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 4,913 5,783
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #823 #1008
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 $5,752
Tuition (Out of State) $22,170 $16,920
Room & Board $9,520 $10,844
Avg Net Price $13,835 $14,652
Avg Grant Aid $12,038 $12,164
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 91%

Admission

University of South Carolina-Upstate NSU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 3,090 8,884
Admitted 2,428 7,951
Acceptance Rate 78.6% 89.5%
Enrolled % 28.3% 16.4%
Avg High School GPA 2.53 2.9
Typical High School Grades C+ B-
Admissions Standards Easy Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 20/25 15/20
SAT Range 950/1150 840/1040
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, 2025

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 32% 33%
% Women 68% 67%
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 92% 65%
% Out-of-State 6% 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 (5,783 students vs. 4,913 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 94.9% more expensive to attend than NSU for in-state tuition ($11,208.00 vs. $5,752.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 31% higher at University of South Carolina-Upstate than Norfolk State University ($22,170.00 vs. $16,920.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of South Carolina Upstate than NSU ($13,835 vs. $14,652)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of South Carolina Upstate are 13.9% lower than costs at Norfolk State University ($9,520 vs. $10,844)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of South Carolina Upstate than Norfolk State University (99% vs. 91%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Norfolk State University students is 1% larger than aid received University of South Carolina Upstate ($12,164 vs. $12,038)

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 (89.5%) than University of South Carolina-Upstate (78.6%)

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/