UofSC vs. UVA

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

 UofSC UVA
Location Columbia, SC Charlottesville, VA
Setting Midsize City Small City
Enrollment 35,653 26,082
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #208 #59
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website sc.edu virginia.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 UofSC UVA
Tuition (In State) $12,288 $16,980
Tuition (Out of State) $33,528 $51,870
Room & Board $11,780 $12,890
Avg Net Price $22,427 $19,469
Avg Grant Aid $6,880 $26,818
% Receiving Grant Aid 98% 34%

Admission

 UofSC UVA
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 42,188 50,926
Admitted 27,022 9,503
Acceptance Rate 64.1% 18.7%
Enrolled % 24.3% 42.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.69 3.85
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Very High Elite
Applicant Competition Low Very High
ACT Range 27/32 32/34
SAT Range 1180/1380 1400/1540
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 Dec 1, 2023

Academics

 UofSC UVA
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (35%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • Psychology (6%)
  • Social Sciences (23%)
  • Engineering (10%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)
  • Business (8%)
  • Psychology (7%)

Outcomes

 UofSC UVA
Graduation Rate 70% 94%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $51,700 $77,200
Making Student Loan Payments 69% 86%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,250 $19,500
Median Loan Payment $240 $201

Diversity

 UofSC UVA
% Men 42% 45%
% Women 58% 55%
Racial Diversity Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 77% 60%
% Black 10% 6%
% Hispanic 4% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 5%
% International 1% 5%
% Unknown Race 1% 6%

Students

 UofSC UVA
% In-State 52% 62%
% Out-of-State 47% 33%

Campus

 UofSC UVA
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

  • University of South Carolina Columbia is larger than than UVA based on total student enrollment (35,653 students vs. 26,082 students)

UofSC vs. UVA Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UofSC or UVA?

  • University of Virginia Main Campus is 38.2% more expensive to attend than UofSC for in-state tuition ($16,980.00 vs. $12,288.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 54.7% higher at UVA than University of South Carolina Columbia ($51,870.00 vs. $33,528.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Virginia Main Campus than UofSC ($19,469 vs. $22,427)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of South Carolina Columbia are 9.4% lower than costs at University of Virginia Main Campus ($11,780 vs. $12,890)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of South Carolina Columbia than University of Virginia Main Campus (98% vs. 34%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Virginia Main Campus students is 289.8% larger than aid received University of South Carolina Columbia ($26,818 vs. $6,880)

UofSC vs. UVA Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Virginia Main Campus (1364) is 144 points higher than at UofSC (1220)
  • Incoming UVA students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (31) than students at UofSC (28)
  • Accepted freshman UVA students have a 0.16 point higher average high school GPA (3.85) than students at UofSC (3.69)
  • UofSC has a higher acceptance rate (64.1%) than UVA (18.7%)

UofSC vs. UVA Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at UVA is higher than University of South Carolina Columbia (94% vs. 70%)
  • Graduates from University of Virginia Main Campus earn on average $25,500 more per year than UofSC graduates after ten years. ($77,200 vs. $51,700)
  • University of Virginia Main Campus students graduate with a $3,750 lower median federal student loan debt than UofSC graduates. ($19,500 vs. $23,250)
  • UVA graduates are paying $39 less per month on federal student loans than UofSC graduates. ($201 vs. $240)
  • More UVA graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UofSC students, three years after graduation. (86% vs. 69%)

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