UofSC vs. William & Mary

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

UofSC William & Mary
Location Columbia, SC Williamsburg, VA
Setting Midsize City Large Suburban
Enrollment 35,653 9,654
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #208 #61
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website sc.edu wm.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

UofSC William & Mary
Tuition (In State) $12,288 $17,434
Tuition (Out of State) $33,528 $40,089
Room & Board $11,780 $13,828
Avg Net Price $22,427 $25,688
Avg Grant Aid $6,880 $15,134
% Receiving Grant Aid 98% 66%

Admission

UofSC William & Mary
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 42,188 18,087
Admitted 27,022 6,059
Acceptance Rate 64.1% 33.5%
Enrolled % 24.3% 27.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.69 3.85
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Very High Exceptional
Applicant Competition Low High
ACT Range 27/32 32/34
SAT Range 1180/1380 1375/1520
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, 2024 Jan 2, 2025

Academics

UofSC William & Mary
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (35%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • Psychology (6%)
  • Social Sciences (24%)
  • Business (11%)
  • General Studies (10%)
  • English and Literature (8%)
  • History (7%)

Outcomes

UofSC William & Mary
Graduation Rate 70% 91%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $51,700 $68,700
Making Student Loan Payments 69% 85%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,250 $19,500
Median Loan Payment $240 $201

Diversity

UofSC William & Mary
% Men 42% 42%
% Women 58% 58%
Racial Diversity Low High
HBCU No No
% White 77% 59%
% Black 10% 7%
% Hispanic 4% 9%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 4%
% International 1% 6%
% Unknown Race 1% 6%

Students

UofSC William & Mary
% In-State 52% 58%
% Out-of-State 47% 36%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of South Carolina Columbia is larger than than William & Mary based on total student enrollment (35,653 students vs. 9,654 students)

UofSC vs. William & Mary Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UofSC or William & Mary?

  • College of William and Mary is 41.9% more expensive to attend than UofSC for in-state tuition ($17,434.00 vs. $12,288.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 19.6% higher at William & Mary than University of South Carolina Columbia ($40,089.00 vs. $33,528.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of South Carolina Columbia than William & Mary ($22,427 vs. $25,688)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of South Carolina Columbia are 17.4% lower than costs at College of William and Mary ($11,780 vs. $13,828)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of South Carolina Columbia than College of William and Mary (98% vs. 66%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by College of William and Mary students is 120% larger than aid received University of South Carolina Columbia ($15,134 vs. $6,880)

UofSC vs. William & Mary Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at College of William and Mary (1353) is 133 points higher than at UofSC (1220)
  • Incoming William & Mary students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (30) than students at UofSC (28)
  • Accepted freshman William & Mary students have a 0.16 point higher average high school GPA (3.85) than students at UofSC (3.69)
  • UofSC has a higher acceptance rate (64.1%) than William & Mary (33.5%)

UofSC vs. William & Mary Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UofSC or William & Mary? 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 William & Mary and UofSC.

  • The graduation rate at William & Mary is higher than University of South Carolina Columbia (91% vs. 70%)
  • Graduates from College of William and Mary earn on average $17,000 more per year than UofSC graduates after ten years. ($68,700 vs. $51,700)
  • College of William and Mary students graduate with a $3,750 lower median federal student loan debt than UofSC graduates. ($19,500 vs. $23,250)
  • William & Mary graduates are paying $39 less per month on federal student loans than UofSC graduates. ($201 vs. $240)
  • More William & Mary graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UofSC students, three years after graduation. (85% vs. 69%)

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