USC Upstate vs FMU-Florence

When it comes to higher education in South Carolina, University of South Carolina-Upstate (USC Upstate) and Francis Marion University (FMU) stand out as two prominent choices. Both institutions offer a diverse range of academic programs, vibrant campus life, and opportunities for personal growth. However, there are some key differences between the two universities that prospective students should consider. USC Upstate boasts a higher acceptance rate, making it a more accessible option for students with a wider range of academic backgrounds. FMU, on the other hand, has a slightly higher graduation rate, indicating a strong commitment to student success. To help you make an informed decision, we've compiled a comprehensive comparison table that delves into the acceptance rates, popular majors, student body demographics, and graduation rates of both universities. Explore the table to discover which institution aligns best with your academic aspirations and personal preferences.

	Francis Marion University	University of South Carolina-Upstate
Overview
Location	Florence, South Carolina	Spartanburg, South Carolina
Campus setting	Suburb: Small	Suburb: Midsize
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%	61.0%
Common app member	No	No
Religious affiliation

Admission
Acceptance rate	86.1%	75.7%
Application fees	Undergraduate: $41 Graduate: $41	Undergraduate: $45 Graduate: $45
SAT range	930 - 1120	950 - 1150
ACT range	15 - 22	19 - 23
Students submitting SAT score	20.0%	26.0%
Students submitting ACT score	19.0%	19.0%
Total number of applicants	3,028	2,893
Total number of admissions given out	2,608	2,190
Admitted students who chose to enroll	699	597
Yield rate	26.8%	27.3%
Test scores (SAT/ACT)	N/A	N/A
High school GPA	Required	Not required
Recommendation letters	Not required	Not required
High school transcript	Not required	Not 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: $28,648 Out of state: $39,610
Average net price	$13,299	$14,816
Tuition	In state: $10,384 Out of state: $20,768	In state: $11,208 Out of state: $22,170
Room & board	$8,230	Room/dormitory: $5,614 Meal plan: $3,714
Available payment plans	Tuition payment plan	Prepaid tuition plan Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid
Students receiving financial aid (Grants & scholarships)	98.0% Average amount $10,192	96.0% Average amount $8,974
Students receiving federal student loan	59.0% Average amount $5,579	62.0% Average amount $5,480
Students taking out private loans	4.0% Average amount $7,593	4.0% Average amount $8,248

Students and Campus
Undergraduate students	3,475 Men 33.3% Women 66.7%	4,981 Men 32.7% Women 67.3%
Graduate students	448 Men 22.8% Women 77.2%	457 Men 13.6% Women 86.4%
Racial/ethnic diversity	Low	Moderate
Out-of-state students	4.4%	8.2%
International students	1.6%	1.2%
Campus local/setting	Suburb: Small	Suburb: Midsize
Dormitory capacity	1,413	1,055
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 Texas

Academics
Popular study areas	Health Professions Education Business Psychology Visual & Performing Arts	Health Professions Education Business Biological and Biomedical Sciences Psychology
Students to faculty ratio	13:1	15:1
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%	47.4%
Dropout rate	15.9%	19.2%
Transferred out	38.3%	31.9%
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	Engineering-Related Fields (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $60,614 Year 2: $59,124 Year 3: $70,562 Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $61,719 Year 2: $57,512 Year 3: $60,107 Information Science/Studies (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $43,885 Year 2: N/A Year 3: $52,577 Computer and Information Sciences, General (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $42,033 Year 2: $45,500 Year 3: $50,407 Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $37,902 Year 2: $37,088 Year 3: $43,565 Biology, General (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $28,960 Year 3: $37,957 Criminal Justice and Corrections (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $31,958 Year 2: $32,439 Year 3: $37,264 History (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $21,254 Year 2: $32,284 Year 3: $37,102 Health and Physical Education/Fitness (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $32,772 Year 3: $35,463 Fine and Studio Arts (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $27,350 Year 2: $23,649 Year 3: $33,671

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