College of Charleston (CofC) vs Furman University

College of Charleston and Furman University, both esteemed institutions of higher learning in South Carolina, offer distinct educational experiences. College of Charleston, nestled in the vibrant city of Charleston, boasts an acceptance rate of 67%, while Furman University, located in the charming town of Greenville, maintains a more selective admissions process with an acceptance rate of 54%. While both universities offer a diverse range of academic programs, College of Charleston is renowned for its strengths in the arts, humanities, and social sciences, while Furman University excels in business, health sciences, and natural sciences. College of Charleston's student body is more diverse, with 43% of students identifying as minorities, compared to Furman University's 28%. Both institutions boast impressive graduation rates, with College of Charleston achieving a 78% four-year graduation rate and Furman University achieving an 86% four-year graduation rate. Explore the detailed comparison table below to discover more key differences and make an informed decision about which
College of Charleston logo

College of Charleston

Furman University logo

Furman University

Overview

Location Charleston, South Carolina Greenville, South Carolina
Campus setting City: Midsize Suburb: Large
College type 4 year 4 year
Control/business model Public Private (Non Profit)
Calendar system Semester Semester
Degrees offered Undergraduate and Graduate Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate 83.0% 91.0%
Common app member Yes Yes
Religious affiliation

Admission

Acceptance rate 76.1% 71.4%
Application fees
Undergraduate: $60

Graduate: $60
Undergraduate: $50

Graduate: $55
SAT range 1090 - 1280 1240 - 1422
ACT range 23 - 29 29 - 33
Students submitting SAT score 24.0% 26.0%
Students submitting ACT score 16.0% 29.0%
Total number of applicants 20,484 7,174
Total number of admissions given out 15,590 5,119
Admitted students who chose to enroll 2,473 656
Yield rate 15.9% 12.8%
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) Required Required

Tuition and Fees

Sticker price
In state: $30,535

Out of state: $51,995
$69,880
Average net price $20,255 $33,999
Tuition
In state: $12,518

Out of state: $33,978
$52,992
Room & board
Room/dormitory: $8,409

Meal plan: $4,550
Room/dormitory: $7,496

Meal plan: $6,202
Available payment plans
  • Tuition payment plan
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

98.0%
Average amount $9,850
96.0%
Average amount $33,191
Students receiving federal student loan 41.0%
Average amount $5,362
28.0%
Average amount $5,170
Students taking out private loans 9.0%
Average amount $22,293
5.0%
Average amount $20,783

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 9,967
Men 33.6% Women 66.4%
2,307
Men 40.1% Women 59.9%
Graduate students 974
Men 22.6% Women 77.4%
156
Men 20.5% Women 79.5%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Low
Low
Out-of-state students 53.1% 67.8%
International students 1.2% 3.3%
Campus local/setting City: Midsize Suburb: Large
Dormitory capacity 3,338 2,406
First year students are required to live on campus? No No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from South Carolina New Jersey Pennsylvania Virginia Maryland South Carolina Georgia North Carolina Florida Texas

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Biological and Biomedical Sciences
  • Education
  • Communication and Journalism
  • Business
  • Social Sciences
  • Education
  • Biological and Biomedical Sciences
  • Social Sciences
  • Visual & Performing Arts
  • Health Professions
Students to faculty ratio 16:1 9:1
Institutional accreditation Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges

Outcome

Graduation rate 67.0% 81.9%
Dropout rate 6.0% 2.4%
Transferred out 26.3% 15.7%
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
Computer and Information Sciences, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $56,600
  • Year 2: $65,238
  • Year 3: $78,911
Accounting and Related Services (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $59,306
  • Year 2: $60,623
  • Year 3: $72,292
Finance and Financial Management Services (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $47,506
  • Year 2: $52,941
  • Year 3: $70,637
Accounting and Related Services (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $41,151
  • Year 2: $43,519
  • Year 3: $56,541
International Business (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $38,823
  • Year 2: $42,930
  • Year 3: $55,591
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $38,896
  • Year 2: $40,688
  • Year 3: $48,268
Hospitality Administration/Management (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $35,234
  • Year 2: $39,009
  • Year 3: $46,902
Communication and Media Studies (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $36,857
  • Year 2: $36,460
  • Year 3: $45,816
Marketing (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $41,619
  • Year 2: $43,000
  • Year 3: $44,802
Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $29,551
  • Year 2: $31,848
  • Year 3: $44,802
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $47,571
  • Year 2: $47,260
  • Year 3: $56,414
Communication and Media Studies (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $36,227
  • Year 2: $40,140
  • Year 3: $52,939
Political Science and Government (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $36,108
  • Year 2: $36,668
  • Year 3: $50,384
Educational Administration and Supervision (Graduate/Professional Certificates)
  • Year 1: $61,615
  • Year 2: N/A
  • Year 3: N/A
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $37,568
  • Year 3: N/A
English Language and Literature, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $35,060
  • Year 3: N/A
Biology, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $14,357
  • Year 2: N/A
  • Year 3: N/A
Religion/Religious Studies (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $33,993
  • Year 3: N/A
Psychology, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $24,821
  • Year 2: N/A
  • Year 3: N/A
Economics (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $57,318
  • Year 3: N/A

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