Maine Maritime Academy vs University of South Carolina Aiken (USCA)

Maine Maritime Academy and University of South Carolina Aiken stand as distinct institutions of higher learning, each offering unique opportunities and experiences to their students. Maine Maritime Academy, a public college in Castine, Maine, boasts a 90% acceptance rate and a student body of around 900, predominantly comprising male students. In contrast, University of South Carolina Aiken, a public university in Aiken, South Carolina, welcomes a more diverse student body of over 3,000, with a higher acceptance rate of 98%. While Maine Maritime Academy focuses primarily on maritime studies, engineering, and transportation, University of South Carolina Aiken offers a broader range of undergraduate programs, including popular majors like business, education, and nursing. Explore the detailed comparison table below to discover further distinctions between these two institutions, and make an informed decision about which one aligns best with your academic aspirations and personal preferences.
Maine Maritime Academy logo

Maine Maritime Academy

University of South Carolina Aiken logo

University of South Carolina Aiken

Overview

Location Castine, Maine Aiken, South Carolina
Campus setting Rural: Distant Suburb: Large
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 81.0% 59.0%
Common app member Yes No
Religious affiliation

Admission

Acceptance rate 57.7% 83.5%
Application fees $50
Undergraduate: $45

Graduate: $45
SAT range N/A 960 - 1170
ACT range N/A 16 - 23
Students submitting SAT score 43.0%
Students submitting ACT score 29.0%
Total number of applicants 1,109 1,808
Total number of admissions given out 640 1,510
Admitted students who chose to enroll 207 526
Yield rate 32.3% 34.8%
Test scores (SAT/ACT) N/A N/A
High school GPA Required Required
Recommendation letters Required Not required
High school transcript Not required Required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) Required Not required

Tuition and Fees

Sticker price
In state: $29,248

Out of state: $44,168
In state: $24,928

Out of state: $35,386
Average net price $21,421 $12,514
Tuition
In state: $11,250

Out of state: $26,170
In state: $10,398

Out of state: $20,856
Room & board
Room/dormitory: $4,360

Meal plan: $6,550
Room/dormitory: $5,316

Meal plan: $2,886
Available payment plans
  • Tuition payment plan
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

66.0%
Average amount $8,047
95.0%
Average amount $7,746
Students receiving federal student loan 90.0%
Average amount $5,483
50.0%
Average amount $4,789
Students taking out private loans 33.0%
Average amount $20,112
4.0%
Average amount $8,017

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 871
Men 81.6% Women 18.4%
3,101
Men 35.0% Women 65.0%
Graduate students 17
Men 70.6% Women 29.4%
768
Men 33.5% Women 66.5%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Very Low
Low
Out-of-state students N/A 8.8%
International students 0.6% 1.9%
Campus local/setting Rural: Distant Suburb: Large
Dormitory capacity 652 986
First year students are required to live on campus? No No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from N/A South Carolina Georgia North Carolina Florida Maryland

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Engineering
  • Transportation and Logistics
  • Business
  • Engineering Technologies
  • Biological and Biomedical Sciences
  • Business
  • Health Professions
  • Education
  • Kinesiology & Leisure Studies
  • Biological and Biomedical Sciences
Students to faculty ratio 9:1 16:1
Institutional accreditation New England Commission on Higher Education Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges

Outcome

Graduation rate 72.5% 42.9%
Dropout rate 24.2% 15.6%
Transferred out 3.4% 38.6%
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $94,796
  • Year 2: $97,705
  • Year 3: $105,033
Engineering Technologies/Technicians, Other (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $78,358
  • Year 2: $81,997
  • Year 3: $94,068
Marine Transportation (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $73,797
  • Year 2: $82,440
  • Year 3: $93,455
Systems Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $67,120
  • Year 2: $63,749
  • Year 3: $80,922
International Business (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $51,988
  • Year 2: $49,464
  • Year 3: $57,972
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $71,675
  • Year 2: $106,421
  • Year 3: N/A
Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services, Other (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $62,645
  • Year 2: N/A
  • Year 3: N/A
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

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