2027 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools in South Carolina
[Public Administration & Social Service](/majors/social-services-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 & social service education at a price that pays off.
College Factual analyzed 12 schools to build this 2027 ranking of the best value public administration & social service schools.
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2027 Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools in South Carolina
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the public administration & social service degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Public Administration & Social Service Schools
For return on investment in public administration & social service, no school beat Trident Technical College this year. Set in the city of Charleston, Trident Technical College is a very large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $4,546, while out-of-state students pay about $8,620. Students borrow a median of $18,116 to complete the public administration & social service program here. Public Administration & Social Service graduates of Trident Technical College earn a median of $50,166 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Midlands Technical College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in public administration & social service, landing the #2 spot this year. Located in the suburb of West Columbia, Midlands Technical College is a large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $5,100, with out-of-state students paying around $14,700. Public Administration & Social Service graduates carry a median of $18,203 in student loans. Early-career public administration & social service graduates make about $39,610. That is a strong return on a $18,203 median debt.
Horry Georgetown Technical College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in public administration & social service, landing the #3 spot this year. Horry Georgetown Technical College is a large public school located in the city of Conway. In-state tuition and fees average $5,518, while out-of-state students pay about $10,978. Students borrow a median of $35,140 to complete the public administration & social service program here. Early-career public administration & social service graduates make about $37,387. That is a strong return on a $35,140 median debt.
Central Carolina Technical College came in at #4 on our 2027 list of the best value public administration & social service schools. Located in the city of Sumter, Central Carolina Technical College is a mid-sized public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $5,715, with out-of-state students paying around $9,016. Typical student debt for public administration & social service graduates is $15,750. Early-career public administration & social service graduates make about $40,598. Set against $15,750 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
A rank of #5 makes Piedmont Technical College one of the best values for public administration & social service. Piedmont Technical College is a moderately-sized public school located in the town of Greenwood. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $4,775, with out-of-state students paying around $6,923. Public Administration & Social Service graduates carry a median of $19,781 in student loans. Early-career public administration & social service graduates make about $27,781. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Greenville Technical College earned the #6 position for value in public administration & social service this year. Greenville Technical College is a large public school located in the city of Greenville. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $5,495, compared with $10,775 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $16,411 to complete the public administration & social service program here. Soon after graduation, public administration & social service degree recipients from Greenville Technical College generally make around $42,177. Set against $16,411 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Lander University earned the #7 position for value in public administration & social service this year. Located in the town of Greenwood, Lander University is a mid-sized public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $11,700, while out-of-state students pay about $21,300. Typical student debt for public administration & social service graduates is $26,064. Soon after graduation, public administration & social service degree recipients from Lander University generally make around $37,548. Set against $26,064 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 81% of applicants are accepted.
Winthrop University came in at #8 for value in public administration & social service this year. Located in the city of Rock Hill, Winthrop University is a moderately-sized public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $14,678, with out-of-state students paying around $28,676. Students borrow a median of $27,000 to complete the public administration & social service program here. Public Administration & Social Service graduates of Winthrop University earn a median of $38,348 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 79% of applicants are accepted.
College Of Charleston placed #9 among the best values for public administration & social service. College Of Charleston is a large public school located in the city of Charleston. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $12,978, compared with $38,296 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for public administration & social service graduates is $24,733. Early-career public administration & social service graduates make about $51,115. Set against $24,733 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. College Of Charleston admits about 60% of applicants.
Benedict College earned the #10 position for value in public administration & social service this year. Benedict College is a small private not-for-profit school located in the city of Columbia. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $17,748. Public Administration & Social Service graduates carry a median of $39,200 in student loans. Soon after graduation, public administration & social service degree recipients from Benedict College generally make around $30,295. That is a strong return on a $39,200 median debt. Benedict College admits about 96% of applicants.
Clemson University landed the #11 spot for public administration & social service value this year. Set in the suburb of Clemson, Clemson University is a very large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $15,554, compared with $40,866 for out-of-state students. Public Administration & Social Service graduates carry a median of $23,783 in student loans. Soon after graduation, public administration & social service degree recipients from Clemson University generally make around $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 ranked #12 on our 2027 list of the best value public administration & social service schools. 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, compared with $36,298 for out-of-state students. Public Administration & Social Service graduates carry a median of $24,000 in student loans. Early-career public administration & social service graduates make about $35,441. That is a strong return on a $24,000 median debt. 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 · 12 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 12 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.
