Match #1
Lander University
Greenwood, SC
Profile closeness88/100
Admit rate81%
- 3,397 students
- Public
- Town: Distant
- Graduation rate 50%, close to 52%
- Enrollment 3,397 students, close to 3,523
The colleges most similar to Winthrop University are Lander University, University of South Carolina Aiken, and Coastal Carolina University. Winthrop University admits 79% of applicants and has an average net price of $16,375 a year; 3 of its 10 alternatives cost less and 3 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 Winthrop University. 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 Winthrop University
Row-wise results ranked by similarity. No curated AI list exists for this school.
Match #2
University of South Carolina Aiken
Aiken, SC
Profile closeness85/100
Admit rate79%
- 2,962 students
- Public
- Suburb: Large
- Graduation rate 44%, close to 52%
- Enrollment 2,962 students, close to 3,523
Match #3
Coastal Carolina University
Conway, SC
Profile closeness83/100
Admit rate75%
- 10,377 students
- Public
- City: Small
- Graduation rate 54%, close to 52%
- Average net price $15,287, close to $16,375
Match #4
Francis Marion University
Florence, SC
Profile closeness76/100
Admit rate86%
- 2,628 students
- Public
- Suburb: Small
- Enrollment 2,628 students, close to 3,523
- Acceptance rate 86%, close to 79%
Match #5
South Carolina State University
Orangeburg, SC
Profile closeness75/100
Admit rate83%
- 2,934 students
- Public
- Town: Distant
- Enrollment 2,934 students, close to 3,523
- Acceptance rate 83%, close to 79%
Match #6
University of South Carolina Beaufort
Bluffton, SC
Profile closeness68/100
Admit rate73%
- 2,052 students
- Public
- Town: Fringe
- Acceptance rate 73%, close to 79%
- Same control type (public)
Match #7
College of Charleston
Charleston, SC
Profile closeness66/100
Admit rate60%
- 10,558 students
- Public
- City: Midsize
- Average net price $18,177, close to $16,375
- Same control type (public)
Match #8
Citadel Military College of South Carolina
Charleston, SC
Profile closeness56/100
Admit rate23%
- 2,705 students
- Public
- City: Midsize
- Enrollment 2,705 students, close to 3,523
- Same Carnegie classification
Match #9
University of South Carolina-Columbia Main Campus
Columbia, SC
Profile closeness36/100
Admit rate60%
- 29,820 students
- Public
- City: Midsize
- Same control type (public)
Match #10
Clemson University
Clemson, SC
Profile closeness25/100
Admit rate38%
- 23,300 students
- Public
- Suburb: Large
- Same control type (public)
Questions about Winthrop University alternatives
What colleges are similar to Winthrop University?
The closest matches to Winthrop University are Lander University, University of South Carolina Aiken, Coastal Carolina University, Francis Marion University, and South Carolina State University. CollegesRef ranks them on admissions, cost, graduation rate, size, and campus profile using IPEDS and College Scorecard data.
Is Winthrop University hard to get into?
Winthrop University admitted 79% of its 5,582 applicants in the CollegesRef 2026–27 edition, so it is not very selective: it admits most applicants. 3 of its 10 closest alternatives admit a larger share of applicants.
Which Winthrop University alternatives cost less?
3 of the 10 closest alternatives have a lower average net price than Winthrop University ($16,375 a year), including Francis Marion University ($10,890), University of South Carolina Aiken ($14,565), and Coastal Carolina University ($15,287). Net price is what first-time, full-time students paid after grants; your own price depends on family income.
