University of South Carolina vs University of North Carolina

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Sakshi.Collegedunia

| Updated On - Sep 18, 2025

University of South Carolina (USC) is a public research university with its main campus located in Columbia, South Carolina, in a midsize city environment. The university is large with 32,556 full-time undergraduate students (36,579 total enrollment including graduate/part-time). Admissions is moderately competitive, with an acceptance rate of ~ 61.5%. The most popular majors are Business, Health Professions, Social Sciences, Engineering, and Communications. The six-year completion rate is 78%, and graduates of USC have a median income of approximately US$51,700 after ten years since enrollment

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC) is a public research institution in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, in a small city / classic college town setting. It's a large school with around 20,885 undergraduate students. Admissions are very competitive, with an acceptance rate of around 19-20% (recent cohort ~ 19.2%). Social Sciences, Biology, Business, Communications, and Psychology are among the most popular majors. The six-year graduation rate is 91-92%, and the UNC graduates have a median income of around US$66,100 ten years after enrollment compared to $69,100.

Overview Comparison
University of South CarolinaUniversity of North Carolina
Collegedunia Score4.9 Out of 106.2 Out of 10
ranking (overall)# 401 Times Higher Education 2026
# 375 Center for World University Rankings 2025
# 401 Times Higher Education 2025
# 78 Times Higher Education 2026
# 140 QS World University 2026
# 40 Center for World University Rankings 2025
Subject Strength# 301 for Engineering by Times Higher Education 2025
# 94 for Medicine by US News 2024
# 176 for Law by Times Higher Education 2025
# 126 for Engineering by Times Higher Education 2025
# 54 for Medicine by QS World University 2025
# 18 for Law by US News 2025
ProgramsUG Programs -94
PG Programs -66
UG Programs -67
PG Programs -73
Doctorate Programs -7
Acceptance Rate61.5 %19.0 %
Exam ScoreDuolingo-115
IELTS-6.5
PTE-53
SAT-1170
TOEFL-80
IELTS-7
SAT-1270
TOEFL-90
Cost to StudyAverage Tuition Fees   32898
[For UG Program]
Average Tuition Fees  21897
[For PG Program]
Hostel + Meal - 40352 Per Year
Average Tuition Fees   36972
[For UG Program]
Average Tuition Fees  16650
[For PG Program]
Hostel + Meal - 26516 Per Year
placement (average package)
  • The university's career center offers assistance to students with resume writing, interview prep, job searches, etc.
  • They host yearly gatherings and job fairs where employers and job seekers can interact.
  • Internships and part-time and full-time employment opportunities are provided to students in the US.
  • Students utilize the handshake application to register for events, find out additional information, and apply for jobs and internships.
  • Employers hire students and graduates on campus, setting up interviews with them in the Career Center interview rooms. The average salary of University of South Carolina graduates is USD 63,767 (5,084,101 INR).

The average salary for graduates is around $49,952. Some of the programs and the average salary are as follows:

PhD : $125,000

MBA: $120,000

Bachelor of Science: $90,000

Master (Other): $85,000

Bachelor of Arts: $73,000

Executive MBA: $61,000 


application requirements

Submit official transcripts 

Submit letters of recommendation

Submit personal statement

Submit English language test scores

Check program specific requirements

Letter of Recommendation
Official Transcript
Secondary School Official Report
SAT or ACT Scores or any other entrance exam scores
English Proficiency Exam scores

Program specific requirements

Campuses and B-SchoolsNAUNC Kenan-Flagler Business School
CollegeDunia Reviews7.8/10 Read 4 reviews8.1/10 Read 5 reviews

