USC Aiken vs. RU

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

 USC Aiken RU
Location Aiken, SC Radford, VA
Setting Rural Fringe Distant Town
Enrollment 3,840 7,718
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #888 #566
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website usca.edu radford.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 USC Aiken RU
Tuition (In State) $10,398 $8,156
Tuition (Out of State) $20,856 $20,246
Room & Board $8,376 $10,567
Avg Net Price $11,872 $17,105
Avg Grant Aid $9,891 $9,733
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 96%

Admission

 USC Aiken RU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 2,453 11,442
Admitted 1,855 10,680
Acceptance Rate 75.6% 93.3%
Enrolled % 29.8% 11.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.19 3.31
Typical High School Grades B B+
Admissions Standards Easy Very Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 18/24 19/23
SAT Range 950/1180 960/1160
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 RU
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 (18%)
  • General Studies (10%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (9%)
  • Communication (8%)

Outcomes

 USC Aiken RU
Graduation Rate 41% 56%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $39,600 $47,400
Making Student Loan Payments 54% 70%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,000 $23,000
Median Loan Payment $268 $237

Diversity

 USC Aiken RU
% Men 36% 33%
% Women 64% 67%
Racial Diversity High Low
HBCU No No
% White 58% 71%
% Black 27% 13%
% Hispanic 4% 7%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 5%
% International 4% 1%
% Unknown Race 2% 1%

Students

 USC Aiken RU
% In-State 87% 89%
% Out-of-State 11% 11%

Campus

 USC Aiken RU
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

  • Radford University is larger than than USC Aiken based on total student enrollment (7,718 students vs. 3,840 students)

USC Aiken vs. RU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, USC Aiken or RU?

  • University of South Carolina Aiken is 27.5% more expensive to attend than RU for in-state tuition ($10,398.00 vs. $8,156.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 3% higher at USC Aiken than Radford University ($20,856.00 vs. $20,246.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of South Carolina Aiken than RU ($11,872 vs. $17,105)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of South Carolina Aiken are 26.2% lower than costs at Radford University ($8,376 vs. $10,567)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of South Carolina Aiken than Radford University (100% vs. 96%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of South Carolina Aiken students is 1.6% larger than aid received Radford University ($9,891 vs. $9,733)

USC Aiken vs. RU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman RU students have a 0.12 point higher average high school GPA (3.31) than students at USC Aiken (3.19)
  • RU has a higher acceptance rate (93.3%) than USC Aiken (75.6%)

USC Aiken vs. RU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at RU is higher than University of South Carolina Aiken (56% vs. 41%)
  • Graduates from Radford University earn on average $7,800 more per year than USC Aiken graduates after ten years. ($47,400 vs. $39,600)
  • Radford University students graduate with a $3,000 lower median federal student loan debt than USC Aiken graduates. ($23,000 vs. $26,000)
  • RU graduates are paying $31 less per month on federal student loans than USC Aiken graduates. ($237 vs. $268)
  • More RU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former USC Aiken students, three years after graduation. (70% vs. 54%)

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