University of South Carolina-Upstate vs. NSU

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

University of South Carolina-Upstate NSU
Location Spartanburg, SC Norfolk, VA
Setting Midsize Suburban Midsize City
Enrollment 4,946 6,045
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #776 #999
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website uscupstate.edu nsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

University of South Carolina-Upstate NSU
Tuition (In State) $11,208 $5,926
Tuition (Out of State) $22,170 $17,428
Room & Board $10,040 $11,692
Avg Net Price $13,794 $12,272
Avg Grant Aid $10,414 $11,153
% Receiving Grant Aid 97% 97%

Admission

University of South Carolina-Upstate NSU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 3,557 10,211
Admitted 2,476 8,931
Acceptance Rate 69.6% 87.5%
Enrolled % 27.2% 16.8%
Avg High School GPA 2.53 2.9
Typical High School Grades C+ B-
Admissions Standards Easy Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 19/25 16/21
SAT Range 1000/1170 840/1100
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 May 31, 2026

Academics

University of South Carolina-Upstate NSU
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 18:1
Popular Majors
  • Health Professions (26%)
  • Education (20%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)
  • Psychology (6%)
  • Health Professions (21%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • General Studies (10%)
  • Communication (7%)

Outcomes

University of South Carolina-Upstate NSU
Graduation Rate 39% 33%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $39,300 $36,700
Making Student Loan Payments 55% 27%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,500 $31,000
Median Loan Payment $232 $320

Diversity

University of South Carolina-Upstate NSU
% Men 2% 3%
% Women 8% 5%
Racial Diversity High Very Low
HBCU No Yes
% White 56% 5%
% Black 29% 84%
% Hispanic 5% 3%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 4%
% International 2% 0%
% Unknown Race 2% 3%

Students

University of South Carolina-Upstate NSU
% In-State 89% 65%
% Out-of-State 8% 31%

Campus

University of South Carolina-Upstate NSU
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

  • Norfolk State University is larger than than University of South Carolina-Upstate based on total student enrollment (6,045 students vs. 4,946 students)

University of South Carolina-Upstate vs. NSU Cost Comparison

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

  • University of South Carolina Upstate is 89.1% more expensive to attend than NSU for in-state tuition ($11,208.00 vs. $5,926.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 27.2% higher at University of South Carolina-Upstate than Norfolk State University ($22,170.00 vs. $17,428.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Norfolk State University than University of South Carolina-Upstate ($12,272 vs. $13,794)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of South Carolina Upstate are 16.5% lower than costs at Norfolk State University ($10,040 vs. $11,692)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at University of South Carolina Upstate as Norfolk State University (97% vs. 97%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Norfolk State University students is 7.1% larger than aid received University of South Carolina Upstate ($11,153 vs. $10,414)

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

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

  • The average SAT score at University of South Carolina Upstate (950) is 142 points higher than at NSU (808)
  • Incoming University of South Carolina-Upstate students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (20) than students at NSU (17)
  • Accepted freshman NSU students have a 0.37 point higher average high school GPA (2.9) than students at University of South Carolina-Upstate (2.53)
  • NSU has a higher acceptance rate (87.5%) than University of South Carolina-Upstate (69.6%)

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

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

  • The graduation rate at University of South Carolina-Upstate is higher than Norfolk State University (39% vs. 33%)
  • Graduates from University of South Carolina Upstate earn on average $2,600 more per year than NSU graduates after ten years. ($39,300 vs. $36,700)
  • University of South Carolina Upstate students graduate with a $8,500 lower median federal student loan debt than NSU graduates. ($22,500 vs. $31,000)
  • University of South Carolina-Upstate graduates are paying $88 less per month on federal student loans than NSU graduates. ($232 vs. $320)
  • More University of South Carolina-Upstate graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former NSU students, three years after graduation. (55% vs. 27%)

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