USC Aiken vs. UTC

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

USC Aiken UTC
Location Aiken, SC Chattanooga, TN
Setting Rural Fringe Midsize City
Enrollment 3,855 11,380
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #883 #815
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website usca.edu utc.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

USC Aiken UTC
Tuition (In State) $10,398 $8,232
Tuition (Out of State) $20,856 $16,296
Room & Board $8,736 $10,052
Avg Net Price $11,697 $13,801
Avg Grant Aid $9,701 $9,834
% Receiving Grant Aid 98% 93%

Admission

USC Aiken UTC
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 2,905 9,096
Admitted 2,316 7,006
Acceptance Rate 79.7% 77%
Enrolled % 26.6% 34%
Avg High School GPA 3.19 3.61
Typical High School Grades B B+
Admissions Standards Very Easy Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 17/23 20/25
SAT Range 970/1200 1005/1185
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Required to be considered for admission
Application Deadline Aug 1, 2025 May 1, 2025

Academics

USC Aiken UTC
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 (22%)
  • Education (8%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (6%)
  • Social Sciences (6%)

Outcomes

USC Aiken UTC
Graduation Rate 41% 39%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $39,600 $40,600
Making Student Loan Payments 54% 56%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,000 $20,792
Median Loan Payment $268 $214

Diversity

USC Aiken UTC
% Men 6% 5%
% Women 13% 8%
Racial Diversity High Low
HBCU No No
% White 58% 75%
% Black 27% 11%
% Hispanic 4% 3%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 7%
% International 4% 1%
% Unknown Race 2% 1%

Students

USC Aiken UTC
% In-State 88% 88%
% Out-of-State 11% 11%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga is larger than than USC Aiken based on total student enrollment (11,380 students vs. 3,855 students)

USC Aiken vs. UTC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, USC Aiken or UTC?

  • University of South Carolina Aiken is 26.3% more expensive to attend than UTC for in-state tuition ($10,398.00 vs. $8,232.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 28% higher at USC Aiken than The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga ($20,856.00 vs. $16,296.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of South Carolina Aiken than UTC ($11,697 vs. $13,801)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of South Carolina Aiken are 15.1% lower than costs at The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga ($8,736 vs. $10,052)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of South Carolina Aiken than The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (98% vs. 93%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga students is 1.4% larger than aid received University of South Carolina Aiken ($9,834 vs. $9,701)

USC Aiken vs. UTC Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (1087) is 111 points higher than at USC Aiken (976)
  • Incoming UTC students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (24) than students at USC Aiken (21)
  • Accepted freshman UTC students have a 0.42 point higher average high school GPA (3.61) than students at USC Aiken (3.19)
  • USC Aiken has a higher acceptance rate (79.7%) than UTC (77%)

USC Aiken vs. UTC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at USC Aiken is higher than The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (41% vs. 39%)
  • Graduates from The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga earn on average $1,000 more per year than USC Aiken graduates after ten years. ($40,600 vs. $39,600)
  • The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga students graduate with a $5,208 lower median federal student loan debt than USC Aiken graduates. ($20,792 vs. $26,000)
  • UTC graduates are paying $54 less per month on federal student loans than USC Aiken graduates. ($214 vs. $268)
  • More UTC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former USC Aiken students, three years after graduation. (56% vs. 54%)

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