USC Aiken vs. University of South Carolina-Upstate

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

USC Aiken University of South Carolina-Upstate
Location Aiken, SC Spartanburg, SC
Setting Rural Fringe Midsize Suburban
Enrollment 3,840 4,913
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #888 #823
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website usca.edu uscupstate.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

USC Aiken University of South Carolina-Upstate
Tuition (In State) $10,398 $11,208
Tuition (Out of State) $20,856 $22,170
Room & Board $8,376 $9,520
Avg Net Price $11,872 $13,835
Avg Grant Aid $9,891 $12,038
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 99%

Admission

USC Aiken University of South Carolina-Upstate
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 2,453 3,090
Admitted 1,855 2,428
Acceptance Rate 75.6% 78.6%
Enrolled % 29.8% 28.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.19 2.53
Typical High School Grades B C+
Admissions Standards Easy Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 18/24 20/25
SAT Range 950/1180 950/1150
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 University of South Carolina-Upstate
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%)
  • Health Professions (26%)
  • Education (20%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)
  • Psychology (6%)

Outcomes

USC Aiken University of South Carolina-Upstate
Graduation Rate 41% 39%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $39,600 $39,300
Making Student Loan Payments 54% 55%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,000 $22,500
Median Loan Payment $268 $232

Diversity

USC Aiken University of South Carolina-Upstate
% Men 36% 32%
% Women 64% 68%
Racial Diversity High High
HBCU No No
% White 58% 56%
% Black 27% 29%
% Hispanic 4% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 4%
% International 4% 2%
% Unknown Race 2% 2%

Students

USC Aiken University of South Carolina-Upstate
% In-State 87% 92%
% Out-of-State 11% 6%

Campus

USC Aiken University of South Carolina-Upstate
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

  • University of South Carolina Upstate is larger than than USC Aiken based on total student enrollment (4,913 students vs. 3,840 students)

USC Aiken vs. University of South Carolina-Upstate Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, USC Aiken or University of South Carolina-Upstate?

  • University of South Carolina Upstate is 7.8% more expensive to attend than USC Aiken for in-state tuition ($11,208.00 vs. $10,398.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 6.3% higher at University of South Carolina-Upstate than University of South Carolina Aiken ($22,170.00 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 University of South Carolina-Upstate ($11,872 vs. $13,835)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of South Carolina Aiken are 13.7% lower than costs at University of South Carolina Upstate ($8,376 vs. $9,520)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of South Carolina Aiken than University of South Carolina Upstate (100% vs. 99%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of South Carolina Upstate students is 21.7% larger than aid received University of South Carolina Aiken ($12,038 vs. $9,891)

USC Aiken vs. University of South Carolina-Upstate Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of South Carolina Aiken (976) is 26 points higher than at University of South Carolina-Upstate (950)
  • Incoming USC Aiken students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (21) than students at University of South Carolina-Upstate (20)
  • Accepted freshman USC Aiken students have a 0.66 point higher average high school GPA (3.19) than students at University of South Carolina-Upstate (2.53)
  • University of South Carolina-Upstate has a higher acceptance rate (78.6%) than USC Aiken (75.6%)

USC Aiken vs. University of South Carolina-Upstate Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, USC Aiken or University of South Carolina-Upstate? 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 University of South Carolina-Upstate and USC Aiken.

  • The graduation rate at USC Aiken is higher than University of South Carolina Upstate (41% vs. 39%)
  • Graduates from University of South Carolina Aiken earn on average $300 more per year than University of South Carolina-Upstate graduates after ten years. ($39,600 vs. $39,300)
  • University of South Carolina Upstate students graduate with a $3,500 lower median federal student loan debt than USC Aiken graduates. ($22,500 vs. $26,000)
  • University of South Carolina-Upstate graduates are paying $36 less per month on federal student loans than USC Aiken graduates. ($232 vs. $268)
  • More University of South Carolina-Upstate graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former USC Aiken students, three years after graduation. (55% vs. 54%)

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