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Middle Tennessee State University WCU Tennessee Austin Peay State University ECU USC Beaufort ASU KSU Tennessee Tech Milligan College Memphis Carson-Newman College| University of South Carolina Aiken | East Tennessee State University | College 3 | College 4 | |
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
USC Aiken | ETSU | ||
| Location | Aiken, SC | Johnson City, TN | ||
| Setting | Rural Fringe | Small City | ||
| Enrollment | 3,855 | 13,586 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #883 | #702 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | usca.edu | etsu.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
USC Aiken | ETSU | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $10,398 | $7,950 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $20,856 | $11,790 | ||
| Room & Board | $8,736 | $10,270 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $11,697 | $16,033 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $9,701 | $9,228 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 98% | 85% |
Admission |
USC Aiken | ETSU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 2,905 | 9,903 | ||
| Admitted | 2,316 | 8,622 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 79.7% | 87.1% | ||
| Enrolled % | 26.6% | 24.8% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.19 | 3.33 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Very Easy | Easy | ||
| Applicant Competition | ||||
| ACT Range | 17/23 | 19/26 | ||
| SAT Range | 970/1200 | 950/1170 | ||
| 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 | ETSU | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 15:1 | 18:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
USC Aiken | ETSU | ||
| Graduation Rate | 41% | 44% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $39,600 | $40,000 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 54% | 50% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $26,000 | $20,500 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $268 | $211 |
Diversity |
USC Aiken | ETSU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 6% | 7% | ||
| % Women | 13% | 14% | ||
| Racial Diversity | High | Very Low | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 58% | 82% | ||
| % Black | 27% | 7% | ||
| % Hispanic | 4% | 2% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 4% | 3% | ||
| % International | 4% | 3% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 2% | 1% |
Students |
USC Aiken | ETSU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 88% | 78% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 11% | 20% | ||
Campus |
USC Aiken | ETSU | ||
| 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
- East Tennessee State University is larger than than USC Aiken based on total student enrollment (13,586 students vs. 3,855 students)
USC Aiken vs. ETSU Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, USC Aiken or ETSU?
- University of South Carolina Aiken is 30.8% more expensive to attend than ETSU for in-state tuition ($10,398.00 vs. $7,950.00)
- Out of state tuition is 76.9% higher at USC Aiken than East Tennessee State University ($20,856.00 vs. $11,790.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of South Carolina Aiken than ETSU ($11,697 vs. $16,033)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of South Carolina Aiken are 17.6% lower than costs at East Tennessee State University ($8,736 vs. $10,270)
- More students receive financial grant aid at University of South Carolina Aiken than East Tennessee State University (98% vs. 85%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by University of South Carolina Aiken students is 5.1% larger than aid received East Tennessee State University ($9,701 vs. $9,228)
USC Aiken vs. ETSU Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, USC Aiken or ETSU? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between ETSU or USC Aiken .
- The average SAT score at East Tennessee State University (1068) is 92 points higher than at USC Aiken (976)
- Incoming ETSU students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at USC Aiken (21)
- Accepted freshman ETSU students have a 0.14 point higher average high school GPA (3.33) than students at USC Aiken (3.19)
- ETSU has a higher acceptance rate (87.1%) than USC Aiken (79.7%)
USC Aiken vs. ETSU Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, USC Aiken or ETSU? 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 ETSU and USC Aiken.
- The graduation rate at ETSU is higher than University of South Carolina Aiken (44% vs. 41%)
- Graduates from East Tennessee State University earn on average $400 more per year than USC Aiken graduates after ten years. ($40,000 vs. $39,600)
- East Tennessee State University students graduate with a $5,500 lower median federal student loan debt than USC Aiken graduates. ($20,500 vs. $26,000)
- ETSU graduates are paying $57 less per month on federal student loans than USC Aiken graduates. ($211 vs. $268)
- More USC Aiken graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former ETSU students, three years after graduation. (54% vs. 50%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/