Best Colleges in South Carolina (2026)
95 colleges ranked by graduate earnings, acceptance rates, and outcomes — powered by federal data from the U.S. Department of Education.
95
Colleges
$39,270
Avg Earnings (10yr)
$16,226
Avg Net Price
74%
Avg Admit Rate
47%
Avg Grad Rate
State Overview
South Carolina is home to 95 colleges and universities, ranging from research universities to community colleges. Medical University of South Carolina leads the state in graduate earnings, with state alumni earning $39,270 on average ten years after enrollment. Whether you're looking for a flagship research university, a liberal arts college, or a career-focused program, South Carolina offers diverse options across all price points.
Quick Facts — South Carolina Colleges
Top 10 Colleges in South Carolina by Graduate Earnings
Ranked by median earnings 10 years after enrollment. Public and private nonprofit only.
Admit
N/A
Net Price
N/A
Grad Rate
N/A
Earnings
$88,420
Admit
98%
Net Price
$21,002
Grad Rate
72%
Earnings
$72,085
Admit
61%
Net Price
$24,532
Grad Rate
78%
Earnings
$62,177
Admit
70%
Net Price
$13,725
Grad Rate
43%
Earnings
$48,587
Most Affordable Colleges in South Carolina
Lowest average net price after grants and scholarships. Public and private nonprofit only.
Florence, SC
20% grad rate
Mullins, SC
56% grad rate
Popular Majors
Compare the best colleges for top fields of study — ranked by graduate earnings nationwide.
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Find my South Carolina collegeAll Colleges in South Carolina
All 95 accredited institutions. Click column headers to sort.
| School | City | Type | Admit Rate | Net Price | Grad Rate | Earnings (10yr) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Academy for Careers and Technology | Mullins | Public | N/A | $3,766 | 56% | $46,553 |
| Academy of Hair Technology | Greenville | Private For-Profit | N/A | N/A | N/A | $22,893 |
| Aiken Technical College | Graniteville | Public | N/A | $5,350 | 19% | $39,225 |
| Allen University | Columbia | Private Nonprofit | 32% | $11,081 | 11% | $30,497 |
| American College of the Building Arts | Charleston | Private Nonprofit | 62% | $26,389 | 58% | N/A |
| Anderson University | Anderson | Private Nonprofit | 53% | $28,183 | 66% | $42,101 |
| Arclabs | Piedmont | Private For-Profit | N/A | $24,965 | 78% | N/A |
| Barber Tech Academy | Orangeburg | Private For-Profit | N/A | $20,283 | 26% | N/A |
| Barber Tech Academy-Columbia | Columbia | Private For-Profit | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Benedict College | Columbia | Private Nonprofit | 67% | $17,781 | 20% | $31,902 |
| Bob Jones University | Greenville | Private Nonprofit | N/A | $17,529 | 69% | $44,354 |
| Central Carolina Technical College | Sumter | Public | N/A | $5,027 | 26% | $32,603 |
| Charleston Cosmetology Institute | Charleston | Private For-Profit | N/A | $15,686 | 68% | $25,812 |
| Charleston School of Law | Charleston | Private For-Profit | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Charleston Southern University | Charleston | Private Nonprofit | 76% | $21,955 | 46% | $45,898 |
| Charzanne Beauty College | Greenwood | Private For-Profit | N/A | $14,042 | 67% | $21,229 |
| Citadel Military College of South Carolina | Charleston | Public | 98% | $21,002 | 72% | $72,085 |
| Claflin University | Orangeburg | Private Nonprofit | 73% | $21,232 | 50% | $40,304 |
| Clemson University | Clemson | Public | 38% | $22,112 | 87% | $71,513 |
| Clinton College | Rock Hill | Private Nonprofit | N/A | $14,501 | 12% | $30,180 |
