WSSU vs. University of South Carolina-Upstate

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

WSSU University of South Carolina-Upstate
Location Winston-Salem, NC Spartanburg, SC
Setting Midsize City Midsize Suburban
Enrollment 5,004 4,913
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #956 #823
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website wssu.edu uscupstate.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

WSSU University of South Carolina-Upstate
Tuition (In State) $3,401 $11,208
Tuition (Out of State) $14,057 $22,170
Room & Board $11,220 $9,520
Avg Net Price $14,097 $13,835
Avg Grant Aid $8,350 $12,038
% Receiving Grant Aid 86% 99%

Admission

WSSU University of South Carolina-Upstate
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 7,628 3,090
Admitted 5,598 2,428
Acceptance Rate 73.4% 78.6%
Enrolled % 15.3% 28.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.01 2.53
Typical High School Grades B C+
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 14/19 20/25
SAT Range 830/1050 950/1150
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 Feb 15, 2025

Academics

WSSU University of South Carolina-Upstate
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Health Professions (50%)
  • Business (9%)
  • Education (6%)
  • Social Sciences (5%)
  • Psychology (5%)
  • Health Professions (26%)
  • Education (20%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)
  • Psychology (6%)

Outcomes

WSSU University of South Carolina-Upstate
Graduation Rate 41% 39%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $35,700 $39,300
Making Student Loan Payments 33% 55%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,663 $22,500
Median Loan Payment $265 $232

Diversity

WSSU University of South Carolina-Upstate
% Men 24% 32%
% Women 76% 68%
Racial Diversity Low High
HBCU Yes No
% White 16% 56%
% Black 72% 29%
% Hispanic 3% 5%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 4%
% International 2% 2%
% Unknown Race 2% 2%

Students

WSSU University of South Carolina-Upstate
% In-State 82% 92%
% Out-of-State 16% 6%

Campus

WSSU 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

  • Winston Salem State University is larger than than University of South Carolina-Upstate based on total student enrollment (5,004 students vs. 4,913 students)

WSSU vs. University of South Carolina-Upstate Cost Comparison

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

  • University of South Carolina Upstate is 229.6% more expensive to attend than WSSU for in-state tuition ($11,208.00 vs. $3,401.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 57.7% higher at University of South Carolina-Upstate than Winston Salem State University ($22,170.00 vs. $14,057.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of South Carolina Upstate than WSSU ($13,835 vs. $14,097)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of South Carolina Upstate are 17.9% lower than costs at Winston Salem State University ($9,520 vs. $11,220)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of South Carolina Upstate than Winston Salem State University (99% vs. 86%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of South Carolina Upstate students is 44.2% larger than aid received Winston Salem State University ($12,038 vs. $8,350)

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

Which college is harder to get into, WSSU 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 WSSU .

  • The average SAT score at University of South Carolina Upstate (950) is 80 points higher than at WSSU (870)
  • Incoming University of South Carolina-Upstate students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (20) than students at WSSU (18)
  • Accepted freshman WSSU students have a 0.48 point higher average high school GPA (3.01) than students at University of South Carolina-Upstate (2.53)
  • University of South Carolina-Upstate has a higher acceptance rate (78.6%) than WSSU (73.4%)

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

Which is better, WSSU 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 WSSU.

  • The graduation rate at WSSU is higher than University of South Carolina Upstate (41% vs. 39%)
  • Graduates from University of South Carolina Upstate earn on average $3,600 more per year than WSSU graduates after ten years. ($39,300 vs. $35,700)
  • University of South Carolina Upstate students graduate with a $3,163 lower median federal student loan debt than WSSU graduates. ($22,500 vs. $25,663)
  • University of South Carolina-Upstate graduates are paying $33 less per month on federal student loans than WSSU graduates. ($232 vs. $265)
  • More University of South Carolina-Upstate graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former WSSU students, three years after graduation. (55% vs. 33%)

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