University of South Carolina-Upstate vs. CSUMB

Should I go to University of South Carolina Upstate or California State University Monterey Bay? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if University of South Carolina-Upstate or CSUMB 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 Upstate vs. California State University Monterey Bay comparison
University of South Carolina Upstate California State University Monterey Bay College 3 College 4
California State University Monterey Bay
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Overview

University of South Carolina-Upstate CSUMB
Location Spartanburg, SC Seaside, CA
Setting Midsize Suburban Rural Fringe
Enrollment 4,946 6,742
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #776 #835
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website uscupstate.edu csumb.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

University of South Carolina-Upstate CSUMB
Tuition (In State) $11,208 $5,742
Tuition (Out of State) $22,170 $17,622
Room & Board $10,040 $16,413
Avg Net Price $13,794 $15,222
Avg Grant Aid $10,414 $10,480
% Receiving Grant Aid 97% 73%

Admission

University of South Carolina-Upstate CSUMB
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 3,557 11,769
Admitted 2,476 11,160
Acceptance Rate 69.6% 94.8%
Enrolled % 27.2% 8.4%
Avg High School GPA 2.53 3.45
Typical High School Grades C+ B+
Admissions Standards Easy Very Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 19/25 17/23
SAT Range 1000/1170 960/1160
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Jan 15, 2026

Academics

University of South Carolina-Upstate CSUMB
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Health Professions (26%)
  • Education (20%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)
  • Psychology (6%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (22%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (8%)

Outcomes

University of South Carolina-Upstate CSUMB
Graduation Rate 39% 38%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $39,300 $45,300
Making Student Loan Payments 55% 66%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,500 $14,000
Median Loan Payment $232 $144

Diversity

University of South Carolina-Upstate CSUMB
% Men 2% 3%
% Women 8% 9%
Racial Diversity High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 56% 31%
% Black 29% 6%
% Hispanic 5% 43%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 7%
% International 2% 2%
% Unknown Race 2% 5%

Students

University of South Carolina-Upstate CSUMB
% In-State 89% 93%
% Out-of-State 8% 5%

Campus

University of South Carolina-Upstate CSUMB
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility Yes Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • California State University Monterey Bay is larger than than University of South Carolina-Upstate based on total student enrollment (6,742 students vs. 4,946 students)

University of South Carolina-Upstate vs. CSUMB Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, University of South Carolina-Upstate or CSUMB?

  • University of South Carolina Upstate is 95.2% more expensive to attend than CSUMB for in-state tuition ($11,208.00 vs. $5,742.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 25.8% higher at University of South Carolina-Upstate than California State University Monterey Bay ($22,170.00 vs. $17,622.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of South Carolina Upstate than CSUMB ($13,794 vs. $15,222)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of South Carolina Upstate are 63.5% lower than costs at California State University Monterey Bay ($10,040 vs. $16,413)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of South Carolina Upstate than California State University Monterey Bay (97% vs. 73%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by California State University Monterey Bay students is 0.6% larger than aid received University of South Carolina Upstate ($10,480 vs. $10,414)

University of South Carolina-Upstate vs. CSUMB Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, University of South Carolina-Upstate or CSUMB? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between CSUMB or University of South Carolina-Upstate .

  • Accepted freshman CSUMB students have a 0.92 point higher average high school GPA (3.45) than students at University of South Carolina-Upstate (2.53)
  • CSUMB has a higher acceptance rate (94.8%) than University of South Carolina-Upstate (69.6%)

University of South Carolina-Upstate vs. CSUMB Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, University of South Carolina-Upstate or CSUMB? 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 CSUMB and University of South Carolina-Upstate.

  • The graduation rate at University of South Carolina-Upstate is higher than California State University Monterey Bay (39% vs. 38%)
  • Graduates from California State University Monterey Bay earn on average $6,000 more per year than University of South Carolina-Upstate graduates after ten years. ($45,300 vs. $39,300)
  • California State University Monterey Bay students graduate with a $8,500 lower median federal student loan debt than University of South Carolina-Upstate graduates. ($14,000 vs. $22,500)
  • CSUMB graduates are paying $88 less per month on federal student loans than University of South Carolina-Upstate graduates. ($144 vs. $232)
  • More CSUMB graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former University of South Carolina-Upstate students, three years after graduation. (66% vs. 55%)

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