USC Aiken vs. CSUMB

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

 USC Aiken CSUMB
Location Aiken, SC Seaside, CA
Setting Rural Fringe Rural Fringe
Enrollment 3,840 7,045
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #888 #861
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website usca.edu csumb.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 USC Aiken CSUMB
Tuition (In State) $10,398 $5,742
Tuition (Out of State) $20,856 $17,622
Room & Board $8,376 $16,262
Avg Net Price $11,872 $11,435
Avg Grant Aid $9,891 $8,702
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 66%

Admission

 USC Aiken CSUMB
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 2,453 12,568
Admitted 1,855 11,611
Acceptance Rate 75.6% 92.4%
Enrolled % 29.8% 7.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.19 3.45
Typical High School Grades B B+
Admissions Standards Easy Very Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 18/24 17/23
SAT Range 950/1180 960/1160
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Aug 1, 2025 Jan 15, 2025

Academics

 USC Aiken CSUMB
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 20:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (25%)
  • Education (14%)
  • Health Professions (12%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (9%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (22%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (8%)

Outcomes

 USC Aiken CSUMB
Graduation Rate 41% 38%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $39,600 $45,300
Making Student Loan Payments 54% 66%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,000 $14,000
Median Loan Payment $268 $144

Diversity

 USC Aiken CSUMB
% Men 36% 38%
% Women 64% 62%
Racial Diversity High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 58% 31%
% Black 27% 6%
% Hispanic 4% 43%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 7%
% International 4% 2%
% Unknown Race 2% 5%

Students

 USC Aiken CSUMB
% In-State 87% 96%
% Out-of-State 11% 2%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • California State University Monterey Bay is larger than than USC Aiken based on total student enrollment (7,045 students vs. 3,840 students)

USC Aiken vs. CSUMB Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, USC Aiken or CSUMB?

  • University of South Carolina Aiken is 81.1% more expensive to attend than CSUMB for in-state tuition ($10,398.00 vs. $5,742.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 18.4% higher at USC Aiken than California State University Monterey Bay ($20,856.00 vs. $17,622.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at California State University Monterey Bay than USC Aiken ($11,435 vs. $11,872)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of South Carolina Aiken are 94.1% lower than costs at California State University Monterey Bay ($8,376 vs. $16,262)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of South Carolina Aiken than California State University Monterey Bay (100% vs. 66%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of South Carolina Aiken students is 13.7% larger than aid received California State University Monterey Bay ($9,891 vs. $8,702)

USC Aiken vs. CSUMB Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman CSUMB students have a 0.26 point higher average high school GPA (3.45) than students at USC Aiken (3.19)
  • CSUMB has a higher acceptance rate (92.4%) than USC Aiken (75.6%)

USC Aiken vs. CSUMB Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at USC Aiken is higher than California State University Monterey Bay (41% vs. 38%)
  • Graduates from California State University Monterey Bay earn on average $5,700 more per year than USC Aiken graduates after ten years. ($45,300 vs. $39,600)
  • California State University Monterey Bay students graduate with a $12,000 lower median federal student loan debt than USC Aiken graduates. ($14,000 vs. $26,000)
  • CSUMB graduates are paying $124 less per month on federal student loans than USC Aiken graduates. ($144 vs. $268)
  • More CSUMB graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former USC Aiken students, three years after graduation. (66% vs. 54%)

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