35%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • Psychology (6%)

Outcomes

UNCW UofSC
Graduation Rate 67% 70%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $44,700 $51,700
Making Student Loan Payments 64% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $20,500 $23,250
Median Loan Payment $211 $240

Diversity

UNCW UofSC
% Men 34% 42%
% Women 66% 58%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 78% 77%
% Black 5% 10%
% Hispanic 7% 4%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 4%
% International 1% 1%
% Unknown Race 3% 1%

Students

UNCW UofSC
% In-State 80% 52%
% Out-of-State 19% 47%

Campus

UNCW 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 UNCW based on total student enrollment (35,653 students vs. 17,843 students)

UNCW vs. UofSC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UNCW or UofSC?

  • University of South Carolina Columbia is 176.6% more expensive to attend than UNCW for in-state tuition ($12,288.00 vs. $4,443.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 75.9% higher at UofSC than University of North Carolina at Wilmington ($33,528.00 vs. $19,063.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of North Carolina at Wilmington than UofSC ($18,709 vs. $22,427)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of South Carolina Columbia are 2.9% lower than costs at University of North Carolina at Wilmington ($11,780 vs. $12,120)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of South Carolina Columbia than University of North Carolina at Wilmington (98% vs. 56%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of South Carolina Columbia students is 10.7% larger than aid received University of North Carolina at Wilmington ($6,880 vs. $6,217)

UNCW vs. UofSC Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of South Carolina Columbia (1220) is 58 points higher than at UNCW (1162)
  • Incoming UofSC students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (28) than students at UNCW (25)
  • Accepted freshman UofSC students have a 0.13 point higher average high school GPA (3.69) than students at UNCW (3.56)
  • UNCW has a higher acceptance rate (68.8%) than UofSC (64.1%)

UNCW vs. UofSC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UNCW 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 UNCW.

  • The graduation rate at UofSC is higher than University of North Carolina at Wilmington (70% vs. 67%)
  • Graduates from University of South Carolina Columbia earn on average $7,000 more per year than UNCW graduates after ten years. ($51,700 vs. $44,700)
  • University of North Carolina at Wilmington students graduate with a $2,750 lower median federal student loan debt than UofSC graduates. ($20,500 vs. $23,250)
  • UNCW graduates are paying $29 less per month on federal student loans than UofSC graduates. ($211 vs. $240)
  • More UofSC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UNCW students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 64%)

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