Valley City State University (VCSU) vs University of South Carolina Aiken (USCA)

Valley City State University and University of South Carolina Aiken stand as distinct institutions of higher learning, each offering unique opportunities and experiences to their students. Valley City State, nestled in the heart of North Dakota, boasts a close-knit community and a focus on personalized education, while University of South Carolina Aiken, located in the vibrant city of Aiken, South Carolina, offers a diverse student body and a wide range of academic programs. With acceptance rates of 99% and 75% respectively, these universities cater to students with varying academic backgrounds. While Valley City State's popular majors include Elementary Education, Business Administration, and Agriculture, University of South Carolina Aiken's strengths lie in Nursing, Business Administration, and Education. Explore the comprehensive comparison table below to delve into further details about these institutions, including student body demographics, graduation rates, and more, to help you make an informed decision about your academic journey.
University of South Carolina Aiken logo

University of South Carolina Aiken

Valley City State University logo

Valley City State University

Overview

Location Aiken, South Carolina Valley City, North Dakota
Campus setting Suburb: Large Town: Remote
College type 4 year 4 year
Control/business model Public Public
Calendar system Semester Semester
Degrees offered Undergraduate and Graduate Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate 59.0% 61.0%
Common app member No No
Religious affiliation

Admission

Acceptance rate 83.5% 81.4%
Application fees
Undergraduate: $45

Graduate: $45
Undergraduate: $35

Graduate: $35
SAT range 960 - 1170 935 - 1190
ACT range 16 - 23 17 - 23
Students submitting SAT score 43.0% 7.0%
Students submitting ACT score 29.0% 68.0%
Total number of applicants 1,808 442
Total number of admissions given out 1,510 360
Admitted students who chose to enroll 526 196
Yield rate 34.8% 54.4%
Test scores (SAT/ACT) N/A N/A
High school GPA Required Required
Recommendation letters Not required Not required
High school transcript Required Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) Not required Required

Tuition and Fees

Sticker price
In state: $24,928

Out of state: $35,386
In state: $20,016

Out of state: $24,790
Average net price $12,514 $13,243
Tuition
In state: $10,398

Out of state: $20,856
In state: $6,364

Out of state: $11,138
Room & board
Room/dormitory: $5,316

Meal plan: $2,886
Room/dormitory: $2,505

Meal plan: $4,414
Available payment plans
  • Tuition payment plan
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

95.0%
Average amount $7,746
99.0%
Average amount $5,907
Students receiving federal student loan 50.0%
Average amount $4,789
66.0%
Average amount $4,794
Students taking out private loans 4.0%
Average amount $8,017
17.0%
Average amount $6,743

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 3,101
Men 35.0% Women 65.0%
1,523
Men 41.8% Women 58.2%
Graduate students 768
Men 33.5% Women 66.5%
163
Men 32.5% Women 67.5%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Low
Very Low
Out-of-state students 8.8% 36.9%
International students 1.9% 1.3%
Campus local/setting Suburb: Large Town: Remote
Dormitory capacity 986 462
First year students are required to live on campus? No No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from South Carolina Georgia North Carolina Florida Maryland North Dakota Minnesota Alaska Hawaii Colorado

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Business
  • Health Professions
  • Education
  • Kinesiology & Leisure Studies
  • Biological and Biomedical Sciences
  • Education
  • Visual & Performing Arts
  • Business
  • Kinesiology & Leisure Studies
  • Liberal Arts
Students to faculty ratio 16:1 13:1
Institutional accreditation Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges Higher Learning Commission

Outcome

Graduation rate 42.9% 53.2%
Dropout rate 15.6% 17.9%
Transferred out 38.6% 28.9%
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $61,627
  • Year 2: $60,689
  • Year 3: $61,889
Applied Mathematics (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $50,439
  • Year 3: $55,200
Biology, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $26,411
  • Year 2: $33,993
  • Year 3: $42,700
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $38,701
  • Year 2: $37,748
  • Year 3: $41,808
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $32,954
  • Year 2: $35,559
  • Year 3: $34,839
Sociology (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $29,491
  • Year 2: $29,995
  • Year 3: $33,473
Health and Physical Education/Fitness (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $25,013
  • Year 2: $26,121
  • Year 3: $32,520
Fine and Studio Arts (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $15,167
  • Year 2: $17,551
  • Year 3: $22,590
Communication and Media Studies (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $29,827
  • Year 2: $30,650
  • Year 3: N/A
English Language and Literature, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $21,139
  • Year 2: N/A
  • Year 3: N/A
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $50,075
  • Year 2: $53,775
  • Year 3: $56,925
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $42,447
  • Year 2: $43,000
  • Year 3: $45,538
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $37,584
  • Year 2: $38,289
  • Year 3: $43,994
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $38,217
  • Year 2: $37,537
  • Year 3: $43,180
Wildlife and Wildlands Science and Management (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $31,083
  • Year 2: $38,289
  • Year 3: $41,045
Human Services, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $38,289
  • Year 3: N/A

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