PennWest Clarion vs. USC Aiken

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

 PennWest Clarion USC Aiken
Location Clarion, PA Aiken, SC
Setting Remote Town Rural Fringe
Enrollment 3,922 3,840
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #888
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website clarion.edu usca.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 PennWest Clarion USC Aiken
Tuition (In State) $7,716 $10,398
Tuition (Out of State) $11,574 $20,856
Room & Board $12,930 $8,376
Avg Net Price - $11,872
Avg Grant Aid $0 $9,891
% Receiving Grant Aid 0% 100%

Admission

 PennWest Clarion USC Aiken
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied - 2,453
Admitted - 1,855
Acceptance Rate 75.6%
Enrolled % 29.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.5 3.19
Typical High School Grades B+ B
Admissions Standards Unavailable Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 18/24
SAT Range 950/1180
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Aug 1, 2024

Academics

 PennWest Clarion USC Aiken
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (18%)
  • Health Professions (18%)
  • Education (13%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (10%)
  • Communication (6%)
  • Business (25%)
  • Education (14%)
  • Health Professions (12%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (9%)

Outcomes

 PennWest Clarion USC Aiken
Graduation Rate 49% 41%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $39,200 $39,600
Making Student Loan Payments 63% 54%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,000 $26,000
Median Loan Payment $268 $268

Diversity

 PennWest Clarion USC Aiken
% Men 28% 36%
% Women 72% 64%
Racial Diversity Very Low High
HBCU No No
% White 83% 58%
% Black 8% 27%
% Hispanic 3% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 4%
% International 1% 4%
% Unknown Race 2% 2%

Students

 PennWest Clarion USC Aiken
% In-State 94% 87%
% Out-of-State 5% 11%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • PennWest Clarion is larger than than USC Aiken based on total student enrollment (3,922 students vs. 3,840 students)

PennWest Clarion vs. USC Aiken Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, PennWest Clarion or USC Aiken?

  • University of South Carolina Aiken is 34.8% more expensive to attend than PennWest Clarion for in-state tuition ($10,398.00 vs. $7,716.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 80.2% higher at USC Aiken than PennWest Clarion ($20,856.00 vs. $11,574.00)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of South Carolina Aiken are 54.4% lower than costs at PennWest Clarion ($8,376 vs. $12,930)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of South Carolina Aiken than PennWest Clarion (100% vs. 0%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of South Carolina Aiken students is ?% larger than aid received PennWest Clarion ($9,891 vs. $0)

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

  • The average SAT score at University of South Carolina Aiken (976) is 42 points higher than at PennWest Clarion (934)
  • Incoming USC Aiken students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (21) than students at PennWest Clarion (20)
  • Accepted freshman PennWest Clarion students have a 0.31 point higher average high school GPA (3.5) than students at USC Aiken (3.19)

PennWest Clarion vs. USC Aiken Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, PennWest Clarion 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 PennWest Clarion.

  • The graduation rate at PennWest Clarion is higher than University of South Carolina Aiken (49% vs. 41%)
  • Graduates from University of South Carolina Aiken earn on average $400 more per year than PennWest Clarion graduates after ten years. ($39,600 vs. $39,200)
  • University of South Carolina Aiken and PennWest Clarion graduates both have the same median student loan debt upon graduation ($26,000 vs. $26,000)
  • University of South Carolina Aiken and PennWest Clarion graduates both have a median monthly student loan payment upon graduation ($268 vs. $268)
  • More PennWest Clarion graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former USC Aiken students, three years after graduation. (63% vs. 54%)

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