Colleges in South Carolina
36 colleges in South Carolina that award bachelor's degrees to at least 100 undergraduates: 14 public and 22 private. 2 of them, mostly state colleges, award bachelor's degrees in fewer than a quarter of their undergraduate awards. Among colleges where most degrees awarded are bachelor's, the lowest average net price is at Allen University ($10,972 a year after grants). Numbers are averages for students receiving federal aid; open a school to see what a family at your income pays.
| College | City | Type | Undergrads | Acceptance | Avg. net price | Graduation | Earnings, 10 yrs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Allen University | Columbia | Private | 576 | 73% | $10,972 | 13% | $30,497 |
| American College of the Building Arts | Charleston | Private | 155 | 44% | $30,403 | 62% | — |
| Anderson University | Anderson | Private | 3,183 | 55% | $23,544 | 66% | $42,101 |
| Benedict College | Columbia | Private | 1,536 | 96% | $18,250 | 24% | $31,902 |
| Bob Jones University | Greenville | Private | 2,005 | — | $16,641 | 65% | $44,354 |
| Charleston Southern University | Charleston | Private | 2,893 | 96% | $21,666 | 47% | $45,898 |
| Citadel Military College of South Carolina | Charleston | Public | 2,705 | 23% | $20,723 | 75% | $72,085 |
| Claflin University | Orangeburg | Private | 1,706 | 65% | $17,800 | 52% | $40,304 |
| Clemson University | Clemson | Public | 23,300 | 38% | $22,253 | 87% | $71,513 |
| Clinton College | Rock Hill | Private | 126 | — | $11,458 | 14% | $30,180 |
| Coastal Carolina University | Conway | Public | 10,377 | 75% | $13,966 | 48% | $47,258 |
| Coker University | Hartsville | Private | 840 | 94% | $20,286 | 40% | $40,117 |
| College of Charleston | Charleston | Public | 10,558 | 60% | $18,960 | 66% | $56,416 |
| Columbia College | Columbia | Private | 1,343 | 94% | $18,408 | 37% | $41,338 |
| Columbia International University | Columbia | Private | 716 | 94% | $26,036 | 47% | $38,951 |
| Converse University | Spartanburg | Private | 1,173 | 68% | $23,283 | 62% | $40,867 |
| Erskine College | Due West | Private | 766 | 63% | $16,525 | 45% | $53,459 |
| Francis Marion University | Florence | Public | 2,628 | 86% | $11,386 | 43% | $43,888 |
| Furman University | Greenville | Private | 2,379 | 43% | $30,308 | 79% | $68,635 |
| Greenville Technical College | Greenville | PublicMostly 2-year · 0% bachelor's | 8,916 | — | $11,713 | 21% | $39,473 |
| Lander University | Greenwood | Public | 3,397 | 81% | $15,363 | 50% | $42,396 |
| Medical University of South Carolina | Charleston | Public | 303 | — | — | — | $88,420 |
| Morris College | Sumter | Private | 383 | — | $20,555 | 17% | $30,614 |
| Newberry College | Newberry | Private | 1,479 | 90% | $21,656 | 45% | $48,040 |
| North Greenville University | Tigerville | Private | 1,819 | 67% | $21,063 | 55% | $43,035 |
| Presbyterian College | Clinton | Private | 852 | 68% | $20,528 | 51% | $60,194 |
| South Carolina State University | Orangeburg | Public | 2,934 | 83% | $18,097 | 37% | $38,262 |
| Southern Wesleyan University | Central | Private | 747 | 100% | $15,464 | 52% | $47,756 |
| Spartanburg Methodist College | Spartanburg | PrivateMostly 2-year · 21% bachelor's | 1,116 | 78% | $14,580 | 43% | $42,895 |
| University of South Carolina Aiken | Aiken | Public | 2,962 | 79% | $11,641 | 40% | $45,603 |
| University of South Carolina Beaufort | Bluffton | Public | 2,052 | 73% | $14,656 | 34% | $48,088 |
| University of South Carolina-Columbia | Columbia | Public | 29,820 | 60% | $22,811 | 79% | $62,177 |
| University of South Carolina-Upstate | Spartanburg | Public | 4,038 | 67% | $13,557 | 43% | $48,587 |
| Voorhees University | Denmark | Private | 440 | — | $13,335 | 43% | $35,339 |
| Winthrop University | Rock Hill | Public | 3,523 | 79% | $15,343 | 57% | $47,185 |
| Wofford College | Spartanburg | Private | 1,816 | 52% | $18,732 | 84% | $68,964 |
U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, latest reported year. Graduation within 6 years; earnings are the median 10 years after starting college.
Best value in South Carolina for your income
The South Carolina colleges that pay back fastest for a family at your income: what it costs to finish after grants, set against how much more former students earn than high school graduates in South Carolina. Pick your income.
| # | College | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Earnings, 10 yrs | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wofford CollegePrivate | $10,830 | $43,862 | $68,964 | 1.2 |
| 2 | Citadel Military College of South CarolinaPublic, in-state price | $18,140 | $75,462 | $72,085 | 2.0 |
| 3 | Clemson UniversityPublic, in-state price | $18,851 | $80,117 | $71,513 | 2.1 |
| 4 | Furman UniversityPrivate | $21,041 | $86,058 | $68,635 | 2.5 |
| 5 | University of South Carolina-ColumbiaPublic, in-state price | $19,859 | $82,018 | $62,177 | 2.9 |
| 6 | Presbyterian CollegePrivate | $19,366 | $80,950 | $60,194 | 3.0 |
| 7 | College of CharlestonPublic, in-state price | $16,797 | $69,876 | $56,416 | 3.1 |
| 8 | Erskine CollegePrivate | $18,652 | $76,473 | $53,459 | 3.8 |
| 9 | University of South Carolina-UpstatePublic, in-state price | $13,394 | $58,934 | $48,587 | 3.9 |
| 10 | Coastal Carolina UniversityPublic, in-state price | $12,938 | $54,987 | $47,258 | 4.0 |
Colleges where most degrees awarded are bachelor's, ranked by years of earnings gain needed to repay the cost to finish at this income. Cost to finish = net price after grants × the average years graduates took (IPEDS). Earnings gain = former students' median earnings 10 years after starting (College Scorecard) minus $33,516 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in South Carolina (Census ACS 2020-2024). Before taxes, interest and earnings given up while in school. Method
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