Top Courses Comparison

Top Courses Comparison

ranking# 251 for Business by Times Higher Education 2025
# 151 for Business by QS World University 2024
# 28 for Business by US News 2025
# 75 for Business by Times Higher Education 2025
# 124 for Business by QS World University 2025
exam scoresDuolingo - 115/160IELTS - 7/9PTE - 68/90TOEFL - 95/120GMAT - 700/800IELTS - 7/9PTE - 68/90TOEFL - 100/120
documents required#Letter of Recommendation + Statement of Purpose#Letter of Recommendation + Statement of Purpose
application datesOct 15, 2025 (Priority Round 1 Application Deadline for 2026 intake)
Dec 1, 2025 (Round 2 Application Deadline for 2026 intake)
Jan 15, 2026 (Round 3 Application Deadline for 2026 intake)
Mar 1, 2026 (Round 4 Application Deadline for 2026 intake)
Apr 15, 2026 (Round 5 Application Deadline for 2026 intake)
Mar 4, 2025 (Round 3 Application Deadline 2025 August Intake)
Apr 29, 2025 (Round 4 Application Deadline 2025 August Intake)
May 19, 2025 (Round 3 Deposit Deadline 2025 August Intake)
Jun 9, 2025 (Round 4 Deposit Deadline 2025 August Intake)
Oct 8, 2025 (Round 1 Application Deadline 2026 August Intake)
Jan 7, 2026 (Round 2 Application Deadline 2026 August Intake)
Feb 10, 2026 (Round 1 Deposit Deadline 2026 August Intake)
Apr 21, 2026 (Round 2 Deposit Deadline 2026 August Intake)
General Facts Comparison
General FactsUniversity of South CarolinaUniversity of North Carolina
Type of UniversityUniversity
University
Established1801
1795
Student:Faculty Ratio18:1
15:1
Male:Female45% Male, 55% Female43% Male, 57% Female
Location Facts

The USC system creates a statewide presence through multiple locations -- the research university in Columbia, the comprehensive universities in Aiken, Beaufort and Upstate, the Palmetto College campuses in Lancaster, Salkehatchie, Sumter and Union, and its online campus -- providing great opportunities for students and communities.


UNC-Chapel Hill's 729-acre campus is dominated by two central quads: Polk Place and McCorkle Place.  The university's campus is informally divided into three regions, usually referred to as "north campus," "middle campus," and "south campus."


Library

University has six libaries: Thomas cooper library, law library, Ernest F. Hollings special library, Music library, Medicine library and South Carolina library. Law library is the largest in South Carolina with 500,000 volumes of collection. Medicine library has more than 116,000 collection of volumes. 


University has five libraries at different locations. Library has following resources

Book: 6,702,297
Government publication: 1,392,903
Journal, Magazine, or Periodical: 403,223
Video: 177,537
Music recording: 168,066
Music score: 144,087
Thesis/Dissertation: 124,075
Map: 64,084
Web page or site: 36,032
Archival and manuscript material: 18,590


Campus Life

There are state-of-the-art academic and administrative buildings, athletic facilities, university housing, food locations, parking lots, green spaces, and pathways on USC's stunning 359-acre main campus in downtown Columbia. In addition, USC runs seven satellite campuses in various cities, including Lancaster, Salkehatchie, Sumter, Union, Aiken, Beaufort, and Upstate.

The University of South Carolina campus offers a vast array of opportunities that are constantly expanding. Your time there will be used to discover hobbies, make plans for the future, and make connections with people who might end up being part of your life forever.

  • South Carolina's campus dining offers a unique fusion of local favourites and global flavours. In addition to local options, our more than 30 campus locations also provide well-known regional and national favourites. Even Grubhub offers smartphone and kiosk ordering for incredibly convenient pick-up.
  • The university has more than 500 clubs and organisations for students to take part in.
  • Students who appreciate the outdoors and the natural world are welcome in this neighbourhood. Through trekking, rock climbing, canoeing, hiking, biking, caving, environmental outreach, and other activities, students can explore the stunning southeast.
  • A whole city's worth of artwork, exhibits, culture, cinema, and events are located just outside of campus, and this number increases daily. Three ballet companies, a National Medal-level art museum, an art house movie theatre, and dozens of theatres, including the oldest community theatre structure still in operation in the nation are all found in Columbia.
  • At the University of South Carolina, students can lead vibrant, active lives both inside and outside of the classroom. The campus offers a vast array of amenities, services, excursions, and other activities focused on fitness.

The university provides the students an immersive experience as they can get involved in various campus activities like joining clubs and activities, attend workshops, join sports facilities etc. Students get the opportunity to explore various interests according to their choices. University provides various on campus facilities and also dining facilities. Health and mental counselling services are also available. Sports like basketball, rugby, swimming are played on campus. There are also various indoor facilities available for gymming and indoor sports. University is famous for its basketball team. 


Hostel#4-Bedroom Apartment - $11200
#2-Bedroom Apartment - $11600
#1-Bedroom Apartment - $13212
#On campus - $11556
#Off campus (not with family) - $11556
#Off campus (with family) - $3404
Famous Alumni
  • Ainsley Earhardt (author and television host)
  • Lindsey Graham (politician and author)
  • Alex English (basketball player, coach and businessman)
  • Jasper Johns (painter, sculptor)

James K. Polk served as the 11th President of the United States

William R. King was the thirteenth Vice President of the United States. 

