UofSC vs. Virginia Tech

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

UofSC Virginia Tech
Location Columbia, SC Blacksburg, VA
Setting Midsize City Small City
Enrollment 35,653 38,170
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #208 #142
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website sc.edu vt.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

UofSC Virginia Tech
Tuition (In State) $12,288 $12,104
Tuition (Out of State) $33,528 $31,754
Room & Board $11,780 $12,680
Avg Net Price $22,427 $19,301
Avg Grant Aid $6,880 $7,649
% Receiving Grant Aid 98% 57%

Admission

UofSC Virginia Tech
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 42,188 45,321
Admitted 27,022 25,825
Acceptance Rate 64.1% 57%
Enrolled % 24.3% 27.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.69 3.97
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Very High Very High
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 27/32 27/32
SAT Range 1180/1380 1240/1430
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 15, 2025

Academics

UofSC Virginia Tech
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (35%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • Psychology (6%)
  • Business (20%)
  • Engineering (19%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Work and Family Studies (6%)

Outcomes

UofSC Virginia Tech
Graduation Rate 70% 82%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $51,700 $65,000
Making Student Loan Payments 69% 81%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,250 $23,966
Median Loan Payment $240 $247

Diversity

UofSC Virginia Tech
% Men 42% 57%
% Women 58% 43%
Racial Diversity Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 77% 68%
% Black 10% 4%
% Hispanic 4% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 4%
% International 1% 6%
% Unknown Race 1% 3%

Students

UofSC Virginia Tech
% In-State 52% 64%
% Out-of-State 47% 32%

Campus

UofSC Virginia Tech
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

  • Virginia Tech is larger than than UofSC based on total student enrollment (38,170 students vs. 35,653 students)

UofSC vs. Virginia Tech Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UofSC or Virginia Tech?

  • University of South Carolina Columbia is 1.5% more expensive to attend than Virginia Tech for in-state tuition ($12,288.00 vs. $12,104.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 5.6% higher at UofSC than Virginia Tech ($33,528.00 vs. $31,754.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Virginia Tech than UofSC ($19,301 vs. $22,427)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of South Carolina Columbia are 7.6% lower than costs at Virginia Tech ($11,780 vs. $12,680)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of South Carolina Columbia than Virginia Tech (98% vs. 57%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Virginia Tech students is 11.2% larger than aid received University of South Carolina Columbia ($7,649 vs. $6,880)

UofSC vs. Virginia Tech Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of South Carolina Columbia (1220) is 10 points higher than at Virginia Tech (1210)
  • Accepted freshman Virginia Tech students have a 0.28 point higher average high school GPA (3.97) than students at UofSC (3.69)
  • UofSC has a higher acceptance rate (64.1%) than Virginia Tech (57%)

UofSC vs. Virginia Tech Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UofSC or Virginia Tech? 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 Virginia Tech and UofSC.

  • The graduation rate at Virginia Tech is higher than University of South Carolina Columbia (82% vs. 70%)
  • Graduates from Virginia Tech earn on average $13,300 more per year than UofSC graduates after ten years. ($65,000 vs. $51,700)
  • University of South Carolina Columbia students graduate with a $716 lower median federal student loan debt than Virginia Tech graduates. ($23,250 vs. $23,966)
  • UofSC graduates are paying $7 less per month on federal student loans than Virginia Tech graduates. ($240 vs. $247)
  • More Virginia Tech graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UofSC students, three years after graduation. (81% vs. 69%)

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