2027 Best Value General Education Schools in South Carolina
[General Education](/majors/education/general-education/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
College Factual analyzed 8 schools to build this 2027 ranking of the best value general education schools.
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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
Our analysis ranked Horry Georgetown Technical College the best value for a degree in general education in South Carolina. Located in the city of Conway, Horry Georgetown Technical College is a large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $5,518, compared with $10,978 for out-of-state students. General Education graduates carry a median of $19,172 in student loans. Early-career general education graduates make about $37,387. That is a strong return on a $19,172 median debt.
Students looking for strong value in general education will find it at York Technical College, which ranked #2. Located in the city of Rock Hill, York Technical College is a moderately-sized public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $8,036, compared with $13,340 for out-of-state students. General Education graduates carry a median of $10,907 in student loans. General Education graduates of York Technical College earn a median of $37,626 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Students looking for strong value in general education will find it at Winthrop University, which ranked #3. Winthrop University is a moderately-sized public school located in the city of Rock Hill. Students from in state pay about $14,678 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $28,676. Typical student debt for general education graduates is $27,040. 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.
A rank of #4 makes Columbia College South Carolina one of the best values for general education. Set in the city of Columbia, Columbia College South Carolina is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. In-state tuition and fees average $20,054. General Education graduates carry a median of $28,158 in student loans. Soon after graduation, general education degree recipients from Columbia College South Carolina generally make around $48,339. That is a strong return on a $28,158 median debt. Columbia College South Carolina admits about 94% of applicants.
A rank of #5 makes Clemson University one of the best values for general education. Set in the suburb of Clemson, Clemson University is a very large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $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. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Clemson University admits about 38% of applicants.
University Of South Carolina Columbia earned the #6 position for value in general education this year. Located in the city of Columbia, University Of South Carolina Columbia is a very large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $12,688, with out-of-state students paying around $36,298. Typical student debt for general education graduates is $24,537. Early-career general education graduates make about $51,023. Set against $24,537 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 60% of applicants are accepted.
Converse College earned the #7 position for value in general education this year. Converse College is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of Spartanburg. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $25,240. Typical student debt for general education graduates is $26,715. General Education graduates of Converse College earn a median of $53,260 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 68% of applicants are accepted.
Anderson University Sc came in at #8 for value in general education this year. Set in the city of Anderson, Anderson University Sc is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $34,970. 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. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 55% of applicants are accepted.
More General Education Rankings
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment, 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.
