2027 Best Value Engineering Schools in South Carolina
[Engineering](/majors/engineering/) 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.
For its 2027 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 9 schools to find the best return on investment for engineering students.
What’s on this page:
2027 Best Value Engineering Schools in South Carolina
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the engineering degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Engineering Schools
For return on investment in engineering, no school beat Midlands Technical College this year. Set in the suburb of West Columbia, Midlands Technical College is a large public institution. Students from in state pay about $5,100 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $14,700. Students borrow a median of $17,611 to complete the engineering program here. Soon after graduation, engineering degree recipients from Midlands Technical College generally make around $39,610. Set against $17,611 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
University Of South Carolina Aiken came in at #2 on our 2027 list of the best value engineering schools. University Of South Carolina Aiken is a moderately-sized public school located in the suburb of Aiken. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $10,760, with out-of-state students paying around $21,218. Engineering graduates carry a median of $22,828 in student loans. Soon after graduation, engineering degree recipients from University Of South Carolina Aiken generally make around $42,220. That is a strong return on a $22,828 median debt. University Of South Carolina Aiken admits about 78% of applicants.
Francis Marion University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in engineering, landing the #3 spot this year. Located in the rural area of Florence, Francis Marion University is a mid-sized public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $11,170, while out-of-state students pay about $21,544. Engineering graduates carry a median of $30,577 in student loans. Engineering graduates of Francis Marion University earn a median of $41,456 early in their careers. Set against $30,577 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Francis Marion University admits about 86% of applicants.
Greenville Technical College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in engineering, landing the #4 spot this year. Set in the city of Greenville, Greenville Technical College is a large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $5,495, while out-of-state students pay about $10,775. Engineering graduates carry a median of $16,411 in student loans. Engineering graduates of Greenville Technical College earn a median of $42,177 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Students looking for strong value in engineering will find it at Coastal Carolina University, which ranked #5. Located in the city of Conway, Coastal Carolina University is a large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $11,640, while out-of-state students pay about $29,628. Typical student debt for engineering graduates is $27,174. Early-career engineering graduates make about $38,272. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 75% of applicants are accepted.
Bob Jones University earned the #6 position for value in engineering this year. Bob Jones University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of Greenville. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $22,892. Students borrow a median of $20,497 to complete the engineering program here. Engineering graduates of Bob Jones University earn a median of $40,538 early in their careers. Set against $20,497 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Citadel Military College Of South Carolina ranked #7 on our 2027 list of the best value engineering schools. 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. Engineering graduates carry a median of $25,160 in student loans. Engineering graduates of Citadel Military College Of South Carolina earn a median of $63,215 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Citadel Military College Of South Carolina admits about 23% of applicants.
Clemson University came in at #8 for value in engineering this year. Clemson University is a very large public school located in the suburb of Clemson. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $15,554, with out-of-state students paying around $40,866. Typical student debt for engineering graduates is $25,444. Early-career engineering graduates make about $72,840. That is a strong return on a $25,444 median debt. Clemson University admits about 38% of applicants.
University Of South Carolina Columbia came in at #9 for value in engineering this year. 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. Engineering graduates carry a median of $26,962 in student loans. Engineering graduates of University Of South Carolina Columbia earn a median of $71,182 early in their careers. 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), 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 · 9 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 9 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.