| Coastal Carolina University | Conway | Public | 80% | $13,742 | 49% | $47,258 |
| Coker University | Hartsville | Private Nonprofit | 97% | $18,045 | 39% | $40,117 |
| College of Charleston | Charleston | Public | 72% | $19,518 | 65% | $56,416 |
| Columbia College | Columbia | Private Nonprofit | 96% | $23,650 | 54% | $41,338 |
| Columbia International University | Columbia | Private Nonprofit | 98% | $21,660 | 68% | $38,951 |
| Converse University | Spartanburg | Private Nonprofit | 64% | $19,712 | 52% | $40,867 |
| Denmark Technical College | Denmark | Public | N/A | $20,601 | 15% | $25,351 |
| ECPI University-Charleston | North Charleston | Private For-Profit | N/A | N/A | N/A | $42,837 |
| ECPI University-Columbia | Columbia | Private For-Profit | N/A | N/A | N/A | $42,837 |
| ECPI University-Greenville | Greenville | Private For-Profit | N/A | N/A | N/A | $42,837 |
| Erskine College | Due West | Private Nonprofit | 61% | $22,018 | 47% | $53,459 |
| Florence-Darlington Technical College | Florence | Public | N/A | $598 | 20% | $32,748 |
| Fortis College-Columbia | Columbia | Private For-Profit | N/A | $27,508 | 34% | $36,368 |
| Francis Marion University | Florence | Public | 82% | $13,451 | 41% | $43,888 |
| Furman University | Greenville | Private Nonprofit | 53% | $29,997 | 84% | $68,635 |
| Galen Health Institutes-Myrtle Beach | Myrtle Beach | Private For-Profit | N/A | $41,961 | N/A | $61,480 |
| Greenville Technical College | Greenville | Public | N/A | $6,246 | 17% | $39,473 |
| Horry-Georgetown Technical College | Conway | Public | N/A | $3,719 | 27% | $35,507 |
| Kenneth Shuler School of Cosmetology and Nails-Columbia | Columbia | Private For-Profit | N/A | $16,640 | 44% | $25,088 |
| Kenneth Shuler School of Cosmetology-Columbia | Columbia | Private For-Profit | N/A | $13,152 | 65% | $25,088 |
| Kenneth Shuler School of Cosmetology-Florence | Florence | Private For-Profit | N/A | $20,345 | 67% | $25,542 |
| Kenneth Shuler School of Cosmetology-Goose Creek | Goose Creek | Private For-Profit | N/A | $15,092 | 83% | $25,088 |
| Kenneth Shuler School of Cosmetology-Greenville | Greenville | Private For-Profit | N/A | $20,721 | 65% | $23,193 |
| Kenneth Shuler School of Cosmetology-North Augusta | North Augusta | Private For-Profit | N/A | $17,947 | 54% | $25,542 |
| Kenneth Shuler School of Cosmetology-Rock Hill | Rock Hill | Private For-Profit | N/A | $13,887 | 61% | $23,193 |
| Kenneth Shuler School of Cosmetology-Spartanburg | Spartanburg | Private For-Profit | N/A | $14,083 | 66% | $25,088 |
| Lander University | Greenwood | Public | 68% | $14,501 | 47% | $42,396 |
| LeGrand Institute of Cosmetology Inc | Camden | Private For-Profit | N/A | $12,118 | 68% | $22,831 |
| Limestone University | Gaffney | Private Nonprofit | 98% | $20,415 | 26% | $44,999 |
| Medical University of South Carolina | Charleston | Public | N/A | N/A | N/A | $88,420 |
| Midlands Technical College | West Columbia | Public | N/A | $5,462 | 16% | $38,701 |
| Miller-Motte College-Charleston | Charleston | Private For-Profit | N/A | N/A | 58% | $31,102 |
| Miller-Motte College-Conway | Conway | Private For-Profit | N/A | $21,736 | 58% | $31,102 |
| Morris College | Sumter | Private Nonprofit | N/A | $20,375 | 22% | $30,614 |
| Newberry College | Newberry | Private Nonprofit | 75% | $20,351 | 47% | $48,040 |
| North Greenville University | Tigerville | Private Nonprofit | 63% | $20,612 | 54% | $43,035 |
| Northeastern Technical College | Cheraw | Public | N/A | $7,833 | 30% | $32,141 |
| Orangeburg Calhoun Technical College | Orangeburg | Public | N/A | $6,119 | 34% | $35,761 |
