University of South Carolina-Upstate vs. VSU

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

University of South Carolina-Upstate VSU
Location Spartanburg, SC Petersburg, VA
Setting Midsize Suburban Large Suburban
Enrollment 4,913 4,648
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #823 #980
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website uscupstate.edu vsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

University of South Carolina-Upstate VSU
Tuition (In State) $11,208 $5,540
Tuition (Out of State) $22,170 $16,542
Room & Board $9,520 $11,544
Avg Net Price $13,835 $15,773
Avg Grant Aid $12,038 $11,498
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 92%

Admission

University of South Carolina-Upstate VSU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 3,090 8,230
Admitted 2,428 7,384
Acceptance Rate 78.6% 89.7%
Enrolled % 28.3% 18.7%
Avg High School GPA 2.53 2.85
Typical High School Grades C+ B-
Admissions Standards Easy Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 20/25 14/17
SAT Range 950/1150 830/1030
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 1, 2025

Academics

University of South Carolina-Upstate VSU
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Health Professions (26%)
  • Education (20%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)
  • Psychology (6%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Education (14%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (10%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • General Studies (7%)

Outcomes

University of South Carolina-Upstate VSU
Graduation Rate 39% 40%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $39,300 $36,700
Making Student Loan Payments 55% 28%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,500 $29,500
Median Loan Payment $232 $305

Diversity

University of South Carolina-Upstate VSU
% Men 32% 40%
% Women 68% 60%
Racial Diversity High Very Low
HBCU No Yes
% White 56% 3%
% Black 29% 87%
% Hispanic 5% 2%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 0%
% International 2% 0%
% Unknown Race 2% 7%

Students

University of South Carolina-Upstate VSU
% In-State 92% 72%
% Out-of-State 6% 27%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of South Carolina Upstate is larger than than VSU based on total student enrollment (4,913 students vs. 4,648 students)

University of South Carolina-Upstate vs. VSU Cost Comparison

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

  • University of South Carolina Upstate is 102.3% more expensive to attend than VSU for in-state tuition ($11,208.00 vs. $5,540.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 34% higher at University of South Carolina-Upstate than Virginia State University ($22,170.00 vs. $16,542.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of South Carolina Upstate than VSU ($13,835 vs. $15,773)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of South Carolina Upstate are 21.3% lower than costs at Virginia State University ($9,520 vs. $11,544)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of South Carolina Upstate than Virginia State University (99% vs. 92%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of South Carolina Upstate students is 4.7% larger than aid received Virginia State University ($12,038 vs. $11,498)

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

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

  • The average SAT score at University of South Carolina Upstate (950) is 93 points higher than at VSU (857)
  • Incoming University of South Carolina-Upstate students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (20) than students at VSU (18)
  • Accepted freshman VSU students have a 0.32 point higher average high school GPA (2.85) than students at University of South Carolina-Upstate (2.53)
  • VSU has a higher acceptance rate (89.7%) than University of South Carolina-Upstate (78.6%)

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

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

  • The graduation rate at VSU is higher than University of South Carolina Upstate (40% vs. 39%)
  • Graduates from University of South Carolina Upstate earn on average $2,600 more per year than VSU graduates after ten years. ($39,300 vs. $36,700)
  • University of South Carolina Upstate students graduate with a $7,000 lower median federal student loan debt than VSU graduates. ($22,500 vs. $29,500)
  • University of South Carolina-Upstate graduates are paying $73 less per month on federal student loans than VSU graduates. ($232 vs. $305)
  • More University of South Carolina-Upstate graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former VSU students, three years after graduation. (55% vs. 28%)

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