Cumberland College vs. USC Aiken

Should I go to University of the Cumberlands or University of South Carolina Aiken? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Cumberland College or USC Aiken 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 the Cumberlands vs. University of South Carolina Aiken comparison
University of the Cumberlands University of South Carolina Aiken College 3 College 4
University of the Cumberlands
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Overview

Cumberland College USC Aiken
Location Williamsburg, KY Aiken, SC
Setting Remote Town Rural Fringe
Enrollment 18,053 3,840
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #952 #888
Religious Affiliation Baptist - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website ucumberlands.edu usca.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Cumberland College USC Aiken
Tuition (In State) $9,875 $10,398
Tuition (Out of State) $9,875 $20,856
Room & Board $9,300 $8,376
Avg Net Price $14,337 $11,872
Avg Grant Aid $9,822 $9,891
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 100%

Admission

Cumberland College USC Aiken
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 2,314 2,453
Admitted 1,921 1,855
Acceptance Rate 83% 75.6%
Enrolled % 33.3% 29.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.47 3.19
Typical High School Grades B+ B
Admissions Standards Very Easy Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 16/23 18/24
SAT Range 960/1160 950/1180
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 Aug 31, 2025 Aug 1, 2025

Academics

Cumberland College USC Aiken
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (24%)
  • Education (11%)
  • Biology (11%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (8%)
  • Business (25%)
  • Education (14%)
  • Health Professions (12%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (9%)

Outcomes

Cumberland College USC Aiken
Graduation Rate 43% 41%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $36,700 $39,600
Making Student Loan Payments 52% 54%
Median Student Loan Debt $13,956 $26,000
Median Loan Payment $144 $268

Diversity

Cumberland College USC Aiken
% Men 46% 36%
% Women 54% 64%
Racial Diversity Low High
HBCU No No
% White 76% 58%
% Black 6% 27%
% Hispanic 2% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 1% 4%
% International 5% 4%
% Unknown Race 10% 2%

Students

Cumberland College USC Aiken
% In-State 65% 87%
% Out-of-State 28% 11%

Campus

Cumberland College USC Aiken
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility No Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • University of the Cumberlands is larger than than USC Aiken based on total student enrollment (18,053 students vs. 3,840 students)

Cumberland College vs. USC Aiken Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Cumberland College or USC Aiken?

  • University of South Carolina Aiken is 5.3% more expensive to attend than Cumberland College for in-state tuition ($10,398.00 vs. $9,875.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 111.2% higher at USC Aiken than University of the Cumberlands ($20,856.00 vs. $9,875.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of South Carolina Aiken than Cumberland College ($11,872 vs. $14,337)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of South Carolina Aiken are 11% lower than costs at University of the Cumberlands ($8,376 vs. $9,300)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of South Carolina Aiken than University of the Cumberlands (100% vs. 99%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of South Carolina Aiken students is 0.7% larger than aid received University of the Cumberlands ($9,891 vs. $9,822)

Cumberland College vs. USC Aiken Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Cumberland College or USC Aiken? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between USC Aiken or Cumberland College .

  • The average SAT score at University of the Cumberlands (1022) is 46 points higher than at USC Aiken (976)
  • Incoming Cumberland College students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (22) than students at USC Aiken (21)
  • Accepted freshman Cumberland College students have a 0.28 point higher average high school GPA (3.47) than students at USC Aiken (3.19)
  • Cumberland College has a higher acceptance rate (83%) than USC Aiken (75.6%)

Cumberland College vs. USC Aiken Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Cumberland College or USC Aiken? 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 USC Aiken and Cumberland College.

  • The graduation rate at Cumberland College is higher than University of South Carolina Aiken (43% vs. 41%)
  • Graduates from University of South Carolina Aiken earn on average $2,900 more per year than Cumberland College graduates after ten years. ($39,600 vs. $36,700)
  • University of the Cumberlands students graduate with a $12,044 lower median federal student loan debt than USC Aiken graduates. ($13,956 vs. $26,000)
  • Cumberland College graduates are paying $124 less per month on federal student loans than USC Aiken graduates. ($144 vs. $268)
  • More USC Aiken graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Cumberland College students, three years after graduation. (54% vs. 52%)

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