UMBC vs. UofSC

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

 UMBC UofSC
Location Baltimore, MD Columbia, SC
Setting Large Suburban Midsize City
Enrollment 13,991 35,653
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #303 #208
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website umbc.edu sc.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 UMBC UofSC
Tuition (In State) $9,056 $12,288
Tuition (Out of State) $25,820 $33,528
Room & Board $13,378 $11,780
Avg Net Price $17,692 $22,427
Avg Grant Aid $8,889 $6,880
% Receiving Grant Aid 92% 98%

Admission

 UMBC UofSC
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 11,534 42,188
Admitted 9,291 27,022
Acceptance Rate 80.6% 64.1%
Enrolled % 23.1% 24.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.97 3.69
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Difficult Very High
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 23/29 27/32
SAT Range 1210/1390 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 Feb 1, 2024 Dec 1, 2023

Academics

 UMBC UofSC
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 18:1
Popular Majors
  • Computer and Information Sciences (17%)
  • Social Sciences (17%)
  • Biology (13%)
  • Psychology (12%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)
  • Business (35%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • Psychology (6%)

Outcomes

 UMBC UofSC
Graduation Rate 57% 70%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $59,500 $51,700
Making Student Loan Payments 67% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,197 $23,250
Median Loan Payment $219 $240

Diversity

 UMBC UofSC
% Men 53% 42%
% Women 47% 58%
Racial Diversity Very High Low
HBCU No No
% White 44% 77%
% Black 17% 10%
% Hispanic 6% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 4%
% International 4% 1%
% Unknown Race 4% 1%

Students

 UMBC UofSC
% In-State 90% 52%
% Out-of-State 5% 47%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of South Carolina Columbia is larger than than UMBC based on total student enrollment (35,653 students vs. 13,991 students)

UMBC vs. UofSC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UMBC or UofSC?

  • University of South Carolina Columbia is 35.7% more expensive to attend than UMBC for in-state tuition ($12,288.00 vs. $9,056.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 29.9% higher at UofSC than University of Maryland Baltimore County ($33,528.00 vs. $25,820.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Maryland Baltimore County than UofSC ($17,692 vs. $22,427)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of South Carolina Columbia are 13.6% lower than costs at University of Maryland Baltimore County ($11,780 vs. $13,378)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of South Carolina Columbia than University of Maryland Baltimore County (98% vs. 92%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Maryland Baltimore County students is 29.2% larger than aid received University of South Carolina Columbia ($8,889 vs. $6,880)

UMBC vs. UofSC Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of South Carolina Columbia (1220) is 11 points higher than at UMBC (1209)
  • Incoming UofSC students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (28) than students at UMBC (27)
  • Accepted freshman UMBC students have a 0.28 point higher average high school GPA (3.97) than students at UofSC (3.69)
  • UMBC has a higher acceptance rate (80.6%) than UofSC (64.1%)

UMBC vs. UofSC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UMBC 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 UMBC.

  • The graduation rate at UofSC is higher than University of Maryland Baltimore County (70% vs. 57%)
  • Graduates from University of Maryland Baltimore County earn on average $7,800 more per year than UofSC graduates after ten years. ($59,500 vs. $51,700)
  • University of Maryland Baltimore County students graduate with a $2,053 lower median federal student loan debt than UofSC graduates. ($21,197 vs. $23,250)
  • UMBC graduates are paying $21 less per month on federal student loans than UofSC graduates. ($219 vs. $240)
  • More UofSC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UMBC students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 67%)

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