2027 Best Value Civil Engineering Schools in South Carolina
[Civil Engineering](/majors/engineering/civil-engineering/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
For its 2027 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 3 schools to find the best return on investment for civil engineering students.
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2027 Best Value Civil Engineering Schools in South Carolina
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the civil engineering degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Civil Engineering Schools
Leading the list is Citadel Military College Of South Carolina, our #1 best value for civil engineering in South Carolina. Citadel Military College Of South Carolina is a mid-sized public school located in the city of Charleston. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $12,570, with out-of-state students paying around $38,508. Typical student debt for civil engineering graduates is $24,500. Civil Engineering graduates of Citadel Military College Of South Carolina earn a median of $61,163 early in their careers. Set against $24,500 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 23% of applicants are accepted.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Clemson University earned it the #2 place for civil engineering. Set in the suburb of Clemson, Clemson University is a very large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $15,554, while out-of-state students pay about $40,866. Students borrow a median of $25,750 to complete the civil engineering program here. Soon after graduation, civil engineering degree recipients from Clemson University generally make around $69,386. That is a strong return on a $25,750 median debt. Clemson University admits about 38% of applicants.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at University Of South Carolina Columbia earned it the #3 place for civil engineering. Located in the city of Columbia, University Of South Carolina Columbia is a very large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $12,688, while out-of-state students pay about $36,298. Civil Engineering graduates carry a median of $27,000 in student loans. Civil Engineering graduates of University Of South Carolina Columbia earn a median of $69,424 early in their careers. Set against $27,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 60% of applicants are accepted.
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Notes and References
This list is compiled 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 · 3 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.
