University of South Carolina-Upstate vs. NSU

Should I go to University of South Carolina Upstate or Northern 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. Northern State University comparison
University of South Carolina Upstate Northern State University College 3 College 4
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Overview

 University of South Carolina-Upstate NSU
Location Spartanburg, SC Aberdeen, SD
Setting Midsize Suburban Remote Town
Enrollment 4,913 3,344
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #823 #820
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website uscupstate.edu northern.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 University of South Carolina-Upstate NSU
Tuition (In State) $11,208 $7,616
Tuition (Out of State) $22,170 $10,718
Room & Board $9,520 $9,150
Avg Net Price $13,835 $17,264
Avg Grant Aid $12,038 $5,715
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 91%

Admission

 University of South Carolina-Upstate NSU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 3,090 1,322
Admitted 2,428 1,033
Acceptance Rate 78.6% 78.1%
Enrolled % 28.3% 28.9%
Avg High School GPA 2.53 3.37
Typical High School Grades C+ B+
Admissions Standards Easy Very Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 20/25 18/24
SAT Range 950/1150 800/1150
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

Academics

 University of South Carolina-Upstate NSU
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Health Professions (26%)
  • Education (20%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)
  • Psychology (6%)
  • Business (35%)
  • Education (20%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (6%)
  • Biology (4%)

Outcomes

 University of South Carolina-Upstate NSU
Graduation Rate 39% 42%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $39,300 $37,400
Making Student Loan Payments 55% 63%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,500 $24,399
Median Loan Payment $232 $252

Diversity

 University of South Carolina-Upstate NSU
% Men 32% 37%
% Women 68% 63%
Racial Diversity High Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 56% 83%
% Black 29% 2%
% Hispanic 5% 4%
% Native American 0% 3%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 2%
% International 2% 4%
% Unknown Race 2% 0%

Students

 University of South Carolina-Upstate NSU
% In-State 92% 69%
% Out-of-State 6% 30%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of South Carolina Upstate is larger than than NSU based on total student enrollment (4,913 students vs. 3,344 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 47.2% more expensive to attend than NSU for in-state tuition ($11,208.00 vs. $7,616.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 106.8% higher at University of South Carolina-Upstate than Northern State University ($22,170.00 vs. $10,718.00)
  • 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. $17,264)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Northern State University are 4% lower than costs at University of South Carolina Upstate ($9,150 vs. $9,520)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of South Carolina Upstate than Northern State University (99% vs. 91%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of South Carolina Upstate students is 110.6% larger than aid received Northern State University ($12,038 vs. $5,715)

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 Northern State University (1024) is 74 points higher than at University of South Carolina-Upstate (950)
  • Incoming NSU students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (22) than students at University of South Carolina-Upstate (20)
  • Accepted freshman NSU students have a 0.84 point higher average high school GPA (3.37) than students at University of South Carolina-Upstate (2.53)
  • University of South Carolina-Upstate has a higher acceptance rate (78.6%) than NSU (78.1%)

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 NSU is higher than University of South Carolina Upstate (42% vs. 39%)
  • Graduates from University of South Carolina Upstate earn on average $1,900 more per year than NSU graduates after ten years. ($39,300 vs. $37,400)
  • University of South Carolina Upstate students graduate with a $1,899 lower median federal student loan debt than NSU graduates. ($22,500 vs. $24,399)
  • University of South Carolina-Upstate graduates are paying $20 less per month on federal student loans than NSU graduates. ($232 vs. $252)
  • More NSU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former University of South Carolina-Upstate students, three years after graduation. (63% vs. 55%)

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