2027 Best Value General Education Schools in South Carolina
[General Education](/majors/education/general-education/education-general/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
To produce this 2027 ranking, College Factual evaluated 8 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for general education students.
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2027 Best Value General Education Schools in South Carolina
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in general education, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value General Education Schools
Leading the list is Horry Georgetown Technical College, our #1 best value for general education in South Carolina. Located in the city of Conway, Horry Georgetown Technical College is a large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $5,518, compared with $10,978 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $19,172 to complete the general education program here. General Education graduates of Horry Georgetown Technical College earn a median of $37,387 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $19,172 median debt.
A rank of #2 makes York Technical College one of the best values for general education. York Technical College is a moderately-sized public school located in the city of Rock Hill. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $8,036, while out-of-state students pay about $13,340. Typical student debt for general education graduates is $10,907. Early-career general education graduates make about $37,626. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Winthrop University earned it the #3 place for general education. Located in the city of Rock Hill, Winthrop University is a moderately-sized public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $14,678, with out-of-state students paying around $28,676. Students borrow a median of $27,040 to complete the general education program here. Early-career general education graduates make about $39,378. Set against $27,040 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 79% of applicants are accepted.
Columbia College South Carolina came in at #4 on our 2027 list of the best value general education schools. Set in the city of Columbia, Columbia College South Carolina is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $20,054. General Education graduates carry a median of $28,158 in student loans. General Education graduates of Columbia College South Carolina earn a median of $48,339 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Columbia College South Carolina admits about 94% of applicants.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Clemson University earned it the #5 place for general education. Set in the suburb of Clemson, Clemson University is a very large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $15,554, compared with $40,866 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for general education graduates is $23,783. General Education graduates of Clemson University earn a median of $50,364 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $23,783 median debt. Clemson University admits about 38% of applicants.
University Of South Carolina Columbia landed the #6 spot for general education value this year. University Of South Carolina Columbia is a very large public school located in the city of Columbia. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $12,688, with out-of-state students paying around $36,298. Typical student debt for general education graduates is $24,537. Soon after graduation, general education degree recipients from University Of South Carolina Columbia generally make around $51,023. Set against $24,537 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. University Of South Carolina Columbia admits about 60% of applicants.
Converse College came in at #7 for value in general education this year. Located in the city of Spartanburg, Converse College is a mid-sized private not-for-profit university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $25,240. Typical student debt for general education graduates is $26,715. Early-career general education graduates make about $53,260. That is a strong return on a $26,715 median debt. The acceptance rate is 68%.
Anderson University Sc placed #8 among the best values for general education. Anderson University Sc is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of Anderson. Students from in state pay about $34,970 in tuition and fees. Typical student debt for general education graduates is $28,034. Soon after graduation, general education degree recipients from Anderson University Sc generally make around $49,149. Set against $28,034 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 55% of applicants are accepted.
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 8 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 8 ranked schools only.
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), serves as the core of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
More about our data sources and methodologies.