| Paul Mitchell the School-Charleston | North Charleston | Private For-Profit | N/A | $14,415 | 58% | $26,696 |
| Paul Mitchell the School-Columbia | West Columbia | Private For-Profit | N/A | $12,804 | 48% | $26,696 |
| Paul Mitchell the School-Greenville | Greenville | Private For-Profit | N/A | $18,487 | 63% | $26,696 |
| Personal Touch Beauty and Barber College | Kingstree | Private For-Profit | N/A | $9,880 | N/A | N/A |
| Piedmont Technical College | Greenwood | Public | N/A | $10,862 | 30% | $35,768 |
| Presbyterian College | Clinton | Private Nonprofit | 72% | $20,899 | 63% | $60,194 |
| Sherman College of Chiropractic | Boiling Springs | Private Nonprofit | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| South Carolina State University | Orangeburg | Public | 82% | $18,268 | 32% | $38,262 |
| South University-Columbia | Columbia | Private For-Profit | N/A | $22,886 | 4% | $34,421 |
| Southeastern College-Charleston | North Charleston | Private For-Profit | 93% | $36,778 | 75% | $30,737 |
| Southeastern College-Columbia | Columbia | Private For-Profit | 92% | $37,856 | 53% | $31,156 |
| Southeastern Esthetics Institute | Elgin | Private For-Profit | N/A | $16,467 | 84% | N/A |
| Southern Wesleyan University | Central | Private Nonprofit | 100% | $19,968 | 56% | $47,756 |
| Spartanburg Community College | Spartanburg | Public | N/A | $6,531 | 29% | $37,097 |
| Spartanburg Methodist College | Spartanburg | Private Nonprofit | 81% | $16,295 | 37% | $42,895 |
| Strand College of Hair Design | Myrtle Beach | Private For-Profit | N/A | $11,077 | 75% | $21,301 |
| Strayer University-Charleston Campus | North Charleston | Private For-Profit | N/A | N/A | N/A | $40,092 |
| Strayer University-Columbia Campus | Columbia | Private For-Profit | N/A | N/A | N/A | $40,092 |
| Strayer University-South Carolina | Greenville | Private For-Profit | N/A | $22,134 | N/A | $40,092 |
| Technical College of the Lowcountry | Beaufort | Public | N/A | $5,903 | 13% | $35,090 |
| Top of the Line Barber College | Charleston | Private For-Profit | N/A | $14,486 | 36% | N/A |
| Tri-County Technical College | Pendleton | Public | N/A | $5,807 | 37% | $40,101 |
| Trident Technical College | Charleston | Public | N/A | -$3,220 | 26% | $38,253 |
| University of South Carolina Aiken | Aiken | Public | 80% | $11,611 | 41% | $45,603 |
| University of South Carolina Beaufort | Bluffton | Public | 69% | $15,309 | 39% | $48,088 |
| University of South Carolina-Columbia | Columbia | Public | 61% | $24,532 | 78% | $62,177 |
| University of South Carolina-Lancaster | Lancaster | Public | 76% | $9,735 | 23% | $39,426 |
| University of South Carolina-Salkehatchie | Allendale | Public | 76% | $12,395 | 23% | $31,360 |
| University of South Carolina-Sumter | Sumter | Public | 76% | $9,283 | 31% | $42,437 |
| University of South Carolina-Union | Union | Public | 70% | $11,125 | 34% | $33,699 |
| University of South Carolina-Upstate | Spartanburg | Public | 70% | $13,725 | 43% | $48,587 |
| Voorhees University | Denmark | Private Nonprofit | N/A | $15,411 | 37% | $35,339 |
| Vski Cosmetology School | Charleston | Private Nonprofit | N/A | $10,524 | 74% | N/A |
| Williamsburg Technical College | Kingstree | Public | N/A | $6,055 | 17% | $29,935 |
| Winthrop University | Rock Hill | Public | 75% | $16,353 | 61% | $47,185 |
| Wofford College | Spartanburg | Private Nonprofit | 59% | $28,984 | 82% | $68,964 |
| York Technical College | Rock Hill | Public | N/A | $4,657 | 32% | $37,257 |
Showing 95 of 95 schools