2027 Best Criminal Justice Studies Schools in South Carolina
Criminal Justice Studies is a field worth a close look when choosing where to study. While the number of schools offering the program varies, there are still top-quality ones to be found.
To produce this 2027 ranking, College Factual evaluated 15 schools to find the best for criminal justice studies students.
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Best Schools for Criminal Justice Studies in South Carolina
If you are not interested in a particular degree level and want to know which schools are the overall best at delivering an education for the criminal justice studies degrees they offer, see the list below.
Top Schools in Criminal Justice Studies
Leading the list is Columbia College South Carolina, our #1 school for criminal justice studies. Located in the city of Columbia, Columbia College South Carolina is a mid-sized private not-for-profit university. Roughly 37% of students complete a degree within six years here. About 63 criminal justice studies degrees were awarded at Columbia College South Carolina in the most recent year. Graduates of the criminal justice studies program make about $48,839 in their early career. Typical student debt for the program is $26,773.
Get the full criminal justice studies details for Columbia College South Carolina
York Technical College is a great choice for students pursuing a degree in criminal justice studies, landing the #2 spot this year. Set in the city of Rock Hill, York Technical College is a moderately-sized public institution. About 50 criminal justice studies degrees were awarded at York Technical College in the most recent year. Graduates of the criminal justice studies program make about $44,401 in their early career. York Technical College graduates carry a median of $8,500 in student loans.
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Students looking for a strong criminal justice studies program will find one at Coastal Carolina University, which ranked #3. Set in the city of Conway, Coastal Carolina University is a large public institution. About 48% of students finish within six years. Coastal Carolina University awarded about 24 criminal justice studies degrees in the most recent data year. Graduates of the criminal justice studies program make about $38,272 in their early career. Coastal Carolina University graduates carry a median of $27,174 in student loans.
Get the full criminal justice studies details for Coastal Carolina University
Greenville Technical College came in at #4 on our 2027 list of the best criminal justice studies schools. Set in the city of Greenville, Greenville Technical College is a large public institution. About 34 criminal justice studies degrees were awarded at Greenville Technical College in the most recent year. Soon after graduation, criminal justice studies degree recipients from Greenville Technical College generally make around $33,307. Greenville Technical College graduates carry a median of $15,475 in student loans.
More information about a degree in criminal justice studies from Greenville Technical College
Trident Technical College is a great choice for students pursuing a degree in criminal justice studies, landing the #5 spot this year. This very large public university is located in the city of Charleston. About 34 criminal justice studies degrees were awarded at Trident Technical College in the most recent year. Soon after graduation, criminal justice studies degree recipients from Trident Technical College generally make around $50,166. Typical student debt for the program is $18,116.
More information about a degree in criminal justice studies from Trident Technical College
Orangeburg Calhoun Technical College ranked #6 on our 2027 list of the best criminal justice studies schools. Set in the town of Orangeburg, Orangeburg Calhoun Technical College is a mid-sized public institution. About 44 criminal justice studies degrees were awarded at Orangeburg Calhoun Technical College in the most recent year. Students who receive their criminal justice studies degree from Orangeburg Calhoun Technical College earn around $61,814 in the first couple years of their career. Students borrow a median of $18,583 to complete this degree.
More information about a degree in criminal justice studies from Orangeburg Calhoun Technical College
Midlands Technical College landed the #7 spot for criminal justice studies this year. Located in the suburb of West Columbia, Midlands Technical College is a large public university. There were roughly 39 criminal justice studies students who graduated with this degree at Midlands Technical College in the most recent data year. Graduates of the criminal justice studies program make about $20,266 in their early career. Students borrow a median of $17,313 to complete this degree.
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Tri County Technical College landed the #8 spot for criminal justice studies this year. This moderately-sized public university is located in the suburb of Pendleton. Tri County Technical College awarded about 18 criminal justice studies degrees in the most recent data year. Graduates of the criminal justice studies program make about $35,726 in their early career. Tri County Technical College graduates carry a median of $15,787 in student loans.
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Charleston Southern University placed #9 among the best criminal justice studies schools. Located in the city of Charleston, Charleston Southern University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit university. Charleston Southern University graduates 47% of students within six years. There were roughly 27 criminal justice studies students who graduated with this degree at Charleston Southern University in the most recent data year. Students who receive their criminal justice studies degree from Charleston Southern University earn around $33,633 in the first couple years of their career. Charleston Southern University graduates carry a median of $27,000 in student loans.
More information about a degree in criminal justice studies from Charleston Southern University
Piedmont Technical College earned the #10 position for criminal justice studies this year. Located in the town of Greenwood, Piedmont Technical College is a moderately-sized public university. About 26 criminal justice studies degrees were awarded at Piedmont Technical College in the most recent year. Graduates of the criminal justice studies program make about $32,721 in their early career. Typical student debt for the program is $20,650.
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Horry Georgetown Technical College came in at #11 for criminal justice studies this year. Located in the city of Conway, Horry Georgetown Technical College is a large public university. Horry Georgetown Technical College awarded about 67 criminal justice studies degrees in the most recent data year. Graduates of the criminal justice studies program make about $30,840 in their early career. Horry Georgetown Technical College graduates carry a median of $15,500 in student loans.
See the full criminal justice studies program report for Horry Georgetown Technical College
Aiken Technical College placed #12 among the best criminal justice studies schools. Set in the suburb of Graniteville, Aiken Technical College is a mid-sized public institution. About 10 criminal justice studies degrees were awarded at Aiken Technical College in the most recent year. Students who receive their criminal justice studies degree from Aiken Technical College earn around $51,894 in the first couple years of their career. Aiken Technical College graduates carry a median of $17,884 in student loans.
More information about a degree in criminal justice studies from Aiken Technical College
Northeastern Technical College landed the #13 spot for criminal justice studies this year. This small public university is located in the rural area of Cheraw. Northeastern Technical College awarded about 10 criminal justice studies degrees in the most recent data year. Soon after graduation, criminal justice studies degree recipients from Northeastern Technical College generally make around $57,772. Students borrow a median of $18,933 to complete this degree.
See the full criminal justice studies program report for Northeastern Technical College
Claflin University placed #14 among the best criminal justice studies schools. Located in the town of Orangeburg, Claflin University is a small private not-for-profit university. Claflin University graduates 52% of students within six years. About 33 criminal justice studies degrees were awarded at Claflin University in the most recent year. Criminal Justice Studies graduates of Claflin University earn a median of $33,345 early in their careers. Typical student debt for the program is $37,009.
Read more about the criminal justice studies program at Claflin University
Florence Darlington Technical College came in at #15 for criminal justice studies this year. Located in the rural area of Florence, Florence Darlington Technical College is a mid-sized public university. Florence Darlington Technical College awarded about 24 criminal justice studies degrees in the most recent data year. Soon after graduation, criminal justice studies degree recipients from Florence Darlington Technical College generally make around $34,948. Typical student debt for the program is $7,230.
More information about a degree in criminal justice studies from Florence Darlington Technical College
More Criminal Justice Studies Rankings
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 edition. Schools are scored on a blend of student outcomes (graduation rate, post-graduation earnings), affordability, and program focus, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Top Ranked · 15 schools evaluated.
- 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.
