2024 Best Colleges in South Carolina
44
Colleges
$44,309
Avg Salary*
51%
Avg 4-Year Grad Rate*
With all of the options you have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. College Factual was founded, in part, to help students make the decision as to what would be the best school for them. Our Top South Carolina Colleges ranking is part of that endeavor.
After analyzing 44 schools in South Carolina, we came up with our list of those that offered the highest quality education. To come up with this ranking, we look at more than 20 factors that are all objective measurements. These factors include freshman retention, graduation rate, student-to-faculty ratio, and post graduate earnings, among other things.
Find out more about our ranking methodology.
Customizing Your List
We know that one set of rankings doesn't always help you determine the best school for you, so we've created the ability to narrow your list by location and field of study as well as alternative rankings that prioritize different factors such as those of importance to veterans and returning adults or those who value diversity and value for your money.
One of our other unique offerings is College Combat. This tool lets you build your own customized comparisons utilizing the factors that are most important to you. We encourage you to try it out and pit your favorite colleges and universities head to head!
Top Colleges in South Carolina
Learn more about these excellent schools below:
Clemson University tops this year’s ranking as the best school in South Carolina for overall quality. Clemson University is a large public school located in Clemson, South Carolina that handed out 7,601 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. Graduates with a bachelor’s degree from Clemson make an average of $63,857 per year during the early years of their career.
Read More…
Out of the 44 schools in South Carolina that were part of this year’s ranking, University of South Carolina - Columbia landed the #2 spot on the list. Located in Columbia, South Carolina, the large public school awarded 10,191 diplomas to qualifed bachelor’s degree students in 2020-2021.
The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 87%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. Upon graduation, bachelor’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $54,109 during the early years of their career..
Read full report on University of South Carolina - Columbia
Out of the 44 schools in South Carolina that were part of this year’s ranking, Columbia International University landed the #3 spot on the list. CIU is a private not-for-profit institution located in Columbia, South Carolina. The school has a small population, and it awarded 456 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The student loan default rate at the school is 4.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1% During the early years of their career, graduates from CIU make an average of $36,834 a year.
Read More…
The excellent bachelor’s degree programs at Wofford College helped the school earn the #4 place on this year’s ranking of the best schools in South Carolina. Wofford College is a small private not-for-profit school located in Spartanburg, South Carolina that handed out 493 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 0.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. During the early years of their career, graduates from Wofford make an average of $67,530 a year.
Full Wofford College Report
The excellent bachelor’s degree programs at Furman University helped the school earn the #5 place on this year’s ranking of the best schools in South Carolina.Greenville, South Carolina is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelor’s degrees to 882 students in 2020-2021.
Bachelor’s degree students at the school tend to finish their degree on-time. The 4-year graduation rate is 77%, which is impressive compared to the national rate of 33%. The average salary of a graduate with a bachelor’s degree from Furman is $58,343 during the early years of their career.
Read full report on Furman University
Citadel Military College of South Carolina landed the #6 spot on the 2024 Best Colleges in South Carolina ranking. The Citadel is located in Charleston, South Carolina and has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 1,074 bachelor’s degrees to qualified undergradutates.
With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. Graduates with a bachelor’s degree from The Citadel make an average of $67,770 per year during the early years of their career.
Read full report on Citadel Military College of South Carolina
Trident Technical College ranked #7 on this year’s Best Colleges in South Carolina list. Trident Technical College is located in Charleston, South Carolina and has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 2,180 bachelor’s degrees to qualified undergradutates.
Those who receive a bachelor’s degree from Trident Technical College go into careers with an average salary of $35,114 during the early years of their career.
Read More…
College of Charleston came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges in South Carolina ranking.Charleston, South Carolina is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelor’s degrees to 2,417 students in 2020-2021.
The low student loan default rate of 4.1% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1% Graduates with a bachelor’s degree from C of C make an average of $49,534 per year during the early years of their career.
Read full report on College of Charleston
Anderson University South Carolina did quite well in the 2024 Best Colleges in South Carolina ranking, coming in at #9. Anderson University South Carolina is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Anderson, South Carolina. It awarded 959 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The low student loan default rate of 4.5% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1% Graduates with a bachelor’s degree from Anderson University South Carolina make an average of $39,593 per year during the early years of their career.
Read full report on Anderson University South Carolina
Columbia College came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges in South Carolina ranking. Located in Columbia, South Carolina, the small private not-for-profit school handed out 463 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Graduates with a bachelor’s degree from Columbia College South Carolina make an average of $36,585 per year during the early years of their career.
