UIC vs. UofSC

Deciding between University of Illinois Chicago and University of South Carolina Columbia? The table below shows tuition, aid, admissions, and outcomes side by side. Data comes from public sources across more than 3,000 U.S. colleges and universities. No account is required.

University of Illinois Chicago
University of South Carolina Columbia

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

  • Overview

  • Location
  • UIC Chicago, IL
  • UofSC Columbia, SC
  • Setting
  • UIC Large City
  • UofSC Midsize City
  • Total enrollment
  • UIC 33,906
  • UofSC 38,532
  • Type
  • UIC Public 4 Year
  • UofSC Public 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • UIC #215
  • UofSC #220
  • Religious Affiliation
  • UIC -
  • UofSC -
  • Status
  • UIC Non-profit
  • UofSC Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • UIC
  • UofSC

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • UIC $14,338
  • UofSC $12,688
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • UIC $29,884
  • UofSC $35,972
  • Room & Board
  • UIC $16,500
  • UofSC $13,534
  • Average Net Price
  • UIC $10,852
  • UofSC $24,488
  • Average Grant Aid
  • UIC $16,755
  • UofSC $7,139
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • UIC 74%
  • UofSC 91%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • UIC 27,085
  • UofSC 52,703
  • Admitted
  • UIC 20,951
  • UofSC 31,701
  • Acceptance Rate
  • UIC 77.4%
  • UofSC 60.2%
  • Enrolled
  • UIC 21.1%
  • UofSC 22.9%
  • Typical SAT score
  • UIC 1240
  • UofSC 1270
  • Typical ACT score
  • UIC 28
  • UofSC 29
  • Average High School GPA
  • UIC 3.41
  • UofSC 3.69
  • Typical High School Grades
  • UIC B+
  • UofSC A-
  • Admissions Standards
  • UIC Difficult
  • UofSC Very High
  • Applicant Competition
  • UIC
  • UofSC Low
  • ACT Range
  • UIC 25/31
  • UofSC 26/32
  • SAT Range
  • UIC 1130/1350
  • UofSC 1180/1360
  • Submit Test Scores
  • UIC Test optional
  • UofSC Test optional
  • Application Deadline
  • UIC Feb 1, 2027
  • UofSC Dec 1, 2026

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • UIC 17:1
  • UofSC 19:1
  • Popular Majors
  • UIC
    • Business (16%)
    • Psychology (13%)
    • Biology (11%)
    • Social Sciences (10%)
    • Engineering (9%)
  • UofSC
    • Business (35%)
    • Biology (8%)
    • Social Sciences (8%)
    • Communication (7%)
    • Psychology (6%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • UIC 54%
  • UofSC 70%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • UIC $61,900
  • UofSC $51,700
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • UIC 68%
  • UofSC 69%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • UIC $18,750
  • UofSC $23,250
  • Median Loan Payment
  • UIC $193
  • UofSC $240

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • UIC 44%
  • UofSC 40%
  • % Women
  • UIC 56%
  • UofSC 60%
  • Racial Diversity
  • UIC Very High
  • UofSC Low
  • HBCU
  • UIC No
  • UofSC No
  • % White
  • UIC 34%
  • UofSC 77%
  • % Asian
  • UIC 22%
  • UofSC 3%
  • % Black
  • UIC 8%
  • UofSC 10%
  • % Hispanic
  • UIC 28%
  • UofSC 4%
  • % Native American
  • UIC 0%
  • UofSC 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • UIC 0%
  • UofSC 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • UIC 3%
  • UofSC 4%
  • % International
  • UIC 2%
  • UofSC 1%
  • % Unknown Race
  • UIC 2%
  • UofSC 1%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • UIC 89%
  • UofSC 54%
  • % Out-of-State
  • UIC 4%
  • UofSC 45%

  • Campus

  • Campus Housing
  • UIC Yes
  • UofSC Yes
  • Freshman Dorm Required
  • UIC No
  • UofSC No
  • Meal Plan
  • UIC Yes
  • UofSC Yes
  • Weekend/Evening Classes
  • UIC No
  • UofSC Yes
  • Daycare Facility
  • UIC Yes
  • UofSC Yes

Comparable Facts

Compare University of Illinois Chicago in Chicago, IL with University of South Carolina Columbia in Columbia, SC on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

University of South Carolina Columbia is larger than UIC based on total student enrollment (38,532 students vs. 33,906 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • University of Illinois Chicago is located in Chicago, IL (Large City setting); University of South Carolina Columbia is in Columbia, SC (Midsize City setting).
  • University of Illinois Chicago is a public, non-profit 4-year institution. University of South Carolina Columbia is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: University of Illinois Chicago 17:1; University of South Carolina Columbia 19:1.

UIC vs. UofSC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UIC or UofSC? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Illinois Chicago than UofSC ($10,852 vs. $24,488).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of South Carolina Columbia are 18% lower than at University of Illinois Chicago ($13,534 vs. $16,500).
  • University of Illinois Chicago is 13% more expensive for in-state tuition than UofSC (about $1,650 more per year; $14,338.00 vs. $12,688.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 20.4% higher at UofSC than at University of Illinois Chicago (about $6,088 more per year; $35,972.00 vs. $29,884.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at University of South Carolina Columbia than at University of Illinois Chicago (91% vs. 74%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Illinois Chicago students is 134.7% larger than aid received by University of South Carolina Columbia students ($16,755 vs. $7,139).

UIC vs. UofSC Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, UIC or UofSC? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between UofSC and UIC.

  • The typical SAT score (median estimate) at University of South Carolina Columbia (1270) is 30 points higher than at UIC (1240).
  • Incoming UofSC students have a 1 point higher typical ACT composite (median estimate) (29 vs. 28 at UIC).
  • Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: University of Illinois Chicago 1130/1350; University of South Carolina Columbia 1180/1360.
  • Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted students: University of Illinois Chicago 25/31; University of South Carolina Columbia 26/32.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: UIC - Test optional; UofSC - Test optional.
  • Typical fall application deadline: UIC Feb 1, 2027; UofSC Dec 1, 2026.
  • Accepted freshman UofSC students have a 0.28 point higher average high school GPA (3.69) than students at UIC (3.41).
  • UIC has a higher acceptance rate (77.4%) than UofSC (60.2%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 21.1% at UIC vs. 22.9% at UofSC.

UIC vs. UofSC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for UIC and UofSC? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

  • University of South Carolina Columbia's six-year graduation rate (70%) is higher than University of Illinois Chicago's (54%).
  • Graduates from University of Illinois Chicago earn a median of about $10,200 more per year than UofSC graduates about ten years after starting college ($61,900 vs. $51,700), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, University of Illinois Chicago graduates have a $4,500 lower median loan debt than UofSC graduates ($18,750 vs. $23,250).
  • Among borrowers, UIC graduates have an estimated $47 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than UofSC graduates ($193 vs. $240).
  • More UofSC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UIC students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 68%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.