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Virginia Tech JMU Annapolis USC Beaufort ASU Washington and Lee Citadel Military College of South Carolina Mason Lander University LSUS Winthrop University VCU| University of South Carolina Aiken | Virginia Military Institute | College 3 | College 4 | |
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
USC Aiken | VMI | ||
| Location | Aiken, SC | Lexington, VA | ||
| Setting | Rural Fringe | Distant Rural | ||
| Enrollment | 3,855 | 1,560 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #883 | #175 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | usca.edu | vmi.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
USC Aiken | VMI | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $10,398 | $10,076 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $20,856 | $40,778 | ||
| Room & Board | $8,736 | $10,990 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $11,697 | $17,229 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $9,701 | $13,735 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 98% | 81% |
Admission |
USC Aiken | VMI | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 2,905 | 1,171 | ||
| Admitted | 2,316 | 957 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 79.7% | 81.7% | ||
| Enrolled % | 26.6% | 49% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.19 | 3.65 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Very Easy | Challenging | ||
| Applicant Competition | ||||
| ACT Range | 17/23 | 22/28 | ||
| SAT Range | 970/1200 | 1040/1260 | ||
| 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 | Feb 1, 2025 |
Academics |
USC Aiken | VMI | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 15:1 | 10:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
USC Aiken | VMI | ||
| Graduation Rate | 41% | 69% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $39,600 | $62,100 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 54% | 84% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $26,000 | $25,000 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $268 | $258 |
Diversity |
USC Aiken | VMI | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 6% | 61% | ||
| % Women | 13% | 9% | ||
| Racial Diversity | High | Very Low | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 58% | 80% | ||
| % Black | 27% | 6% | ||
| % Hispanic | 4% | 5% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 1% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 1% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 4% | 2% | ||
| % International | 4% | 2% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 2% | 0% |
Students |
USC Aiken | VMI | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 88% | 63% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 11% | 35% | ||
Campus |
USC Aiken | VMI | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | Yes | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | No | No | ||
| Daycare Facility | Yes | No | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- University of South Carolina Aiken is larger than than VMI based on total student enrollment (3,855 students vs. 1,560 students)
USC Aiken vs. VMI Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, USC Aiken or VMI?
- University of South Carolina Aiken is 3.2% more expensive to attend than VMI for in-state tuition ($10,398.00 vs. $10,076.00)
- Out of state tuition is 95.5% higher at VMI than University of South Carolina Aiken ($40,778.00 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 VMI ($11,697 vs. $17,229)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of South Carolina Aiken are 25.8% lower than costs at Virginia Military Institute ($8,736 vs. $10,990)
- More students receive financial grant aid at University of South Carolina Aiken than Virginia Military Institute (98% vs. 81%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Virginia Military Institute students is 41.6% larger than aid received University of South Carolina Aiken ($13,735 vs. $9,701)
USC Aiken vs. VMI Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, USC Aiken or VMI? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between VMI or USC Aiken .
- The average SAT score at Virginia Military Institute (1139) is 163 points higher than at USC Aiken (976)
- Incoming VMI students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at USC Aiken (21)
- Accepted freshman VMI students have a 0.46 point higher average high school GPA (3.65) than students at USC Aiken (3.19)
- VMI has a higher acceptance rate (81.7%) than USC Aiken (79.7%)
USC Aiken vs. VMI Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, USC Aiken or VMI? 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 VMI and USC Aiken.
- The graduation rate at VMI is higher than University of South Carolina Aiken (69% vs. 41%)
- Graduates from Virginia Military Institute earn on average $22,500 more per year than USC Aiken graduates after ten years. ($62,100 vs. $39,600)
- Virginia Military Institute students graduate with a $1,000 lower median federal student loan debt than USC Aiken graduates. ($25,000 vs. $26,000)
- VMI graduates are paying $10 less per month on federal student loans than USC Aiken graduates. ($258 vs. $268)
- More VMI graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former USC Aiken students, three years after graduation. (84% vs. 54%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/