USC Aiken vs. South Carolina State University

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

USC Aiken South Carolina State University
Location Aiken, SC Orangeburg, SC
Setting Rural Fringe Distant Town
Enrollment 3,840 2,649
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #888 #1011
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website usca.edu scsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

USC Aiken South Carolina State University
Tuition (In State) $10,398 $9,528
Tuition (Out of State) $20,856 $20,218
Room & Board $8,376 $9,000
Avg Net Price $11,872 $17,435
Avg Grant Aid $9,891 $15,873
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 96%

Admission

USC Aiken South Carolina State University
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 2,453 6,833
Admitted 1,855 5,733
Acceptance Rate 75.6% 83.9%
Enrolled % 29.8% 15.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.19 3.17
Typical High School Grades B B
Admissions Standards Easy Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 18/24 15/19
SAT Range 950/1180 800/1050
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 Jul 31, 2025

Academics

USC Aiken South Carolina State University
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (25%)
  • Education (14%)
  • Health Professions (12%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (9%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Work and Family Studies (11%)
  • Education (10%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • Health Professions (9%)

Outcomes

USC Aiken South Carolina State University
Graduation Rate 41% 35%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $39,600 $31,000
Making Student Loan Payments 54% 27%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,000 $33,205
Median Loan Payment $268 $343

Diversity

USC Aiken South Carolina State University
% Men 36% 44%
% Women 64% 56%
Racial Diversity High Extremely Low
HBCU No Yes
% White 58% 2%
% Black 27% 96%
% Hispanic 4% 0%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 0%
% International 4% 0%
% Unknown Race 2% 0%

Students

USC Aiken South Carolina State University
% In-State 87% 77%
% Out-of-State 11% 23%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of South Carolina Aiken is larger than than South Carolina State University based on total student enrollment (3,840 students vs. 2,649 students)

USC Aiken vs. South Carolina State University Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, USC Aiken or South Carolina State University?

  • University of South Carolina Aiken is 9.1% more expensive to attend than South Carolina State University for in-state tuition ($10,398.00 vs. $9,528.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 3.2% higher at USC Aiken than South Carolina State University ($20,856.00 vs. $20,218.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of South Carolina Aiken than South Carolina State University ($11,872 vs. $17,435)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of South Carolina Aiken are 7.4% lower than costs at South Carolina State University ($8,376 vs. $9,000)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of South Carolina Aiken than South Carolina State University (100% vs. 96%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by South Carolina State University students is 60.5% larger than aid received University of South Carolina Aiken ($15,873 vs. $9,891)

USC Aiken vs. South Carolina State University Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of South Carolina Aiken (976) is 216 points higher than at South Carolina State University (760)
  • Incoming USC Aiken students have a 5 point higher average ACT score (21) than students at South Carolina State University (16)
  • Accepted freshman USC Aiken students have a 0.02 point higher average high school GPA (3.19) than students at South Carolina State University (3.17)
  • South Carolina State University has a higher acceptance rate (83.9%) than USC Aiken (75.6%)

USC Aiken vs. South Carolina State University Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, USC Aiken or South Carolina State University? 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 South Carolina State University and USC Aiken.

  • The graduation rate at USC Aiken is higher than South Carolina State University (41% vs. 35%)
  • Graduates from University of South Carolina Aiken earn on average $8,600 more per year than South Carolina State University graduates after ten years. ($39,600 vs. $31,000)
  • University of South Carolina Aiken students graduate with a $7,205 lower median federal student loan debt than South Carolina State University graduates. ($26,000 vs. $33,205)
  • USC Aiken graduates are paying $75 less per month on federal student loans than South Carolina State University graduates. ($268 vs. $343)
  • More USC Aiken graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former South Carolina State University students, three years after graduation. (54% vs. 27%)

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