Columbia College vs. University of South Carolina-Upstate

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

 Columbia College University of South Carolina-Upstate
Location Columbia, SC Spartanburg, SC
Setting Midsize City Midsize Suburban
Enrollment 1,514 4,913
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #913 #823
Religious Affiliation United Methodist - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website columbiasc.edu uscupstate.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Columbia College University of South Carolina-Upstate
Tuition (In State) $21,250 $11,208
Tuition (Out of State) $21,250 $22,170
Room & Board $8,400 $9,520
Avg Net Price $18,779 $13,835
Avg Grant Aid $16,089 $12,038
% Receiving Grant Aid 97% 99%

Admission

 Columbia College University of South Carolina-Upstate
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 2,176 3,090
Admitted 2,135 2,428
Acceptance Rate 98.1% 78.6%
Enrolled % 8.9% 28.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.56 2.53
Typical High School Grades B+ C+
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 14/18 20/25
SAT Range 850/1140 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

Academics

 Columbia College University of South Carolina-Upstate
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Education (20%)
  • Psychology (12%)
  • Business (12%)
  • Human Services (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (9%)
  • Health Professions (26%)
  • Education (20%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)
  • Psychology (6%)

Outcomes

 Columbia College University of South Carolina-Upstate
Graduation Rate 50% 39%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $34,700 $39,300
Making Student Loan Payments 43% 55%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,264 $22,500
Median Loan Payment $261 $232

Diversity

 Columbia College University of South Carolina-Upstate
% Men 15% 32%
% Women 85% 68%
Racial Diversity High High
HBCU No No
% White 55% 56%
% Black 34% 29%
% Hispanic 4% 5%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 4%
% International 2% 2%
% Unknown Race 1% 2%

Students

 Columbia College University of South Carolina-Upstate
% In-State 76% 92%
% Out-of-State 22% 6%

Campus

 Columbia College 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

  • University of South Carolina Upstate is larger than than Columbia College based on total student enrollment (4,913 students vs. 1,514 students)

Columbia College vs. University of South Carolina-Upstate Cost Comparison

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

  • Columbia College is 89.6% more expensive to attend than University of South Carolina-Upstate for in-state tuition ($21,250.00 vs. $11,208.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 4.3% higher at University of South Carolina-Upstate than Columbia College ($22,170.00 vs. $21,250.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of South Carolina Upstate than Columbia College ($13,835 vs. $18,779)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Columbia College are 13.3% lower than costs at University of South Carolina Upstate ($8,400 vs. $9,520)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of South Carolina Upstate than Columbia College (99% vs. 97%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Columbia College students is 33.7% larger than aid received University of South Carolina Upstate ($16,089 vs. $12,038)

Columbia College vs. University of South Carolina-Upstate Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Columbia College 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 Columbia College .

  • The average SAT score at Columbia College (971) is 21 points higher than at University of South Carolina-Upstate (950)
  • Incoming Columbia College students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (21) than students at University of South Carolina-Upstate (20)
  • Accepted freshman Columbia College students have a 1.03 point higher average high school GPA (3.56) than students at University of South Carolina-Upstate (2.53)
  • Columbia College has a higher acceptance rate (98.1%) than University of South Carolina-Upstate (78.6%)

Columbia College vs. University of South Carolina-Upstate Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Columbia College 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 Columbia College.

  • The graduation rate at Columbia College is higher than University of South Carolina Upstate (50% vs. 39%)
  • Graduates from University of South Carolina Upstate earn on average $4,600 more per year than Columbia College graduates after ten years. ($39,300 vs. $34,700)
  • University of South Carolina Upstate students graduate with a $2,764 lower median federal student loan debt than Columbia College graduates. ($22,500 vs. $25,264)
  • University of South Carolina-Upstate graduates are paying $29 less per month on federal student loans than Columbia College graduates. ($232 vs. $261)
  • More University of South Carolina-Upstate graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Columbia College students, three years after graduation. (55% vs. 43%)

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