College of Charleston (CofC) vs UTC-Chattanooga
College of Charleston and The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga, both esteemed institutions of higher learning, offer distinct educational experiences. College of Charleston, nestled in the heart of historic Charleston, South Carolina, boasts a selective admissions process with an acceptance rate of 63%, while The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga, located in the vibrant city of Chattanooga, Tennessee, welcomes a broader range of students with an acceptance rate of 84%. While both universities offer a diverse range of academic programs, College of Charleston is renowned for its strengths in the liberal arts and sciences, while The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga excels in engineering, nursing, and business. Explore the detailed comparison table below to delve into further distinctions between these two exceptional institutions, including student body demographics, graduation rates, and popular majors, to determine the ideal fit for your academic aspirations and personal preferences.
  | 
       | 
          
        
          
             
          
          College of Charleston | 
          
        
          
             
          
          The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga | 
      
|---|---|---|
    Overview | 
||
| Location | Charleston, South Carolina | Chattanooga, Tennessee | 
| Campus setting | City: Midsize | City: Midsize | 
| 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 | 83.0% | 73.0% | 
    
       
      Common app member
    
   | 
      Yes | No | 
| Religious affiliation | ||
| 
       | 
  ||
    Admission | 
||
| Acceptance rate | 76.1% | 85.7% | 
| Application fees | 
                         
            Undergraduate:
            $60
           
          
            Graduate:
            $60
           
                   | 
      
                         
            Undergraduate:
            $30
           
          
            Graduate:
            $35
           
                   | 
  
| SAT range | 1090 - 1280 | 1030 - 1230 | 
| ACT range | 23 - 29 | 20 - 26 | 
| Students submitting SAT score | 24.0% | 5.0% | 
| Students submitting ACT score | 16.0% | 89.0% | 
| Total number of applicants | 20,484 | 7,607 | 
| Total number of admissions given out | 15,590 | 6,518 | 
| Admitted students who chose to enroll | 2,473 | 2,074 | 
| Yield rate | 15.9% | 31.8% | 
| 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
           
                   | 
      
                         
            In state:
            $24,798
           
          
            Out of state:
            $40,916
           
                   | 
  
| Average net price | $20,255 | $13,552 | 
| Tuition | 
                         
            In state:
            $12,518
           
          
            Out of state:
            $33,978
           
                   | 
      
                         
            In state:
            $7,992
           
          
            Out of state:
            $24,110
           
                   | 
  
| Room & board | 
                         
            Room/dormitory:
            $8,409
           
          
            Meal plan:
            $4,550
           
                   | 
      
                         
            Room/dormitory:
            $6,348
           
          
            Meal plan:
            $4,114
           
                   | 
  
| Available payment plans | 
                        
  | 
      
                        
  | 
  
| 
       | 
  ||
    Financial Aid | 
||
| 
    Students receiving financial aid
     (Grants & scholarships)  | 
      
              
          98.0%
        
         Average amount $9,850  | 
      
              
          96.0%
        
         Average amount $9,566  | 
  
| Students receiving federal student loan | 
              
          41.0%
        
         Average amount $5,362  | 
      
              
          44.0%
        
         Average amount $4,907  | 
  
| Students taking out private loans | 
              
          9.0%
        
         Average amount $22,293  | 
      
              
          4.0%
        
         Average amount $10,148  | 
  
| 
       | 
  ||
    Students and Campus | 
||
| Undergraduate students | 
              
          9,967
        
        
           Men 33.6% Women 66.4%  | 
      
              
          10,016
        
        
           Men 41.7% Women 58.3%  | 
  
| Graduate students | 
              
          974
        
        
           Men 22.6% Women 77.4%  | 
      
              
          1,441
        
        
           Men 40.0% Women 60.0%  | 
  
| Racial/ethnic diversity | 
              
           Low 
    
       | 
      
              
           Low 
    
       | 
  
| Out-of-state students | 53.1% | 11.5% | 
| International students | 1.2% | 1.2% | 
| Campus local/setting | City: Midsize | City: Midsize | 
| Dormitory capacity | 3,338 | 3,488 | 
| 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 | Tennessee Georgia Alabama Virgin Islands California | 
| 
       | 
  ||
    Academics | 
||
| Popular study areas | 
              
  | 
      
              
  | 
  
| Students to faculty ratio | 16:1 | 18:1 | 
| 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% | 53.7% | 
| Dropout rate | 6.0% | 44.3% | 
| Transferred out | 26.3% | N/A | 
| Alumni salary by major (Top 10) | 
               
              
                
                  Computer and Information Sciences, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
                
              
               
                      
 
              
                
                  Accounting and Related Services (Master's Degrees)
                
              
               
                      
 
              
                
                  Finance and Financial Management Services (Bachelor's Degrees)
                
              
               
                      
 
              
                
                  Accounting and Related Services (Bachelor's Degrees)
                
              
               
                      
 
              
                
                  International Business (Bachelor's Degrees)
                
              
               
                      
 
              
                
                  Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees)
                
              
               
                      
 
              
                
                  Hospitality Administration/Management (Bachelor's Degrees)
                
              
               
                      
 
              
                
                  Communication and Media Studies (Bachelor's Degrees)
                
              
               
                      
 
              
                
                  Marketing (Bachelor's Degrees)
                
              
               
                      
 
              
                
                  Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences (Bachelor's Degrees)
                
              
               
                  
  | 
      
               
              
                
                  Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Master's Degrees)
                
              
               
                      
 
              
                
                  Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
                
              
               
                      
 
              
                
                  Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
                
              
               
                      
 
              
                
                  Mechanical Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
                
              
               
                      
 
              
                
                  Psychology, General (Master's Degrees)
                
              
               
                      
 
              
                
                  Civil Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
                
              
               
                      
 
              
                
                  Chemical Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
                
              
               
                      
 
              
                
                  Engineering, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
                
              
               
                      
 
              
                
                  Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions (Doctoral Degrees)
                
              
               
                      
 
              
                
                  Computer Science (Bachelor's Degrees)
                
              
               
                  
  | 
  
    
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      Common app member