Quad
U. South Carolina-Columbia
U. Tennessee-Knoxville

Key differences on Cost & aid

  1. 1

    U. Tennessee-Knoxville's grants cover 27% of its full price on average, vs. 19% at U. South Carolina-Columbia

    Aid generosity
  2. 2

    U. South Carolina-Columbia costs about $2.3K less per year on average than U. Tennessee-Knoxville ($27,484 vs. $29,748, all students)

    Average cost, all students

Cost & aid

Cost & aid

Average cost, aid generosity, net price by family income, sticker prices, and grants.

What students pay

Average cost, all students
U. South Carolina-Columbia$27.5K
U. Tennessee-Knoxville$29.7K
Aid generosity
U. South Carolina-Columbia19%
U. Tennessee-Knoxville27%
Net price, with grants
U. South Carolina-Columbia$24.5K
U. Tennessee-Knoxville$21.6K

Grants

First-years receiving grants
U. South Carolina-Columbia91%
U. Tennessee-Knoxville94%
Average grant
U. South Carolina-Columbia$7.1K
U. Tennessee-Knoxville$11.4K
Aid from the college
U. South Carolina-Columbia67%
U. Tennessee-Knoxville88%

Sticker prices

On one scale, so the bars read against each other.

Sticker price, in-state
U. South Carolina-Columbia$32K
U. Tennessee-Knoxville$33.7K
Sticker price, out-of-state
U. South Carolina-Columbia$54.2K
U. Tennessee-Knoxville$52.2K
Tuition & fees, in-state
U. South Carolina-Columbia$12.7K
U. Tennessee-Knoxville$13.5K
Tuition & fees, out-of-state
U. South Carolina-Columbia$34.9K
U. Tennessee-Knoxville$32K
First-years paying out-of-state rates
U. South Carolina-Columbia9%
U. Tennessee-Knoxville37%
What families at each income pay

Up to $110K: the average net price per year for students receiving federal aid, 2023–24; families who didn't file the FAFSA aren't included. Above it the published data end. For your own number, use the college's net price calculator .

Family income per year $150K

  • U. South Carolina-ColumbiaLittle need-based aid above $110K

    Merit possible; averaging $4K

  • U. Tennessee-KnoxvillePublished data end at $110K

Published (federal figure, up to $110K) EstimateBars share one scale: the largest full price.

Where need-based aid ends, merit, and published promises

MetricU. South Carolina-ColumbiaU. Tennessee-Knoxville
Need-based aid up to Little need-based aid above $110KPublished data end at $110K
Merit for students without need 38% got merit aid, averaging $4K–
Published promise ––

A college's own promise is stated for a typical family and changes yearly; where a promise and our estimate disagree, the promise wins. Merit has no income limit, so it can lower the price above the point where need-based aid ends.

Tuition guarantee & Promise program

MetricU. South Carolina-ColumbiaU. Tennessee-Knoxville
Tuition guarantee NoNo
Promise program NoYes

From the colleges' Common Data Sets

MetricU. South Carolina-ColumbiaU. Tennessee-Knoxville
Aid forms FAFSA–
Aid priority date or deadline April 1 (priority)–
Need met, first-years 61%–
Average aid package, first-years $17,598–
College grant dollars given as merit 58%–
Aid for international students 142 students, average $32.7K–

All cost numbers in the table

Sources:IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey, 2023–24;IPEDS Student Financial Aid survey, 2023–24;College Scorecard, 2023–24;University of South Carolina-Columbia Common Data Set 2025–26, Fall 2026 entrants;University of South Carolina-Columbia Common Data Set 2025–26, 2025–26 (estimated);College Scorecard, most recent release;Common Data Set, most recent release;University of South Carolina-Columbia Common Data Set 2025–26, 2025–26About the data(retrieved 2026-10-12)

Figures are the newest each college has published; years can differ between colleges. Each value's ⓘ shows its source and year. Why