UofSC vs. Tennessee

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

 UofSC Tennessee
Location Columbia, SC Knoxville, TN
Setting Midsize City Midsize City
Enrollment 35,653 33,805
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #208 #232
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website sc.edu tennessee.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 UofSC Tennessee
Tuition (In State) $12,288 $11,332
Tuition (Out of State) $33,528 $29,522
Room & Board $11,780 $12,150
Avg Net Price $22,427 $21,880
Avg Grant Aid $6,880 $10,593
% Receiving Grant Aid 98% 88%

Admission

 UofSC Tennessee
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 42,188 36,290
Admitted 27,022 24,826
Acceptance Rate 64.1% 68.4%
Enrolled % 24.3% 27.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.69 3.66
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Very High Difficult
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 27/32 25/31
SAT Range 1180/1380 1170/1330
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 Tennessee
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 18:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (35%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • Psychology (6%)
  • Business (20%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Engineering (8%)

Outcomes

 UofSC Tennessee
Graduation Rate 70% 63%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $51,700 $56,300
Making Student Loan Payments 69% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,250 $20,000
Median Loan Payment $240 $206

Diversity

 UofSC Tennessee
% Men 42% 45%
% Women 58% 55%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 77% 79%
% Black 10% 7%
% Hispanic 4% 3%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 3%
% International 1% 1%
% Unknown Race 1% 3%

Students

 UofSC Tennessee
% In-State 52% 54%
% Out-of-State 47% 45%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of South Carolina Columbia is larger than than Tennessee based on total student enrollment (35,653 students vs. 33,805 students)

UofSC vs. Tennessee Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UofSC or Tennessee?

  • University of South Carolina Columbia is 8.4% more expensive to attend than Tennessee for in-state tuition ($12,288.00 vs. $11,332.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 13.6% higher at UofSC than The University of Tennessee ($33,528.00 vs. $29,522.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at The University of Tennessee than UofSC ($21,880 vs. $22,427)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of South Carolina Columbia are 3.1% lower than costs at The University of Tennessee ($11,780 vs. $12,150)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of South Carolina Columbia than The University of Tennessee (98% vs. 88%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by The University of Tennessee students is 54% larger than aid received University of South Carolina Columbia ($10,593 vs. $6,880)

UofSC vs. Tennessee Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of South Carolina Columbia (1220) is 6 points higher than at Tennessee (1214)
  • Incoming UofSC students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (28) than students at Tennessee (27)
  • Accepted freshman UofSC students have a 0.03 point higher average high school GPA (3.69) than students at Tennessee (3.66)
  • Tennessee has a higher acceptance rate (68.4%) than UofSC (64.1%)

UofSC vs. Tennessee Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at UofSC is higher than The University of Tennessee (70% vs. 63%)
  • Graduates from The University of Tennessee earn on average $4,600 more per year than UofSC graduates after ten years. ($56,300 vs. $51,700)
  • The University of Tennessee students graduate with a $3,250 lower median federal student loan debt than UofSC graduates. ($20,000 vs. $23,250)
  • Tennessee graduates are paying $34 less per month on federal student loans than UofSC graduates. ($206 vs. $240)
  • More UofSC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Tennessee students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 69%)

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