USC Aiken vs. UHCL

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

 USC Aiken UHCL
Location Aiken, SC Houston, TX
Setting Rural Fringe Large Suburban
Enrollment 3,840 8,562
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #888
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website usca.edu uhcl.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 USC Aiken UHCL
Tuition (In State) $10,398 $6,024
Tuition (Out of State) $20,856 $19,320
Room & Board $8,376 $9,440
Avg Net Price $11,872 $17,871
Avg Grant Aid $9,891 $16,973
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 78%

Admission

 USC Aiken UHCL
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 2,453 1,985
Admitted 1,855 1,377
Acceptance Rate 75.6% 69.4%
Enrolled % 29.8% 25.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.19 3.39
Typical High School Grades B B+
Admissions Standards Easy Very Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 18/24 19/23
SAT Range 950/1180 990/1173
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 Jun 1, 2025

Academics

 USC Aiken UHCL
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (25%)
  • Education (14%)
  • Health Professions (12%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (9%)

Outcomes

 USC Aiken UHCL
Graduation Rate 41% -
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $39,600 $53,700
Making Student Loan Payments 54% 56%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,000 $17,150
Median Loan Payment $268 $177

Diversity

 USC Aiken UHCL
% Men 36% 37%
% Women 64% 63%
Racial Diversity High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 58% 43%
% Black 27% 9%
% Hispanic 4% 36%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 3%
% International 4% 2%
% Unknown Race 2% 1%

Students

 USC Aiken UHCL
% In-State 87% 100%
% Out-of-State 11% 0%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of Houston Clear Lake is larger than than USC Aiken based on total student enrollment (8,562 students vs. 3,840 students)

USC Aiken vs. UHCL Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, USC Aiken or UHCL?

  • University of South Carolina Aiken is 72.6% more expensive to attend than UHCL for in-state tuition ($10,398.00 vs. $6,024.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 8% higher at USC Aiken than University of Houston Clear Lake ($20,856.00 vs. $19,320.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of South Carolina Aiken than UHCL ($11,872 vs. $17,871)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of South Carolina Aiken are 12.7% lower than costs at University of Houston Clear Lake ($8,376 vs. $9,440)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of South Carolina Aiken than University of Houston Clear Lake (100% vs. 78%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Houston Clear Lake students is 71.6% larger than aid received University of South Carolina Aiken ($16,973 vs. $9,891)

USC Aiken vs. UHCL Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Houston Clear Lake (1025) is 49 points higher than at USC Aiken (976)
  • Incoming UHCL students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (22) than students at USC Aiken (21)
  • Accepted freshman UHCL students have a 0.2 point higher average high school GPA (3.39) than students at USC Aiken (3.19)
  • USC Aiken has a higher acceptance rate (75.6%) than UHCL (69.4%)

USC Aiken vs. UHCL Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • Graduates from University of Houston Clear Lake earn on average $14,100 more per year than USC Aiken graduates after ten years. ($53,700 vs. $39,600)
  • University of Houston Clear Lake students graduate with a $8,850 lower median federal student loan debt than USC Aiken graduates. ($17,150 vs. $26,000)
  • UHCL graduates are paying $91 less per month on federal student loans than USC Aiken graduates. ($177 vs. $268)
  • More UHCL 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/