VSU vs. USC Aiken

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

VSU USC Aiken
Location Valdosta, GA Aiken, SC
Setting Small City Rural Fringe
Enrollment 10,209 3,840
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #982 #888
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website valdosta.edu usca.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

VSU USC Aiken
Tuition (In State) $4,371 $10,398
Tuition (Out of State) $15,426 $20,856
Room & Board $8,922 $8,376
Avg Net Price $12,836 $11,872
Avg Grant Aid $9,875 $9,891
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 100%

Admission

VSU USC Aiken
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 4,975 2,453
Admitted 4,451 1,855
Acceptance Rate 89.5% 75.6%
Enrolled % 25.3% 29.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.23 3.19
Typical High School Grades B B
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 17/21 18/24
SAT Range 950/1130 950/1180
Submit Test Scores Required to be considered for admission Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Jun 15, 2025 Aug 1, 2025

Academics

VSU USC Aiken
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (21%)
  • Education (17%)
  • Health Professions (10%)
  • English and Literature (8%)
  • Social Sciences (7%)
  • Business (25%)
  • Education (14%)
  • Health Professions (12%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (9%)

Outcomes

VSU USC Aiken
Graduation Rate 43% 41%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $40,300 $39,600
Making Student Loan Payments 41% 54%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,000 $26,000
Median Loan Payment $258 $268

Diversity

VSU USC Aiken
% Men 31% 36%
% Women 69% 64%
Racial Diversity High High
HBCU No No
% White 51% 58%
% Black 36% 27%
% Hispanic 5% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 4%
% International 3% 4%
% Unknown Race 0% 2%

Students

VSU USC Aiken
% In-State 69% 87%
% Out-of-State 30% 11%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Valdosta State University is larger than than USC Aiken based on total student enrollment (10,209 students vs. 3,840 students)

VSU vs. USC Aiken Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, VSU or USC Aiken?

  • University of South Carolina Aiken is 137.9% more expensive to attend than VSU for in-state tuition ($10,398.00 vs. $4,371.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 35.2% higher at USC Aiken than Valdosta State University ($20,856.00 vs. $15,426.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of South Carolina Aiken than VSU ($11,872 vs. $12,836)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of South Carolina Aiken are 6.5% lower than costs at Valdosta State University ($8,376 vs. $8,922)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of South Carolina Aiken than Valdosta State University (100% vs. 99%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of South Carolina Aiken students is 0.2% larger than aid received Valdosta State University ($9,891 vs. $9,875)

VSU vs. USC Aiken Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Valdosta State University (993) is 17 points higher than at USC Aiken (976)
  • Incoming VSU students have at the same average ACT score (21) as students at USC Aiken (21)
  • Accepted freshman VSU students have a 0.04 point higher average high school GPA (3.23) than students at USC Aiken (3.19)
  • VSU has a higher acceptance rate (89.5%) than USC Aiken (75.6%)

VSU vs. USC Aiken Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, VSU 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 VSU.

  • The graduation rate at VSU is higher than University of South Carolina Aiken (43% vs. 41%)
  • Graduates from Valdosta State University earn on average $700 more per year than USC Aiken graduates after ten years. ($40,300 vs. $39,600)
  • Valdosta State University students graduate with a $1,000 lower median federal student loan debt than USC Aiken graduates. ($25,000 vs. $26,000)
  • VSU graduates are paying $10 less per month on federal student loans than USC Aiken graduates. ($258 vs. $268)
  • More USC Aiken graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former VSU students, three years after graduation. (54% vs. 41%)

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