CofC vs. UofSC

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

CofC UofSC
Location Charleston, SC Columbia, SC
Setting Midsize City Midsize City
Enrollment 10,885 35,653
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #428 #208
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website cofc.edu sc.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

CofC UofSC
Tuition (In State) $12,518 $12,288
Tuition (Out of State) $35,338 $33,528
Room & Board $12,986 $11,780
Avg Net Price $21,120 $22,427
Avg Grant Aid $9,499 $6,880
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 98%

Admission

CofC UofSC
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 22,020 42,188
Admitted 16,666 27,022
Acceptance Rate 75.7% 64.1%
Enrolled % 13.3% 24.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.94 3.69
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Difficult Very High
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 24/30 27/32
SAT Range 1130/1300 1180/1380
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 Jan 15, 2024 Dec 1, 2023

Academics

CofC UofSC
Student to Faculty Ratio 16:1 18:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (23%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • Education (10%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • Business (35%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • Psychology (6%)

Outcomes

CofC UofSC
Graduation Rate 63% 70%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $46,200 $51,700
Making Student Loan Payments 60% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,500 $23,250
Median Loan Payment $222 $240

Diversity

CofC UofSC
% Men 32% 42%
% Women 68% 58%
Racial Diversity Very Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 80% 77%
% Black 7% 10%
% Hispanic 5% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 4%
% International 1% 1%
% Unknown Race 1% 1%

Students

CofC UofSC
% In-State 44% 52%
% Out-of-State 54% 47%

Campus

CofC UofSC
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No Yes
Daycare Facility No Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • University of South Carolina Columbia is larger than than CofC based on total student enrollment (35,653 students vs. 10,885 students)

CofC vs. UofSC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, CofC or UofSC?

  • College of Charleston is 1.9% more expensive to attend than UofSC for in-state tuition ($12,518.00 vs. $12,288.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 5.4% higher at CofC than University of South Carolina Columbia ($35,338.00 vs. $33,528.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at College of Charleston than UofSC ($21,120 vs. $22,427)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of South Carolina Columbia are 10.2% lower than costs at College of Charleston ($11,780 vs. $12,986)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at College of Charleston than University of South Carolina Columbia (100% vs. 98%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by College of Charleston students is 38.1% larger than aid received University of South Carolina Columbia ($9,499 vs. $6,880)

CofC vs. UofSC Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of South Carolina Columbia (1220) is 79 points higher than at CofC (1141)
  • Incoming UofSC students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (28) than students at CofC (26)
  • Accepted freshman CofC students have a 0.25 point higher average high school GPA (3.94) than students at UofSC (3.69)
  • CofC has a higher acceptance rate (75.7%) than UofSC (64.1%)

CofC vs. UofSC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, CofC or UofSC? 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 UofSC and CofC.

  • The graduation rate at UofSC is higher than College of Charleston (70% vs. 63%)
  • Graduates from University of South Carolina Columbia earn on average $5,500 more per year than CofC graduates after ten years. ($51,700 vs. $46,200)
  • College of Charleston students graduate with a $1,750 lower median federal student loan debt than UofSC graduates. ($21,500 vs. $23,250)
  • CofC graduates are paying $18 less per month on federal student loans than UofSC graduates. ($222 vs. $240)
  • More UofSC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former CofC students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 60%)

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