UofSC vs. Penn State

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

UofSC Penn State
Location Columbia, SC University Park, PA
Setting Midsize City Small City
Enrollment 35,653 50,028
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #208 #167
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website sc.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

UofSC Penn State
Tuition (In State) $12,288 $18,368
Tuition (Out of State) $33,528 $35,946
Room & Board $11,780 $12,744
Avg Net Price $22,427 $26,747
Avg Grant Aid $6,880 $10,066
% Receiving Grant Aid 98% 44%

Admission

UofSC Penn State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 42,188 85,784
Admitted 27,022 47,360
Acceptance Rate 64.1% 55.2%
Enrolled % 24.3% 19.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.69 -
Typical High School Grades B+ -
Admissions Standards Very High Very High
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 27/32 26/31
SAT Range 1180/1380 1210/1390
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

Academics

UofSC Penn State
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (35%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • Psychology (6%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Engineering (12%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (7%)
  • Social Sciences (7%)

Outcomes

UofSC Penn State
Graduation Rate 70% 87%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $51,700 $55,300
Making Student Loan Payments 69% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,250 $26,818
Median Loan Payment $240 $277

Diversity

UofSC Penn State
% Men 42% 53%
% Women 58% 47%
Racial Diversity Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 77% 69%
% Black 10% 4%
% Hispanic 4% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 3%
% International 1% 11%
% Unknown Race 1% 2%

Students

UofSC Penn State
% In-State 52% 51%
% Out-of-State 47% 40%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Penn State Main Campus is larger than than UofSC based on total student enrollment (50,028 students vs. 35,653 students)

UofSC vs. Penn State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UofSC or Penn State?

  • Penn State Main Campus is 49.5% more expensive to attend than UofSC for in-state tuition ($18,368.00 vs. $12,288.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 7.2% higher at Penn State than University of South Carolina Columbia ($35,946.00 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 Penn State ($22,427 vs. $26,747)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of South Carolina Columbia are 8.2% lower than costs at Penn State Main Campus ($11,780 vs. $12,744)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of South Carolina Columbia than Penn State Main Campus (98% vs. 44%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Penn State Main Campus students is 46.3% larger than aid received University of South Carolina Columbia ($10,066 vs. $6,880)

UofSC vs. Penn State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of South Carolina Columbia (1220) is 18 points higher than at Penn State (1202)
  • Incoming UofSC students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (28) than students at Penn State (27)
  • UofSC has a higher acceptance rate (64.1%) than Penn State (55.2%)

UofSC vs. Penn State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UofSC or Penn State? 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 Penn State and UofSC.

  • The graduation rate at Penn State is higher than University of South Carolina Columbia (87% vs. 70%)
  • Graduates from Penn State Main Campus earn on average $3,600 more per year than UofSC graduates after ten years. ($55,300 vs. $51,700)
  • University of South Carolina Columbia students graduate with a $3,568 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State graduates. ($23,250 vs. $26,818)
  • UofSC graduates are paying $37 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State graduates. ($240 vs. $277)
  • More UofSC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 69%)

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