This study investigated the antioxidant characteristics of sweet potato according to different plant parts and drying methods. The sweet potato plant parts were divided into root tubers, stems, stalks, leaves, and tips, and the drying methods were freeze-drying and hot air drying. Total polyphenol and flavonoid contents and radical scavenging activity of the sweet potato plant parts were significantly different depending on the plant parts and drying methods. The total polyphenol content of freeze-dried sweet potato leaves and tips were 52.76 and 46.19 mg chlorogenic acid equivalents/g sample, and the total flavonoid contents were 222.47 and 214.12 mg quercetin equivalents/g sample, respectively, and decreased with hot air drying. DPPH radical scavenging activity was higher in freeze-drying than hot air drying and was significantly different depending on the plant parts. The ABTS radical scavenging activity of freeze-dried sweet potato leaves and tips were 43.48 and 44.68 mg Trolox equivalents/g sample, respectively, and decreased with hot air drying. Therefore, additional studies on the functionality of using by-products from sweet potato cultivation are needed.