The Citadel vs United States Air Force Academy
Citadel Military College of South Carolina and United States Air Force Academy stand as two distinct institutions of higher learning, each offering a unique educational experience. Citadel, a public military college, boasts a long history dating back to 1842, while the Air Force Academy, a federal service academy, was established in 1954. With acceptance rates of 28% and 13%, respectively, both institutions are highly selective. Citadel's student body is predominantly male (85%), while the Air Force Academy's is more evenly distributed (62% male, 38% female). Popular majors at Citadel include Business, Engineering, and Criminal Justice, while the Air Force Academy emphasizes Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) fields. Both institutions boast impressive graduation rates, with Citadel at 67% and the Air Force Academy at 88%. To help you make an informed decision about your higher education journey, we've compiled a comprehensive
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![]() Citadel Military College of South Carolina |
![]() United States Air Force Academy |
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Overview |
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Location | Charleston, South Carolina | USAF Academy, Colorado |
Campus setting | City: Midsize | Town: Fringe |
College type | 4 year | 4 year |
Control/business model | Public | Public |
Calendar system | Semester | Semester |
Degrees offered | Undergraduate and Graduate | Undergraduate |
Students retention rate | 86.0% | 93.0% |
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Yes | No |
Religious affiliation | ||
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Admission |
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Acceptance rate | 86.4% | 12.4% |
Application fees |
Undergraduate:
$40
Graduate:
$40
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SAT range | N/A | 1208 - 1490 |
ACT range | N/A | 29 - 34 |
Students submitting SAT score | 35.0% | |
Students submitting ACT score | 21.0% | |
Total number of applicants | 2,470 | 11,687 |
Total number of admissions given out | 2,134 | 1,453 |
Admitted students who chose to enroll | 566 | 1,091 |
Yield rate | 26.5% | 75.1% |
Test scores (SAT/ACT) | N/A | N/A |
High school GPA | Required | Required |
Recommendation letters | Not required | Required |
High school transcript | Not required | Required |
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) | Not required | Not required |
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Tuition and Fees |
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Sticker price |
In state:
$48,551
Out of state:
$71,807
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Average net price | $19,473 | |
Tuition |
In state:
$8,356
Out of state:
$30,857
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Room & board | $7,593 | |
Available payment plans |
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Financial Aid |
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Students receiving financial aid
(Grants & scholarships) |
79.0%
Average amount $11,451 |
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Students receiving federal student loan |
49.0%
Average amount $5,200 |
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Students taking out private loans |
17.0%
Average amount $26,781 |
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Students and Campus |
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Undergraduate students |
2,718
Men 86.4% Women 13.6% |
4,181
Men 71.4% Women 28.6% |
Graduate students |
975
Men 50.1% Women 49.9% |
N/A |
Racial/ethnic diversity |
Low
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N/A |
Out-of-state students | 44.0% | N/A |
International students | 1.1% | N/A |
Campus local/setting | City: Midsize | Town: Fringe |
Dormitory capacity | 2,372 | 4,200 |
First year students are required to live on campus? | No | Yes |
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from | South Carolina Georgia North Carolina Florida New York | N/A |
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Academics |
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Popular study areas |
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Students to faculty ratio | 11:1 | 8:1 |
Institutional accreditation | Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges | Higher Learning Commission |
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Outcome |
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Graduation rate | 73.1% | 86.1% |
Dropout rate | 9.1% | 13.9% |
Transferred out | 16.0% | N/A |
Alumni salary by major (Top 10) |
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
Engineering-Related Fields (Graduate/Professional Certificates)
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
Civil Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
History (Bachelor's Degrees)
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees)
Health and Physical Education/Fitness (Bachelor's Degrees)
Psychology, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
Political Science and Government (Bachelor's Degrees)
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas (Graduate/Professional Certificates)
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N/A |
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