College comparison

Penn State vs South Carolina

A side-by-side of acceptance rate, test scores, and cost — source-cited estimates, not guarantees. Want the number that actually matters for your student? Model your admit odds at each.

Metric	Penn State University Park, PA	South Carolina Columbia, SC
Acceptance rateUniversity of South Carolina-Columbia is more selective	61%	60%
SAT (25–75)	1240–1420	1180–1360
ACT (25–75)	—	—
Undergrad enrollment	42,284	29,820
Avg net price	$32,875	$22,811
Test policy	—	—
Type	Public	Public
Location	University Park, PA	Columbia, SC

Quick answers

Is Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus or University of South Carolina-Columbia harder to get into?

University of South Carolina-Columbia is more selective: Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus's acceptance rate is approximately 61% and University of South Carolina-Columbia's is approximately 60% (estimates from public and primary sources).

What SAT score do you need for Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus vs University of South Carolina-Columbia?

The middle-50% SAT range is 1240–1420 at Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus and 1180–1360 at University of South Carolina-Columbia. Scores outside these bands are still admitted, especially with strong applications.

Figures are estimates compiled from public datasets (College Scorecard / IPEDS) and primary sources; verify with each institution before relying on them.

These outputs are estimates from a baseline model — not guarantees of admission, cost, or outcome.