USC Aiken vs. NSU

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

 USC Aiken NSU
Location Aiken, SC Aberdeen, SD
Setting Rural Fringe Remote Town
Enrollment 3,840 3,344
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #888 #820
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website usca.edu northern.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 USC Aiken NSU
Tuition (In State) $10,398 $7,616
Tuition (Out of State) $20,856 $10,718
Room & Board $8,376 $9,150
Avg Net Price $11,872 $17,264
Avg Grant Aid $9,891 $5,715
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 91%

Admission

 USC Aiken NSU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 2,453 1,322
Admitted 1,855 1,033
Acceptance Rate 75.6% 78.1%
Enrolled % 29.8% 28.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.19 3.37
Typical High School Grades B B+
Admissions Standards Easy Very Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 18/24 18/24
SAT Range 950/1180 800/1150
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 Aug 1, 2024

Academics

 USC Aiken NSU
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (25%)
  • Education (14%)
  • Health Professions (12%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (9%)
  • Business (35%)
  • Education (20%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (6%)
  • Biology (4%)

Outcomes

 USC Aiken NSU
Graduation Rate 41% 42%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $39,600 $37,400
Making Student Loan Payments 54% 63%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,000 $24,399
Median Loan Payment $268 $252

Diversity

 USC Aiken NSU
% Men 36% 37%
% Women 64% 63%
Racial Diversity High Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 58% 83%
% Black 27% 2%
% Hispanic 4% 4%
% Native American 0% 3%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 2%
% International 4% 4%
% Unknown Race 2% 0%

Students

 USC Aiken NSU
% In-State 87% 69%
% Out-of-State 11% 30%

Campus

 USC Aiken NSU
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 Aiken is larger than than NSU based on total student enrollment (3,840 students vs. 3,344 students)

USC Aiken vs. NSU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, USC Aiken or NSU?

  • University of South Carolina Aiken is 36.5% more expensive to attend than NSU for in-state tuition ($10,398.00 vs. $7,616.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 94.6% higher at USC Aiken than Northern State University ($20,856.00 vs. $10,718.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of South Carolina Aiken than NSU ($11,872 vs. $17,264)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of South Carolina Aiken are 9.2% lower than costs at Northern State University ($8,376 vs. $9,150)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of South Carolina Aiken than Northern State University (100% vs. 91%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of South Carolina Aiken students is 73.1% larger than aid received Northern State University ($9,891 vs. $5,715)

USC Aiken vs. NSU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Northern State University (1024) is 48 points higher than at USC Aiken (976)
  • Incoming NSU students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (22) than students at USC Aiken (21)
  • Accepted freshman NSU students have a 0.18 point higher average high school GPA (3.37) than students at USC Aiken (3.19)
  • NSU has a higher acceptance rate (78.1%) than USC Aiken (75.6%)

USC Aiken vs. NSU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, USC Aiken or NSU? 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 NSU and USC Aiken.

  • The graduation rate at NSU is higher than University of South Carolina Aiken (42% vs. 41%)
  • Graduates from University of South Carolina Aiken earn on average $2,200 more per year than NSU graduates after ten years. ($39,600 vs. $37,400)
  • Northern State University students graduate with a $1,601 lower median federal student loan debt than USC Aiken graduates. ($24,399 vs. $26,000)
  • NSU graduates are paying $16 less per month on federal student loans than USC Aiken graduates. ($252 vs. $268)
  • More NSU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former USC Aiken students, three years after graduation. (63% vs. 54%)

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