University of South Carolina-Upstate vs. RU

Should I go to University of South Carolina Upstate or Radford University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if University of South Carolina-Upstate or RU 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 Upstate vs. Radford University comparison
University of South Carolina Upstate Radford University College 3 College 4
Radford University
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Overview

University of South Carolina-Upstate RU
Location Spartanburg, SC Radford, VA
Setting Midsize Suburban Distant Town
Enrollment 4,913 7,718
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #823 #566
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website uscupstate.edu radford.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

University of South Carolina-Upstate RU
Tuition (In State) $11,208 $8,156
Tuition (Out of State) $22,170 $20,246
Room & Board $9,520 $10,567
Avg Net Price $13,835 $17,105
Avg Grant Aid $12,038 $9,733
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 96%

Admission

University of South Carolina-Upstate RU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 3,090 11,442
Admitted 2,428 10,680
Acceptance Rate 78.6% 93.3%
Enrolled % 28.3% 11.5%
Avg High School GPA 2.53 3.31
Typical High School Grades C+ B+
Admissions Standards Easy Very Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 20/25 19/23
SAT Range 950/1150 960/1160
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

Academics

University of South Carolina-Upstate RU
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Health Professions (26%)
  • Education (20%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)
  • Psychology (6%)
  • Business (18%)
  • General Studies (10%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (9%)
  • Communication (8%)

Outcomes

University of South Carolina-Upstate RU
Graduation Rate 39% 56%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $39,300 $47,400
Making Student Loan Payments 55% 70%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,500 $23,000
Median Loan Payment $232 $237

Diversity

University of South Carolina-Upstate RU
% Men 32% 33%
% Women 68% 67%
Racial Diversity High Low
HBCU No No
% White 56% 71%
% Black 29% 13%
% Hispanic 5% 7%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 5%
% International 2% 1%
% Unknown Race 2% 1%

Students

University of South Carolina-Upstate RU
% In-State 92% 89%
% Out-of-State 6% 11%

Campus

University of South Carolina-Upstate RU
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility Yes No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Radford University is larger than than University of South Carolina-Upstate based on total student enrollment (7,718 students vs. 4,913 students)

University of South Carolina-Upstate vs. RU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, University of South Carolina-Upstate or RU?

  • University of South Carolina Upstate is 37.4% more expensive to attend than RU for in-state tuition ($11,208.00 vs. $8,156.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 9.5% higher at University of South Carolina-Upstate than Radford University ($22,170.00 vs. $20,246.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of South Carolina Upstate than RU ($13,835 vs. $17,105)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of South Carolina Upstate are 11% lower than costs at Radford University ($9,520 vs. $10,567)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of South Carolina Upstate than Radford University (99% vs. 96%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of South Carolina Upstate students is 23.7% larger than aid received Radford University ($12,038 vs. $9,733)

University of South Carolina-Upstate vs. RU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, University of South Carolina-Upstate or RU? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between RU or University of South Carolina-Upstate .

  • Accepted freshman RU students have a 0.78 point higher average high school GPA (3.31) than students at University of South Carolina-Upstate (2.53)
  • RU has a higher acceptance rate (93.3%) than University of South Carolina-Upstate (78.6%)

University of South Carolina-Upstate vs. RU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, University of South Carolina-Upstate or RU? 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 RU and University of South Carolina-Upstate.

  • The graduation rate at RU is higher than University of South Carolina Upstate (56% vs. 39%)
  • Graduates from Radford University earn on average $8,100 more per year than University of South Carolina-Upstate graduates after ten years. ($47,400 vs. $39,300)
  • University of South Carolina Upstate students graduate with a $500 lower median federal student loan debt than RU graduates. ($22,500 vs. $23,000)
  • University of South Carolina-Upstate graduates are paying $5 less per month on federal student loans than RU graduates. ($232 vs. $237)
  • More RU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former University of South Carolina-Upstate students, three years after graduation. (70% vs. 55%)

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