Best Colleges in South Carolina 2026

South Carolina has 66 colleges and universities in our database; 60 report the graduation-rate data our ranking requires. The top 25 are ranked below by a fixed four-factor formula: 6-year graduation rate (30%), median earnings 10 years after entry (30%), admission selectivity (20%), and in-state tuition affordability (20%).

Schools Ranked

$47,970

Avg. Earnings

53.7%

Avg. Graduation Rate

Top 25 Schools

College rankings
#	School	Graduation Rate	Median Earnings	Acceptance Rate	In-State Tuition
1	Clemson University Clemson, South Carolina	87.9%	$71,513	43.0%	$15,554
2	University of South Carolina-Columbia Columbia, South Carolina	77.7%	$62,177	64.1%	$12,688
3	Citadel Military College of South Carolina Charleston, South Carolina	72.8%	$72,085	98.6%	$12,570
4	College of Charleston Charleston, South Carolina	65.0%	$56,416	75.7%	$12,978
5	Bob Jones University Greenville, South Carolina	69.6%	$44,354		$23,400
6	Wofford College Spartanburg, South Carolina	80.8%	$68,964	60.2%	$54,100
7	Anderson University Anderson, South Carolina	71.0%	$42,101	45.4%	$33,580
8	Winthrop University Rock Hill, South Carolina	61.2%	$47,185	69.8%	$15,956
9	Columbia International University Columbia, South Carolina	65.5%	$38,951	48.2%	$27,900
10	Tri-County Technical College Pendleton, South Carolina	39.1%	$40,101		$4,448
11	Furman University Greenville, South Carolina	81.5%	$68,635	67.0%	$58,312
12	Orangeburg Calhoun Technical College Orangeburg, South Carolina	40.4%	$35,761		$4,970
13	Southern Wesleyan University Central, South Carolina	52.0%	$47,756	51.2%	$27,870
14	Presbyterian College Clinton, South Carolina	61.9%	$60,194	59.4%	$43,300
15	Lander University Greenwood, South Carolina	48.8%	$42,396	67.4%	$11,700
16	Coastal Carolina University Conway, South Carolina	50.8%	$47,258	78.6%	$11,640
17	Piedmont Technical College Greenwood, South Carolina	33.3%	$35,768		$4,775
18	York Technical College Rock Hill, South Carolina	32.4%	$37,257		$5,512
19	Trident Technical College Charleston, South Carolina	28.7%	$38,253		$4,564
20	Spartanburg Community College Spartanburg, South Carolina	30.0%	$37,097		$5,046
21	Northeastern Technical College Cheraw, South Carolina	34.9%	$32,141		$5,664
22	Voorhees University Denmark, South Carolina	37.8%	$35,339		$12,630
23	Erskine College Due West, South Carolina	48.6%	$53,459	53.3%	$36,710
24	University of South Carolina-Upstate Spartanburg, South Carolina	42.4%	$48,587	78.6%	$11,583
25	Horry-Georgetown Technical College Conway, South Carolina	28.2%	$35,507		$4,468