Read full report on Columbia College
Greenville Technical College came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges in South Carolina ranking. GTC is a fairly large public school situated in Greenville, South Carolina. It awarded 2,011 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Graduates with a bachelor’s degree from GTC make an average of $35,205 per year during the early years of their career.
Full Greenville Technical College Report
Bob Jones University came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges in South Carolina ranking. This small private not-for-profit school is located in Greenville, South Carolina, and it awarded 626 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
The student loan default rate at the school is 1.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1% Graduates with a bachelor’s degree from Bob Jones University make an average of $40,853 per year during the early years of their career.
Full Bob Jones University Report
Winthrop University ranked #13 on this year’s Best Colleges in South Carolina list. Located in Rock Hill, South Carolina, the small public school awarded 1,368 diplomas to qualifed bachelor’s degree students in 2020-2021.
The average salary of a graduate with a bachelor’s degree from Winthrop is $41,504 during the early years of their career.
Full Winthrop University Report
Presbyterian College landed the #14 spot on the 2024 Best Colleges in South Carolina ranking.Clinton, South Carolina is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelor’s degrees to 227 students in 2020-2021.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 3.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. During the early years of their career, graduates from PC make an average of $49,050 a year.
Read More…
North Greenville University did quite well in the 2024 Best Colleges in South Carolina ranking, coming in at #15. Located in Tigerville, South Carolina, the small private not-for-profit school handed out 509 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Upon graduation, bachelor’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $40,031 during the early years of their career..
Read full report on North Greenville University
Southern Wesleyan University came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges in South Carolina ranking. SWU is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Central, South Carolina. It awarded 394 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Upon graduation, bachelor’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $41,792 during the early years of their career..
Full Southern Wesleyan University Report
Converse College did quite well in the 2024 Best Colleges in South Carolina ranking, coming in at #17. Located in Spartanburg, South Carolina, the small private not-for-profit school awarded 374 diplomas to qualifed bachelor’s degree students in 2020-2021.
Those who receive a bachelor’s degree from Converse go into careers with an average salary of $38,109 during the early years of their career.
Full Converse College Report
University of South Carolina - Upstate came in at #18 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges in South Carolina ranking. USC Upstate is a small public school situated in Spartanburg, South Carolina. It awarded 1,248 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Upon graduation, bachelor’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $42,949 during the early years of their career..
Read More…
Coastal Carolina University came in at #19 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges in South Carolina ranking.Conway, South Carolina is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelor’s degrees to 2,203 students in 2020-2021.
Upon graduation, bachelor’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $44,305 during the early years of their career..
Read More…
Charleston Southern University did quite well in the 2024 Best Colleges in South Carolina ranking, coming in at #20. CSU is located in Charleston, South Carolina and has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 724 bachelor’s degrees to qualified undergradutates.
During the early years of their career, graduates from CSU make an average of $42,048 a year.
Full Charleston Southern University Report
Midlands Technical College ranked #21 on this year’s Best Colleges in South Carolina list. MTC is located in West Columbia, South Carolina and has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 1,802 bachelor’s degrees to qualified undergradutates.
Graduates with a bachelor’s degree from MTC make an average of $33,780 per year during the early years of their career.
Full Midlands Technical College Report
Limestone College ranked #22 on this year’s Best Colleges in South Carolina list.Gaffney, South Carolina is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelor’s degrees to 473 students in 2020-2021.
Those who receive a bachelor’s degree from Limestone College go into careers with an average salary of $39,684 during the early years of their career.
Read full report on Limestone College
Newberry College came in at #23 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges in South Carolina ranking. Located in Newberry, South Carolina, the small private not-for-profit school handed out 278 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
During the early years of their career, graduates from Newberry College make an average of $40,867 a year.
Read full report on Newberry College
With a ranking of #24, Orangeburg Calhoun Technical College did quite well on the 2024 Best Colleges in South Carolina list. Located in Orangeburg, South Carolina, the small public school handed out 718 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
During the early years of their career, graduates from OCtech make an average of $30,416 a year.
Full Orangeburg Calhoun Technical College Report
Spartanburg Methodist College came in at #25 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges in South Carolina ranking. SMC is a private not-for-profit institution located in Spartanburg, South Carolina. The school has a small population, and it awarded 263 bachelor’s degrees in 2020-2021.
Those who receive a bachelor’s degree from SMC go into careers with an average salary of $37,871 during the early years of their career.
Full Spartanburg Methodist College Report