USC Aiken vs. Carson-Newman College

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

 USC Aiken Carson-Newman College
Location Aiken, SC Jefferson City, TN
Setting Rural Fringe Small Suburban
Enrollment 3,855 2,735
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #883 #781
Religious Affiliation - Baptist - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website usca.edu cn.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 USC Aiken Carson-Newman College
Tuition (In State) $10,398 $32,900
Tuition (Out of State) $20,856 $32,900
Room & Board $8,736 $10,507
Avg Net Price $11,697 $19,755
Avg Grant Aid $9,701 $26,472
% Receiving Grant Aid 98% 100%

Admission

 USC Aiken Carson-Newman College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 2,905 2,991
Admitted 2,316 2,042
Acceptance Rate 79.7% 68.3%
Enrolled % 26.6% 18%
Avg High School GPA 3.19 3.6
Typical High School Grades B B+
Admissions Standards Very Easy Very Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 17/23 19/25
SAT Range 970/1200 940/1130
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 Carson-Newman College
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%)
  • Education (25%)
  • Health Professions (19%)
  • Business (12%)
  • Psychology (6%)
  • Philosophy and Religious Studies (5%)

Outcomes

 USC Aiken Carson-Newman College
Graduation Rate 41% 45%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $39,600 $41,700
Making Student Loan Payments 54% 65%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,000 $23,880
Median Loan Payment $268 $246

Diversity

 USC Aiken Carson-Newman College
% Men 6% 9%
% Women 13% 30%
Racial Diversity High Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 58% 83%
% Black 27% 8%
% Hispanic 4% 2%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 2%
% International 4% 3%
% Unknown Race 2% 0%

Students

 USC Aiken Carson-Newman College
% In-State 88% 72%
% Out-of-State 11% 24%

Campus

 USC Aiken Carson-Newman College
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

  • University of South Carolina Aiken is larger than than Carson-Newman College based on total student enrollment (3,855 students vs. 2,735 students)

USC Aiken vs. Carson-Newman College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, USC Aiken or Carson-Newman College?

  • Carson Newman College is 216.4% more expensive to attend than USC Aiken for in-state tuition ($32,900.00 vs. $10,398.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 57.7% higher at Carson-Newman College than University of South Carolina Aiken ($32,900.00 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 Carson-Newman College ($11,697 vs. $19,755)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of South Carolina Aiken are 20.3% lower than costs at Carson Newman College ($8,736 vs. $10,507)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Carson Newman College than University of South Carolina Aiken (100% vs. 98%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Carson Newman College students is 172.9% larger than aid received University of South Carolina Aiken ($26,472 vs. $9,701)

USC Aiken vs. Carson-Newman College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Carson Newman College (1039) is 63 points higher than at USC Aiken (976)
  • Incoming Carson-Newman College students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at USC Aiken (21)
  • Accepted freshman Carson-Newman College students have a 0.41 point higher average high school GPA (3.6) than students at USC Aiken (3.19)
  • USC Aiken has a higher acceptance rate (79.7%) than Carson-Newman College (68.3%)

USC Aiken vs. Carson-Newman College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, USC Aiken or Carson-Newman College? 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 Carson-Newman College and USC Aiken.

  • The graduation rate at Carson-Newman College is higher than University of South Carolina Aiken (45% vs. 41%)
  • Graduates from Carson Newman College earn on average $2,100 more per year than USC Aiken graduates after ten years. ($41,700 vs. $39,600)
  • Carson Newman College students graduate with a $2,120 lower median federal student loan debt than USC Aiken graduates. ($23,880 vs. $26,000)
  • Carson-Newman College graduates are paying $22 less per month on federal student loans than USC Aiken graduates. ($246 vs. $268)
  • More Carson-Newman College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former USC Aiken students, three years after graduation. (65% vs. 54%)

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