2026 Best Value General Civil Engineering Schools in South Carolina
[General Civil Engineering](/majors/engineering/civil-engineering/general-civil-engineering/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong general civil engineering education at a price that pays off.
College Factual analyzed 4 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best value general civil engineering schools.
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2026 Best Value General Civil Engineering Schools in South Carolina
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in general civil engineering, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value General Civil Engineering Schools
Leading the list is Citadel Military College Of South Carolina, our #1 best value for general civil engineering in South Carolina. Located in the city of Charleston, Citadel Military College Of South Carolina is a mid-sized public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $12,570, compared with $38,508 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for general civil engineering graduates is $24,500. Soon after graduation, general civil engineering degree recipients from Citadel Military College Of South Carolina generally make around $61,163. Set against $24,500 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 23%.
Clemson University came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best value general civil engineering schools. Clemson University is a very large public school located in the suburb of Clemson. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $15,554, with out-of-state students paying around $40,866. General Civil Engineering graduates carry a median of $25,750 in student loans. Soon after graduation, general civil engineering degree recipients from Clemson University generally make around $69,386. That is a strong return on a $25,750 median debt. The acceptance rate is 38%.
University Of South Carolina Columbia came in at #3 on our 2026 list of the best value general civil engineering schools. Set in the city of Columbia, University Of South Carolina Columbia is a very large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $12,688, while out-of-state students pay about $36,298. Typical student debt for general civil engineering graduates is $27,000. Soon after graduation, general civil engineering degree recipients from University Of South Carolina Columbia generally make around $69,424. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 60% of applicants are accepted.
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 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 · 4 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 3 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.