Civil War historian and writer Shelby Foote,

 Jason Kilar, former CEO of Hulu

; Paul Kolton, chairman of the American Stock Exchange; 


City Life
  • Columbia is the capital not only of South Carolina but also of southern hospitality.
  • The state's second-largest city, Columbia is full of museums and history and is a perfect place to spend a year making an impact.
  • Living in the Columbia area offers residents a balance of urban and suburban life.
  • The farther into downtown Columbia you look, the more expensive it will be to rent. It’s recommended that you live in or just outside of Columbia in the nearby cities of Cayce, West Columbia or Northeast Columbia.  
  • Having your own mode of transportation is critical for the Columbia site.
  • The COMET bus system in Columbia does not extend very far out of downtown Columbia and the immediate suburbs. This may be an adequate system for after service and on the weekends but would be difficult to use considering the early start times of City Year.

Offering its residents a great mixture of urban and suburban living, Chapel Hill is often regarded as a good place to live that has tons of delicious new restaurants, cozy coffee shops, and well-maintained public parks that everyone will love. As part of Research Triangle Park which is anchored by Chapel Hill and the neighboring cities of Raleigh and Durham, Chapel Hill has made a name for itself as a city of business and industry as more and more large companies, technology firms, government agencies, startups, and nonprofits move to the area. 

As a center of innovation and a gathering place for professionals, living in Chapel Hill provides its residents with a lifestyle that easily balances work and play while remaining close to the two large metropolitan areas of Raleigh and Durham.

With a growing population of over 66,000 people, Chapel Hill is not only a great place to raise a family, but it has become a hotspot for college students, young professionals, and couples for its thriving nightlife scene and entertainment options. 

With a current cost of living that is 8% higher than the national average, the prices in Chapel Hill are up 1.5% from a year ago. Even though living in Chapel Hill is by no means the most expensive, the city happens to be 15.6% more expensive than living in Raleigh.

With the largest price increases found in transportation, housing, and food, the cost of basic living expenses in Chapel Hill only seems to be on the rise. While a lot of people moving to Chapel Hill seem to be relocating from the northeast and the west coast in search of a cheaper area, Chapel Hill remains to be a great option even though the prices and cost of living are higher than what residents would prefer.


Weather
Comparison Notes

University of South Carolina vs University of North Carolina

Subject Strength & Global Rankings (2025/2026)

Both USC and UNC are top public research universities. UNC is consistently higher nationally and internationally with extremely strong liberal arts, sciences, public health, business, and medicine. USC is strong particularly regionally in Business (Moore School), Health Professions, Communications, and Engineering but not generally on par with UNC globally or in terms of reputation. UNC appears in the top national rankings in most fields; USC less so in international subject rankings.

General Information

UNC's undergraduate enrollment is approximately 20,885 students; USC's full-time undergraduate enrollment is approximately 32,556 and total enrollment 36,579. UNC provides strong academic and residential college town experience; USC, as a larger city university, provides greater diversity of programs and greater scale. Both universities have numerous graduate and professional programs, but UNC has a greater percentage of research activity.

Acceptance Rate & Admissions

USC's acceptance rate is ~ 61.5%. USC admitted students usually have SAT scores between ~ 1190-1370 and ACT ~ 26-32. UNC's acceptance rate is ~ 19-20%, significantly lower. UNC's middle 50% SAT is approximately 1330-1500 and ACT 29-33 for applicants who report scores. UNC is considerably more competitive, with better average academic statistics among accepted students.

Research Impact & Facilities

UNC is ranked among highest public research universities, with very high research activity, strong funding levels, and high production in numerous areas (medicine, public health, sciences, etc.). USC is also R1 (or high research activity) and possesses strong research in some disciplines, regional engagement, particularly through its business, health sciences, and engineering. UNC's scale, prestige, and research resources, however, surpass USC in many areas.

Cost & Financial Aid

At USC, undergraduate tuition for in-state students is ~ US$12,288; out-of-state tuition is significantly higher. Average net price after grants and loans for USC undergraduates is about US$26,068. UNC has both in-state and out-of-state tuition/fee. UNC's funding assistance provides lower net cost for numerous students, especially due to state assistance. 

Career Outcomes & Alumni Success

UNC graduates have extremely high six-year graduation rates (~ 91-92%) and excellent long-term salaries: comparing UNC vs USC data, UNC graduates average approximately US$66,100 ten years after matriculation, while USC graduates are slightly lower. USC has strong results, especially in local employment, business, health, engineering, but UNC's alumni base, research reputation, and best programs provide its graduates superior results in most competitive fields.