UofSC vs. Purdue

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

UofSC Purdue
Location Columbia, SC West Lafayette, IN
Setting Midsize City Midsize Suburban
Enrollment 35,653 51,528
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #208 #101
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website sc.edu purdue.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

UofSC Purdue
Tuition (In State) $12,288 $9,718
Tuition (Out of State) $33,528 $28,520
Room & Board $11,780 $10,030
Avg Net Price $22,427 $12,576
Avg Grant Aid $6,880 $8,950
% Receiving Grant Aid 98% 48%

Admission

UofSC Purdue
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 42,188 68,582
Admitted 27,022 36,146
Acceptance Rate 64.1% 52.7%
Enrolled % 24.3% 26.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.69 3.67
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Very High Exceptional
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 27/32 27/34
SAT Range 1180/1380 1200/1470
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Required to be considered for admission
Application Deadline Dec 1, 2023

Academics

UofSC Purdue
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (35%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • Psychology (6%)
  • Engineering (18%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Engineering Technology (8%)
  • Education (6%)
  • Work and Family Studies (6%)

Outcomes

UofSC Purdue
Graduation Rate 70% 68%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $51,700 $61,200
Making Student Loan Payments 69% 78%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,250 $21,500
Median Loan Payment $240 $222

Diversity

UofSC Purdue
% Men 42% 58%
% Women 58% 42%
Racial Diversity Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 77% 65%
% Black 10% 3%
% Hispanic 4% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 2%
% International 1% 17%
% Unknown Race 1% 2%

Students

UofSC Purdue
% In-State 52% 46%
% Out-of-State 47% 44%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Purdue University Main Campus is larger than than UofSC based on total student enrollment (51,528 students vs. 35,653 students)

UofSC vs. Purdue Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UofSC or Purdue?

  • University of South Carolina Columbia is 26.4% more expensive to attend than Purdue for in-state tuition ($12,288.00 vs. $9,718.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 17.6% higher at UofSC than Purdue University Main Campus ($33,528.00 vs. $28,520.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Purdue University Main Campus than UofSC ($12,576 vs. $22,427)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Purdue University Main Campus are 17.4% lower than costs at University of South Carolina Columbia ($10,030 vs. $11,780)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of South Carolina Columbia than Purdue University Main Campus (98% vs. 48%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Purdue University Main Campus students is 30.1% larger than aid received University of South Carolina Columbia ($8,950 vs. $6,880)

UofSC vs. Purdue Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Purdue University Main Campus (1231) is 11 points higher than at UofSC (1220)
  • Incoming UofSC students have at the same average ACT score (28) as students at Purdue (28)
  • Accepted freshman UofSC students have a 0.02 point higher average high school GPA (3.69) than students at Purdue (3.67)
  • UofSC has a higher acceptance rate (64.1%) than Purdue (52.7%)

UofSC vs. Purdue Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UofSC or Purdue? 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 Purdue and UofSC.

  • The graduation rate at UofSC is higher than Purdue University Main Campus (70% vs. 68%)
  • Graduates from Purdue University Main Campus earn on average $9,500 more per year than UofSC graduates after ten years. ($61,200 vs. $51,700)
  • Purdue University Main Campus students graduate with a $1,750 lower median federal student loan debt than UofSC graduates. ($21,500 vs. $23,250)
  • Purdue graduates are paying $18 less per month on federal student loans than UofSC graduates. ($222 vs. $240)
  • More Purdue graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UofSC students, three years after graduation. (78% vs. 69%)

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