University of South Carolina Aiken (USCA) vs FMU-Florence

When it comes to higher education in South Carolina, University of South Carolina Aiken (USC Aiken) and Francis Marion University (FMU) stand out as two excellent options. Both universities offer a wide range of academic programs, vibrant campus life, and opportunities for personal and professional growth. However, there are some key differences between the two institutions that prospective students should consider. USC Aiken has a higher acceptance rate and a larger student body, while FMU has a slightly higher graduation rate. USC Aiken is known for its strong programs in business, education, and nursing, while FMU excels in fields such as criminal justice, social work, and the arts. To help you make an informed decision, we've compiled a comprehensive comparison table that delves into the specifics of each university, including acceptance rates, popular majors, student body demographics, and graduation rates.

	Francis Marion University	University of South Carolina Aiken
Overview
Location	Florence, South Carolina	Aiken, South Carolina
Campus setting	Suburb: Small	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	66.0%	59.0%
Common app member	No	No
Religious affiliation

Admission
Acceptance rate	86.1%	83.5%
Application fees	Undergraduate: $41 Graduate: $41	Undergraduate: $45 Graduate: $45
SAT range	930 - 1120	960 - 1170
ACT range	15 - 22	16 - 23
Students submitting SAT score	20.0%	43.0%
Students submitting ACT score	19.0%	29.0%
Total number of applicants	3,028	1,808
Total number of admissions given out	2,608	1,510
Admitted students who chose to enroll	699	526
Yield rate	26.8%	34.8%
Test scores (SAT/ACT)	N/A	N/A
High school GPA	Required	Required
Recommendation letters	Not 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: $24,351 Out of state: $34,735	In state: $24,928 Out of state: $35,386
Average net price	$13,299	$12,514
Tuition	In state: $10,384 Out of state: $20,768	In state: $10,398 Out of state: $20,856
Room & board	$8,230	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)	98.0% Average amount $10,192	95.0% Average amount $7,746
Students receiving federal student loan	59.0% Average amount $5,579	50.0% Average amount $4,789
Students taking out private loans	4.0% Average amount $7,593	4.0% Average amount $8,017

Students and Campus
Undergraduate students	3,475 Men 33.3% Women 66.7%	3,101 Men 35.0% Women 65.0%
Graduate students	448 Men 22.8% Women 77.2%	768 Men 33.5% Women 66.5%
Racial/ethnic diversity	Low	Low
Out-of-state students	4.4%	8.8%
International students	1.6%	1.9%
Campus local/setting	Suburb: Small	Suburb: Large
Dormitory capacity	1,413	986
First year students are required to live on campus?	No	No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from	South Carolina North Carolina Florida Georgia Texas	South Carolina Georgia North Carolina Florida Maryland

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

Outcome
Graduation rate	43.2%	42.9%
Dropout rate	15.9%	15.6%
Transferred out	38.3%	38.6%
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $97,582 Year 2: $101,964 Year 3: $110,561 Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $59,618 Year 2: $58,866 Year 3: $60,568 Special Education and Teaching (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $41,080 Year 2: $43,426 Year 3: $47,870 Accounting and Related Services (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $38,649 Year 3: $40,311 Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $29,861 Year 2: $28,443 Year 3: $34,636 Political Science and Government (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $25,038 Year 2: $28,598 Year 3: $34,338 Marketing (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $25,535 Year 2: $31,314 Year 3: $34,010 Biology, General (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $23,804 Year 2: $28,180 Year 3: $32,997 Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $31,805 Year 2: $30,157 Year 3: $32,022 History (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $22,652 Year 3: $31,548	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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