University of South Carolina-Upstate vs. UHCL

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

 University of South Carolina-Upstate UHCL
Location Spartanburg, SC Houston, TX
Setting Midsize Suburban Large Suburban
Enrollment 4,946 8,211
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #776
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website uscupstate.edu uhcl.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 University of South Carolina-Upstate UHCL
Tuition (In State) $11,208 $6,024
Tuition (Out of State) $22,170 $19,608
Room & Board $10,040 $11,014
Avg Net Price $13,794 $10,488
Avg Grant Aid $10,414 $12,220
% Receiving Grant Aid 97% 69%

Admission

 University of South Carolina-Upstate UHCL
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 3,557 2,348
Admitted 2,476 1,768
Acceptance Rate 69.6% 75.3%
Enrolled % 27.2% 24.8%
Avg High School GPA 2.53 3.39
Typical High School Grades C+ B+
Admissions Standards Easy Very Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 19/25 18/23
SAT Range 1000/1170 990/1170
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 Jun 1, 2026

Academics

 University of South Carolina-Upstate UHCL
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 19:1
Popular Majors
  • Health Professions (26%)
  • Education (20%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)
  • Psychology (6%)

Outcomes

 University of South Carolina-Upstate UHCL
Graduation Rate 39% -
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $39,300 $53,700
Making Student Loan Payments 55% 56%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,500 $17,150
Median Loan Payment $232 $177

Diversity

 University of South Carolina-Upstate UHCL
% Men 2% 9%
% Women 8% 16%
Racial Diversity High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 56% 43%
% Black 29% 9%
% Hispanic 5% 36%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 3%
% International 2% 2%
% Unknown Race 2% 1%

Students

 University of South Carolina-Upstate UHCL
% In-State 89% 95%
% Out-of-State 8% 0%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of Houston Clear Lake is larger than than University of South Carolina-Upstate based on total student enrollment (8,211 students vs. 4,946 students)

University of South Carolina-Upstate vs. UHCL Cost Comparison

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

  • University of South Carolina Upstate is 86.1% more expensive to attend than UHCL for in-state tuition ($11,208.00 vs. $6,024.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 13.1% higher at University of South Carolina-Upstate than University of Houston Clear Lake ($22,170.00 vs. $19,608.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Houston Clear Lake than University of South Carolina-Upstate ($10,488 vs. $13,794)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of South Carolina Upstate are 9.7% lower than costs at University of Houston Clear Lake ($10,040 vs. $11,014)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of South Carolina Upstate than University of Houston Clear Lake (97% vs. 69%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Houston Clear Lake students is 17.3% larger than aid received University of South Carolina Upstate ($12,220 vs. $10,414)

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

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Houston Clear Lake (1025) is 75 points higher than at University of South Carolina-Upstate (950)
  • Incoming UHCL students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (22) than students at University of South Carolina-Upstate (20)
  • Accepted freshman UHCL students have a 0.86 point higher average high school GPA (3.39) than students at University of South Carolina-Upstate (2.53)
  • UHCL has a higher acceptance rate (75.3%) than University of South Carolina-Upstate (69.6%)

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

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

  • Graduates from University of Houston Clear Lake earn on average $14,400 more per year than University of South Carolina-Upstate graduates after ten years. ($53,700 vs. $39,300)
  • University of Houston Clear Lake students graduate with a $5,350 lower median federal student loan debt than University of South Carolina-Upstate graduates. ($17,150 vs. $22,500)
  • UHCL graduates are paying $55 less per month on federal student loans than University of South Carolina-Upstate graduates. ($177 vs. $232)
  • More UHCL graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former University of South Carolina-Upstate students, three years after graduation. (56% vs. 55%)

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