2027 Best Value General Economics Schools in South Carolina

[General Economics](/majors/social-sciences/economics/economics-general/) 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 4 schools to find the best return on investment for general economics students.
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2027 Best Value General Economics Schools in South Carolina
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in general economics, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value General Economics Schools
College Of Charleston earned the #1 spot for value among general economics schools in South Carolina. College Of Charleston is a large public school located in the city of Charleston. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $12,978, with out-of-state students paying around $38,296. General Economics graduates carry a median of $24,733 in student loans. General Economics graduates of College Of Charleston earn a median of $40,222 early in their careers. Set against $24,733 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. College Of Charleston admits about 60% of applicants.
A rank of #2 makes Clemson University one of the best values for general economics. Set in the suburb of Clemson, Clemson University is a very large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $15,554, with out-of-state students paying around $40,866. General Economics graduates carry a median of $22,250 in student loans. General Economics graduates of Clemson University earn a median of $45,075 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $22,250 median debt. Roughly 38% of applicants are accepted.
A rank of #3 makes University Of South Carolina Columbia one of the best values for general economics. Located in the city of Columbia, University Of South Carolina Columbia is a very large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $12,688, with out-of-state students paying around $36,298. Typical student debt for general economics graduates is $24,062. Soon after graduation, general economics degree recipients from University Of South Carolina Columbia generally make around $48,149. That is a strong return on a $24,062 median debt. Roughly 60% of applicants are accepted.
A rank of #4 makes Furman University one of the best values for general economics. Located in the suburb of Greenville, Furman University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $59,770. Typical student debt for general economics graduates is $24,125. Early-career general economics graduates make about $55,615. Set against $24,125 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Furman University admits about 43% of applicants.
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced 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 · 4 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 4 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.