USC Aiken vs. Austin Peay State University

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

USC Aiken Austin Peay State University
Location Aiken, SC Clarksville, TN
Setting Rural Fringe Midsize City
Enrollment 3,840 9,326
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #888 #912
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website usca.edu apsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

USC Aiken Austin Peay State University
Tuition (In State) $10,398 $6,816
Tuition (Out of State) $20,856 $12,360
Room & Board $8,376 $12,274
Avg Net Price $11,872 $16,140
Avg Grant Aid $9,891 $10,232
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 96%

Admission

USC Aiken Austin Peay State University
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 2,453 6,362
Admitted 1,855 5,969
Acceptance Rate 75.6% 93.8%
Enrolled % 29.8% 24.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.19 3.3
Typical High School Grades B B+
Admissions Standards Easy Very Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 18/24 18/24
SAT Range 950/1180 983/1170
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Required to be considered for admission
Application Deadline Aug 1, 2025 Aug 4, 2025

Academics

USC Aiken Austin Peay State University
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (25%)
  • Education (14%)
  • Health Professions (12%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (9%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (14%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Psychology (5%)
  • Communication (5%)

Outcomes

USC Aiken Austin Peay State University
Graduation Rate 41% 34%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $39,600 $37,400
Making Student Loan Payments 54% 44%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,000 $22,500
Median Loan Payment $268 $232

Diversity

USC Aiken Austin Peay State University
% Men 36% 40%
% Women 64% 60%
Racial Diversity High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 58% 63%
% Black 27% 20%
% Hispanic 4% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 6%
% International 4% 0%
% Unknown Race 2% 2%

Students

USC Aiken Austin Peay State University
% In-State 87% 88%
% Out-of-State 11% 11%

Campus

USC Aiken Austin Peay State University
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

  • Austin Peay State University is larger than than USC Aiken based on total student enrollment (9,326 students vs. 3,840 students)

USC Aiken vs. Austin Peay State University Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, USC Aiken or Austin Peay State University?

  • University of South Carolina Aiken is 52.6% more expensive to attend than Austin Peay State University for in-state tuition ($10,398.00 vs. $6,816.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 68.7% higher at USC Aiken than Austin Peay State University ($20,856.00 vs. $12,360.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of South Carolina Aiken than Austin Peay State University ($11,872 vs. $16,140)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of South Carolina Aiken are 46.5% lower than costs at Austin Peay State University ($8,376 vs. $12,274)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of South Carolina Aiken than Austin Peay State University (100% vs. 96%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Austin Peay State University students is 3.4% larger than aid received University of South Carolina Aiken ($10,232 vs. $9,891)

USC Aiken vs. Austin Peay State University Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, USC Aiken or Austin Peay State University? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Austin Peay State University or USC Aiken .

  • The average SAT score at Austin Peay State University (1011) is 35 points higher than at USC Aiken (976)
  • Incoming Austin Peay State University students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (22) than students at USC Aiken (21)
  • Accepted freshman Austin Peay State University students have a 0.11 point higher average high school GPA (3.3) than students at USC Aiken (3.19)
  • Austin Peay State University has a higher acceptance rate (93.8%) than USC Aiken (75.6%)

USC Aiken vs. Austin Peay State University Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, USC Aiken or Austin Peay State University? 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 Austin Peay State University and USC Aiken.

  • The graduation rate at USC Aiken is higher than Austin Peay State University (41% vs. 34%)
  • Graduates from University of South Carolina Aiken earn on average $2,200 more per year than Austin Peay State University graduates after ten years. ($39,600 vs. $37,400)
  • Austin Peay State University students graduate with a $3,500 lower median federal student loan debt than USC Aiken graduates. ($22,500 vs. $26,000)
  • Austin Peay State University graduates are paying $36 less per month on federal student loans than USC Aiken graduates. ($232 vs. $268)
  • More USC Aiken graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Austin Peay State University students, three years after graduation. (54% vs. 44%)

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