USC Aiken vs. AU

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

USC Aiken AU
Location Aiken, SC Danville, VA
Setting Rural Fringe Small City
Enrollment 3,840 1,363
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #888 #661
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website usca.edu averett.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

USC Aiken AU
Tuition (In State) $10,398 $37,640
Tuition (Out of State) $20,856 $37,640
Room & Board $8,376 $11,360
Avg Net Price $11,872 $23,781
Avg Grant Aid $9,891 $26,246
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 100%

Admission

USC Aiken AU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 2,453 2,324
Admitted 1,855 1,767
Acceptance Rate 75.6% 76%
Enrolled % 29.8% 14.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.19 3.07
Typical High School Grades B B
Admissions Standards Easy Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 18/24 16/22
SAT Range 950/1180 850/1170
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 Aug 1, 2025

Academics

USC Aiken AU
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (25%)
  • Education (14%)
  • Health Professions (12%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (9%)
  • Business (23%)
  • Education (10%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (7%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (7%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (7%)

Outcomes

USC Aiken AU
Graduation Rate 41% 41%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $39,600 $48,400
Making Student Loan Payments 54% 51%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,000 $25,000
Median Loan Payment $268 $258

Diversity

USC Aiken AU
% Men 36% 48%
% Women 64% 52%
Racial Diversity High High
HBCU No No
% White 58% 58%
% Black 27% 33%
% Hispanic 4% 4%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 0%
% International 4% 4%
% Unknown Race 2% 0%

Students

USC Aiken AU
% In-State 87% 46%
% Out-of-State 11% 45%

Campus

USC Aiken AU
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility Yes No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • University of South Carolina Aiken is larger than than AU based on total student enrollment (3,840 students vs. 1,363 students)

USC Aiken vs. AU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, USC Aiken or AU?

  • Averett University is 262% more expensive to attend than USC Aiken for in-state tuition ($37,640.00 vs. $10,398.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 80.5% higher at AU than University of South Carolina Aiken ($37,640.00 vs. $20,856.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of South Carolina Aiken than AU ($11,872 vs. $23,781)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of South Carolina Aiken are 35.6% lower than costs at Averett University ($8,376 vs. $11,360)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at University of South Carolina Aiken as Averett University (100% vs. 100%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Averett University students is 165.4% larger than aid received University of South Carolina Aiken ($26,246 vs. $9,891)

USC Aiken vs. AU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of South Carolina Aiken (976) is 63 points higher than at AU (913)
  • Incoming USC Aiken students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (21) than students at AU (20)
  • Accepted freshman USC Aiken students have a 0.12 point higher average high school GPA (3.19) than students at AU (3.07)
  • AU has a higher acceptance rate (76%) than USC Aiken (75.6%)

USC Aiken vs. AU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, USC Aiken or AU? 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 AU and USC Aiken.

  • The graduation rate at USC Aiken is the same as at Averett University (41% vs. 41%)
  • Graduates from Averett University earn on average $8,800 more per year than USC Aiken graduates after ten years. ($48,400 vs. $39,600)
  • Averett University students graduate with a $1,000 lower median federal student loan debt than USC Aiken graduates. ($25,000 vs. $26,000)
  • AU graduates are paying $10 less per month on federal student loans than USC Aiken graduates. ($258 vs. $268)
  • More USC Aiken graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former AU students, three years after graduation. (54% vs. 51%)

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