Match #1
South Carolina State University
Orangeburg, SC
Profile closeness86/100
Admit rate83%
- 2,934 students
- Public
- Town: Distant
- Enrollment 2,934 students, close to 2,962
- Acceptance rate 83%, close to 79%
The colleges most similar to University of South Carolina Aiken are South Carolina State University, Francis Marion University, and Lander University. University of South Carolina Aiken admits 79% of applicants and has an average net price of $14,565 a year; 1 of its 10 alternatives cost less and 4 admit a larger share of applicants, in the CollegesRef 2026–27 edition.
Profile closeness (0–100) compares graduation rate, size, admit rate, net price, Carnegie class, and control with University of South Carolina Aiken. The order also uses CollegesRef matching tiers, so a later match can score higher. Admit-rate bars use a 0–100% scale.
Top 10 alternatives to University of South Carolina Aiken
Row-wise results ranked by similarity. No curated AI list exists for this school.
Match #2
Francis Marion University
Florence, SC
Profile closeness86/100
Admit rate86%
- 2,628 students
- Public
- Suburb: Small
- Graduation rate 38%, close to 44%
- Enrollment 2,628 students, close to 2,962
Match #3
Lander University
Greenwood, SC
Profile closeness86/100
Admit rate81%
- 3,397 students
- Public
- Town: Distant
- Graduation rate 50%, close to 44%
- Enrollment 3,397 students, close to 2,962
Match #4
Winthrop University
Rock Hill, SC
Profile closeness85/100
Admit rate79%
- 3,523 students
- Public
- City: Small
- Graduation rate 52%, close to 44%
- Enrollment 3,523 students, close to 2,962
Match #5
University of South Carolina Beaufort
Bluffton, SC
Profile closeness79/100
Admit rate73%
- 2,052 students
- Public
- Town: Fringe
- Graduation rate 39%, close to 44%
- Enrollment 2,052 students, close to 2,962
Match #6
Coastal Carolina University
Conway, SC
Profile closeness70/100
Admit rate75%
- 10,377 students
- Public
- City: Small
- Average net price $15,287, close to $14,565
- Acceptance rate 75%, close to 79%
Match #7
College of Charleston
Charleston, SC
Profile closeness57/100
Admit rate60%
- 10,558 students
- Public
- City: Midsize
- Same control type (public)
Match #8
Citadel Military College of South Carolina
Charleston, SC
Profile closeness45/100
Admit rate23%
- 2,705 students
- Public
- City: Midsize
- Enrollment 2,705 students, close to 2,962
- Same control type (public)
Match #9
University of South Carolina-Columbia Main Campus
Columbia, SC
Profile closeness26/100
Admit rate60%
- 29,820 students
- Public
- City: Midsize
- Same control type (public)
Match #10
Clemson University
Clemson, SC
Profile closeness16/100
Admit rate38%
- 23,300 students
- Public
- Suburb: Large
- Same control type (public)
Questions about University of South Carolina Aiken alternatives
What colleges are similar to University of South Carolina Aiken?
The closest matches to University of South Carolina Aiken are South Carolina State University, Francis Marion University, Lander University, Winthrop University, and University of South Carolina Beaufort. CollegesRef ranks them on admissions, cost, graduation rate, size, and campus profile using IPEDS and College Scorecard data.
Is University of South Carolina Aiken hard to get into?
University of South Carolina Aiken admitted 79% of its 1,808 applicants in the CollegesRef 2026–27 edition, so it is not very selective: it admits most applicants. 4 of its 10 closest alternatives admit a larger share of applicants.
Which University of South Carolina Aiken alternatives cost less?
1 of the 10 closest alternatives have a lower average net price than University of South Carolina Aiken ($14,565 a year), including Francis Marion University ($10,890). Net price is what first-time, full-time students paid after grants; your own price depends on family income.
