UofSC vs. CNU

Should I go to University of South Carolina Columbia or Christopher Newport University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if UofSC or CNU 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 Columbia vs. Christopher Newport University comparison
University of South Carolina Columbia Christopher Newport University College 3 College 4
University of South Carolina Columbia Christopher Newport University
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Overview

 UofSC CNU
Location Columbia, SC Newport News, VA
Setting Midsize City Midsize City
Enrollment 36,579 4,503
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #210 #418
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website sc.edu cnu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 UofSC CNU
Tuition (In State) $12,288 $10,001
Tuition (Out of State) $34,534 $24,238
Room & Board $12,558 $12,360
Avg Net Price $26,068 $22,864
Avg Grant Aid $6,762 $9,141
% Receiving Grant Aid 91% 65%

Admission

 UofSC CNU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 46,682 7,062
Admitted 28,706 6,212
Acceptance Rate 61.5% 88%
Enrolled % 25.5% 18.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.69 3.79
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Very High Challenging
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 26/32 23/29
SAT Range 1180/1380 1100/1300
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 Dec 1, 2025 Feb 1, 2026

Academics

 UofSC CNU
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (35%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • Psychology (6%)
  • Social Sciences (15%)
  • Communication (13%)
  • Biology (12%)
  • Business (11%)
  • Psychology (11%)

Outcomes

 UofSC CNU
Graduation Rate 70% 63%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $51,700 $47,100
Making Student Loan Payments 69% 78%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,250 $25,000
Median Loan Payment $240 $258

Diversity

 UofSC CNU
% Men 8% 1%
% Women 14% 1%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 77% 74%
% Black 10% 8%
% Hispanic 4% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 5%
% International 1% 0%
% Unknown Race 1% 5%

Students

 UofSC CNU
% In-State 54% 93%
% Out-of-State 45% 6%

Campus

 UofSC CNU
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes No
Daycare Facility Yes No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • University of South Carolina Columbia is larger than than CNU based on total student enrollment (36,579 students vs. 4,503 students)

UofSC vs. CNU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UofSC or CNU?

  • University of South Carolina Columbia is 22.9% more expensive to attend than CNU for in-state tuition ($12,288.00 vs. $10,001.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 42.5% higher at UofSC than Christopher Newport University ($34,534.00 vs. $24,238.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Christopher Newport University than UofSC ($22,864 vs. $26,068)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Christopher Newport University are 1.6% lower than costs at University of South Carolina Columbia ($12,360 vs. $12,558)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of South Carolina Columbia than Christopher Newport University (91% vs. 65%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Christopher Newport University students is 35.2% larger than aid received University of South Carolina Columbia ($9,141 vs. $6,762)

UofSC vs. CNU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of South Carolina Columbia (1220) is 65 points higher than at CNU (1155)
  • Incoming UofSC students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (28) than students at CNU (25)
  • Accepted freshman CNU students have a 0.1 point higher average high school GPA (3.79) than students at UofSC (3.69)
  • CNU has a higher acceptance rate (88%) than UofSC (61.5%)

UofSC vs. CNU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UofSC or CNU? 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 CNU and UofSC.

  • The graduation rate at UofSC is higher than Christopher Newport University (70% vs. 63%)
  • Graduates from University of South Carolina Columbia earn on average $4,600 more per year than CNU graduates after ten years. ($51,700 vs. $47,100)
  • University of South Carolina Columbia students graduate with a $1,750 lower median federal student loan debt than CNU graduates. ($23,250 vs. $25,000)
  • UofSC graduates are paying $18 less per month on federal student loans than CNU graduates. ($240 vs. $258)
  • More CNU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UofSC students, three years after graduation. (78% vs. 69%)

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