USC Aiken vs. HSC- Hampden-Sydney

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

 USC Aiken HSC- Hampden-Sydney
Location Aiken, SC Hampden-Sydney, VA
Setting Rural Fringe Distant Rural
Enrollment 3,855 876
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #883
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website usca.edu hsc.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 USC Aiken HSC- Hampden-Sydney
Tuition (In State) $10,398 $49,754
Tuition (Out of State) $20,856 $49,754
Room & Board $8,736 $15,110
Avg Net Price $11,697 $29,578
Avg Grant Aid $9,701 $37,555
% Receiving Grant Aid 98% 100%

Admission

 USC Aiken HSC- Hampden-Sydney
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 2,905 2,224
Admitted 2,316 1,115
Acceptance Rate 79.7% 50.1%
Enrolled % 26.6% 21.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.19 3.53
Typical High School Grades B B+
Admissions Standards Very Easy Challenging
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 17/23 22/31
SAT Range 970/1200 1060/1230
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, 2026 Feb 1, 2026

Academics

 USC Aiken HSC- Hampden-Sydney
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 9:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (25%)
  • Education (14%)
  • Health Professions (12%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (9%)
  • Social Sciences (37%)
  • History (17%)
  • Business (11%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Philosophy and Religious Studies (5%)

Outcomes

 USC Aiken HSC- Hampden-Sydney
Graduation Rate 41% 67%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $39,600 $54,000
Making Student Loan Payments 54% 75%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,000 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $268 $279

Diversity

 USC Aiken HSC- Hampden-Sydney
% Men 6% 72%
% Women 13% 0%
Racial Diversity High Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 58% 81%
% Black 27% 6%
% Hispanic 4% 2%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 6%
% International 4% 0%
% Unknown Race 2% 3%

Students

 USC Aiken HSC- Hampden-Sydney
% In-State 88% 61%
% Out-of-State 11% 37%

Campus

 USC Aiken HSC- Hampden-Sydney
Campus Housing Yes No
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 HSC- Hampden-Sydney based on total student enrollment (3,855 students vs. 876 students)

USC Aiken vs. HSC- Hampden-Sydney Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, USC Aiken or HSC- Hampden-Sydney?

  • Hampden Sydney College is 378.5% more expensive to attend than USC Aiken for in-state tuition ($49,754.00 vs. $10,398.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 138.6% higher at HSC- Hampden-Sydney than University of South Carolina Aiken ($49,754.00 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 HSC- Hampden-Sydney ($11,697 vs. $29,578)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of South Carolina Aiken are 73% lower than costs at Hampden Sydney College ($8,736 vs. $15,110)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Hampden Sydney College than University of South Carolina Aiken (100% vs. 98%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Hampden Sydney College students is 287.1% larger than aid received University of South Carolina Aiken ($37,555 vs. $9,701)

USC Aiken vs. HSC- Hampden-Sydney Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Hampden Sydney College (1112) is 136 points higher than at USC Aiken (976)
  • Incoming HSC- Hampden-Sydney students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at USC Aiken (21)
  • Accepted freshman HSC- Hampden-Sydney students have a 0.34 point higher average high school GPA (3.53) than students at USC Aiken (3.19)
  • USC Aiken has a higher acceptance rate (79.7%) than HSC- Hampden-Sydney (50.1%)

USC Aiken vs. HSC- Hampden-Sydney Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, USC Aiken or HSC- Hampden-Sydney? 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 HSC- Hampden-Sydney and USC Aiken.

  • The graduation rate at HSC- Hampden-Sydney is higher than University of South Carolina Aiken (67% vs. 41%)
  • Graduates from Hampden Sydney College earn on average $14,400 more per year than USC Aiken graduates after ten years. ($54,000 vs. $39,600)
  • University of South Carolina Aiken students graduate with a $1,000 lower median federal student loan debt than HSC- Hampden-Sydney graduates. ($26,000 vs. $27,000)
  • USC Aiken graduates are paying $11 less per month on federal student loans than HSC- Hampden-Sydney graduates. ($268 vs. $279)
  • More HSC- Hampden-Sydney graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former USC Aiken students, three years after graduation. (75% vs. 54%)

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