2027 Best Value Criminology Schools in South Carolina
[Criminology](/majors/social-sciences/criminology/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
To produce this 2027 ranking, College Factual evaluated 3 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for criminology students.
What’s on this page:
2027 Best Value Criminology Schools in South Carolina
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the criminology degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Criminology Schools
For return on investment in criminology, no school beat Lander University this year. Set in the town of Greenwood, Lander University is a mid-sized public institution. Students from in state pay about $11,700 in tuition and fees, compared with $21,300 for out-of-state students. Criminology graduates carry a median of $26,064 in student loans. Early-career criminology graduates make about $37,548. That is a strong return on a $26,064 median debt. Lander University admits about 81% of applicants.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Coker College earned it the #2 place for criminology. Coker College is a small private not-for-profit school located in the town of Hartsville. Students from in state pay about $33,416 in tuition and fees. Criminology graduates carry a median of $30,000 in student loans. Soon after graduation, criminology degree recipients from Coker College generally make around $25,862. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Coker College admits about 94% of applicants.
Clemson University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in criminology, landing the #3 spot this year. Clemson University is a very large public school located in the suburb of Clemson. In-state tuition and fees average $15,554, with out-of-state students paying around $40,866. Criminology graduates carry a median of $22,375 in student loans. Soon after graduation, criminology degree recipients from Clemson University generally make around $38,057. Set against $22,375 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 38% of applicants are accepted.
More Criminology Rankings
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, 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.
