VSU vs. University of South Carolina-Upstate

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

VSU University of South Carolina-Upstate
Location Valdosta, GA Spartanburg, SC
Setting Small City Midsize Suburban
Enrollment 10,209 4,913
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #982 #823
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website valdosta.edu uscupstate.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

VSU University of South Carolina-Upstate
Tuition (In State) $4,371 $11,208
Tuition (Out of State) $15,426 $22,170
Room & Board $8,922 $9,520
Avg Net Price $12,836 $13,835
Avg Grant Aid $9,875 $12,038
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 99%

Admission

VSU University of South Carolina-Upstate
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 4,975 3,090
Admitted 4,451 2,428
Acceptance Rate 89.5% 78.6%
Enrolled % 25.3% 28.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.23 2.53
Typical High School Grades B C+
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 17/21 20/25
SAT Range 950/1130 950/1150
Submit Test Scores Required to be considered for admission Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Jun 15, 2025

Academics

VSU University of South Carolina-Upstate
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (21%)
  • Education (17%)
  • Health Professions (10%)
  • English and Literature (8%)
  • Social Sciences (7%)
  • Health Professions (26%)
  • Education (20%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)
  • Psychology (6%)

Outcomes

VSU University of South Carolina-Upstate
Graduation Rate 43% 39%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $40,300 $39,300
Making Student Loan Payments 41% 55%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,000 $22,500
Median Loan Payment $258 $232

Diversity

VSU University of South Carolina-Upstate
% Men 31% 32%
% Women 69% 68%
Racial Diversity High High
HBCU No No
% White 51% 56%
% Black 36% 29%
% Hispanic 5% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 4%
% International 3% 2%
% Unknown Race 0% 2%

Students

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

Campus

VSU University of South Carolina-Upstate
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 University of South Carolina-Upstate based on total student enrollment (10,209 students vs. 4,913 students)

VSU vs. University of South Carolina-Upstate Cost Comparison

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

  • University of South Carolina Upstate is 156.4% more expensive to attend than VSU for in-state tuition ($11,208.00 vs. $4,371.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 43.7% higher at University of South Carolina-Upstate than Valdosta State University ($22,170.00 vs. $15,426.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Valdosta State University than University of South Carolina-Upstate ($12,836 vs. $13,835)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Valdosta State University are 6.7% lower than costs at University of South Carolina Upstate ($8,922 vs. $9,520)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Valdosta State University as University of South Carolina Upstate (99% vs. 99%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of South Carolina Upstate students is 21.9% larger than aid received Valdosta State University ($12,038 vs. $9,875)

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

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

  • The average SAT score at Valdosta State University (993) is 43 points higher than at University of South Carolina-Upstate (950)
  • Incoming VSU students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (21) than students at University of South Carolina-Upstate (20)
  • Accepted freshman VSU students have a 0.7 point higher average high school GPA (3.23) than students at University of South Carolina-Upstate (2.53)
  • VSU has a higher acceptance rate (89.5%) than University of South Carolina-Upstate (78.6%)

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

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

  • The graduation rate at VSU is higher than University of South Carolina Upstate (43% vs. 39%)
  • Graduates from Valdosta State University earn on average $1,000 more per year than University of South Carolina-Upstate graduates after ten years. ($40,300 vs. $39,300)
  • University of South Carolina Upstate students graduate with a $2,500 lower median federal student loan debt than VSU graduates. ($22,500 vs. $25,000)
  • University of South Carolina-Upstate graduates are paying $26 less per month on federal student loans than VSU graduates. ($232 vs. $258)
  • 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. 41%)

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