2027 Best Value Public Administration Schools in South Carolina
[Public Administration](/majors/social-services-public-administration/public-administration/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong public administration education at a price that pays off.
For its 2027 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 3 schools to find the best return on investment for public administration students.
What’s on this page:
2027 Best Value Public Administration Schools in South Carolina
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the public administration degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Public Administration Schools
Leading the list is College Of Charleston, our #1 best value for public administration in South Carolina. Located in the city of Charleston, College Of Charleston is a large public university. Students from in state pay about $12,978 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $38,296. Students borrow a median of $24,733 to complete the public administration program here. Early-career public administration graduates make about $51,115. Set against $24,733 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 60% of applicants are accepted.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Clemson University earned it the #2 place for public administration. Set in the suburb of Clemson, Clemson University is a very large public institution. 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 public administration graduates is $23,783. Early-career public administration graduates make about $65,949. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 38% of applicants are accepted.
University Of South Carolina Columbia is a great value for students pursuing a degree in public administration, landing the #3 spot this year. University Of South Carolina Columbia is a very large public school located in the city of Columbia. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $12,688, while out-of-state students pay about $36,298. Students borrow a median of $24,537 to complete the public administration program here. Early-career public administration graduates make about $53,623. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 60%.
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Notes and References
This list is compiled 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.
