UofSC vs. VMI

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

 UofSC VMI
Location Columbia, SC Lexington, VA
Setting Midsize City Distant Rural
Enrollment 35,653 1,512
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #208 #150
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website sc.edu vmi.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 UofSC VMI
Tuition (In State) $12,288 $9,782
Tuition (Out of State) $33,528 $39,590
Room & Board $11,780 $10,674
Avg Net Price $22,427 $18,129
Avg Grant Aid $6,880 $19,111
% Receiving Grant Aid 98% 69%

Admission

 UofSC VMI
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 42,188 1,192
Admitted 27,022 847
Acceptance Rate 64.1% 71.1%
Enrolled % 24.3% 42.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.69 3.65
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Very High Challenging
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 27/32 22/29
SAT Range 1180/1380 1105/1300
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, 2024 Feb 1, 2025

Academics

 UofSC VMI
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 10:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (35%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • Psychology (6%)
  • Social Sciences (30%)
  • Engineering (23%)
  • History (14%)
  • Psychology (12%)
  • Foreign Languages (7%)

Outcomes

 UofSC VMI
Graduation Rate 70% 69%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $51,700 $62,100
Making Student Loan Payments 69% 84%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,250 $25,000
Median Loan Payment $240 $258

Diversity

 UofSC VMI
% Men 42% 87%
% Women 58% 13%
Racial Diversity Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 77% 80%
% Black 10% 6%
% Hispanic 4% 5%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 1%
% Two or More Races 4% 2%
% International 1% 2%
% Unknown Race 1% 0%

Students

 UofSC VMI
% In-State 52% 63%
% Out-of-State 47% 35%

Campus

 UofSC VMI
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No Yes
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 VMI based on total student enrollment (35,653 students vs. 1,512 students)

UofSC vs. VMI Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UofSC or VMI?

  • University of South Carolina Columbia is 25.6% more expensive to attend than VMI for in-state tuition ($12,288.00 vs. $9,782.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 18.1% higher at VMI than University of South Carolina Columbia ($39,590.00 vs. $33,528.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Virginia Military Institute than UofSC ($18,129 vs. $22,427)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Virginia Military Institute are 10.4% lower than costs at University of South Carolina Columbia ($10,674 vs. $11,780)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of South Carolina Columbia than Virginia Military Institute (98% vs. 69%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Virginia Military Institute students is 177.8% larger than aid received University of South Carolina Columbia ($19,111 vs. $6,880)

UofSC vs. VMI Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of South Carolina Columbia (1220) is 81 points higher than at VMI (1139)
  • Incoming UofSC students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (28) than students at VMI (25)
  • Accepted freshman UofSC students have a 0.04 point higher average high school GPA (3.69) than students at VMI (3.65)
  • VMI has a higher acceptance rate (71.1%) than UofSC (64.1%)

UofSC vs. VMI Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UofSC 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 UofSC.

  • The graduation rate at UofSC is higher than Virginia Military Institute (70% vs. 69%)
  • Graduates from Virginia Military Institute earn on average $10,400 more per year than UofSC graduates after ten years. ($62,100 vs. $51,700)
  • University of South Carolina Columbia students graduate with a $1,750 lower median federal student loan debt than VMI graduates. ($23,250 vs. $25,000)
  • UofSC graduates are paying $18 less per month on federal student loans than VMI graduates. ($240 vs. $258)
  • More VMI graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UofSC students, three years after graduation. (84% vs. 69%)

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