UNCSA vs. CofC

Should I go to University of North Carolina School of the Arts or College of Charleston? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if UNCSA or CofC 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 School of the Arts vs. College of Charleston comparison
University of North Carolina School of the Arts College of Charleston College 3 College 4
University of North Carolina School of the Arts College of Charleston
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Overview

UNCSA CofC
Location Winston-Salem, NC Charleston, SC
Setting Midsize City Midsize City
Enrollment 1,104 10,885
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #291 #428
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website uncsa.edu cofc.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

UNCSA CofC
Tuition (In State) $6,497 $12,518
Tuition (Out of State) $23,731 $35,338
Room & Board $12,902 $12,986
Avg Net Price $11,251 $21,120
Avg Grant Aid $10,868 $9,499
% Receiving Grant Aid 69% 100%

Admission

UNCSA CofC
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,139 22,020
Admitted 362 16,666
Acceptance Rate 31.8% 75.7%
Enrolled % 58% 13.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.75 3.94
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Difficult Difficult
Applicant Competition High
ACT Range 22/30 24/30
SAT Range 1115/1350 1130/1300
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 Mar 15, 2025 Jan 15, 2025

Academics

UNCSA CofC
Student to Faculty Ratio 6:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Visual and Performing Arts (100%)
  • Business (23%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • Education (10%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Biology (9%)

Outcomes

UNCSA CofC
Graduation Rate 58% 63%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $39,100 $46,200
Making Student Loan Payments 56% 60%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $21,500
Median Loan Payment $279 $222

Diversity

UNCSA CofC
% Men 41% 32%
% Women 59% 68%
Racial Diversity Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 72% 80%
% Black 9% 7%
% Hispanic 8% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 4%
% International 2% 1%
% Unknown Race 2% 1%

Students

UNCSA CofC
% In-State 43% 44%
% Out-of-State 52% 54%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • College of Charleston is larger than than UNCSA based on total student enrollment (10,885 students vs. 1,104 students)

UNCSA vs. CofC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UNCSA or CofC?

  • College of Charleston is 92.7% more expensive to attend than UNCSA for in-state tuition ($12,518.00 vs. $6,497.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 48.9% higher at CofC than University of North Carolina School of the Arts ($35,338.00 vs. $23,731.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of North Carolina School of the Arts than CofC ($11,251 vs. $21,120)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of North Carolina School of the Arts are 0.7% lower than costs at College of Charleston ($12,902 vs. $12,986)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at College of Charleston than University of North Carolina School of the Arts (100% vs. 69%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of North Carolina School of the Arts students is 14.4% larger than aid received College of Charleston ($10,868 vs. $9,499)

UNCSA vs. CofC Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at College of Charleston (1141) is 33 points higher than at UNCSA (1108)
  • Incoming CofC students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (26) than students at UNCSA (24)
  • Accepted freshman CofC students have a 0.19 point higher average high school GPA (3.94) than students at UNCSA (3.75)
  • CofC has a higher acceptance rate (75.7%) than UNCSA (31.8%)

UNCSA vs. CofC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UNCSA or CofC? 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 CofC and UNCSA.

  • The graduation rate at CofC is higher than University of North Carolina School of the Arts (63% vs. 58%)
  • Graduates from College of Charleston earn on average $7,100 more per year than UNCSA graduates after ten years. ($46,200 vs. $39,100)
  • College of Charleston students graduate with a $5,500 lower median federal student loan debt than UNCSA graduates. ($21,500 vs. $27,000)
  • CofC graduates are paying $57 less per month on federal student loans than UNCSA graduates. ($222 vs. $279)
  • More CofC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UNCSA students, three years after graduation. (60% vs. 56%)

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