SCAD vs. UofSC

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

SCAD UofSC
Location Savannah, GA Columbia, SC
Setting Midsize City Midsize City
Enrollment 16,414 35,653
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #765 #208
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website scad.edu sc.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

SCAD UofSC
Tuition (In State) $39,105 $12,288
Tuition (Out of State) $39,105 $33,528
Room & Board $15,594 $11,780
Avg Net Price $45,976 $22,427
Avg Grant Aid $13,157 $6,880
% Receiving Grant Aid 98% 98%

Admission

SCAD UofSC
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 14,387 42,188
Admitted 11,759 27,022
Acceptance Rate 81.7% 64.1%
Enrolled % 29.5% 24.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.56 3.69
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Very High
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 20/28 27/32
SAT Range 1060/1280 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 Dec 1, 2023

Academics

SCAD UofSC
Student to Faculty Ratio 20:1 18:1
Popular Majors
  • Visual and Performing Arts (74%)
  • Communications Technology (13%)
  • Architecture (5%)
  • Work and Family Studies (3%)
  • Communication (3%)
  • Business (35%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • Psychology (6%)

Outcomes

SCAD UofSC
Graduation Rate 64% 70%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $39,800 $51,700
Making Student Loan Payments 55% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $23,250
Median Loan Payment $279 $240

Diversity

SCAD UofSC
% Men 30% 42%
% Women 70% 58%
Racial Diversity High Low
HBCU No No
% White 54% 77%
% Black 12% 10%
% Hispanic 9% 4%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 0% 4%
% International 15% 1%
% Unknown Race 4% 1%

Students

SCAD UofSC
% In-State 16% 52%
% Out-of-State 72% 47%

Campus

SCAD 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 SCAD based on total student enrollment (35,653 students vs. 16,414 students)

SCAD vs. UofSC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, SCAD or UofSC?

  • Savannah College of Art and Design is 218.2% more expensive to attend than UofSC for in-state tuition ($39,105.00 vs. $12,288.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 16.6% higher at SCAD than University of South Carolina Columbia ($39,105.00 vs. $33,528.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of South Carolina Columbia than SCAD ($22,427 vs. $45,976)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of South Carolina Columbia are 32.4% lower than costs at Savannah College of Art and Design ($11,780 vs. $15,594)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Savannah College of Art and Design as University of South Carolina Columbia (98% vs. 98%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Savannah College of Art and Design students is 91.2% larger than aid received University of South Carolina Columbia ($13,157 vs. $6,880)

SCAD vs. UofSC Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of South Carolina Columbia (1220) is 156 points higher than at SCAD (1064)
  • Incoming UofSC students have a 5 point higher average ACT score (28) than students at SCAD (23)
  • Accepted freshman UofSC students have a 0.13 point higher average high school GPA (3.69) than students at SCAD (3.56)
  • SCAD has a higher acceptance rate (81.7%) than UofSC (64.1%)

SCAD vs. UofSC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, SCAD 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 SCAD.

  • The graduation rate at UofSC is higher than Savannah College of Art and Design (70% vs. 64%)
  • Graduates from University of South Carolina Columbia earn on average $11,900 more per year than SCAD graduates after ten years. ($51,700 vs. $39,800)
  • University of South Carolina Columbia students graduate with a $3,750 lower median federal student loan debt than SCAD graduates. ($23,250 vs. $27,000)
  • UofSC graduates are paying $39 less per month on federal student loans than SCAD graduates. ($240 vs. $279)
  • More UofSC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former SCAD students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 55%)

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