Best Christian Colleges in South Carolina 2023

Best Christian Colleges in South Carolina 2023

By James Barham

Published: May 4, 2021
Updated: May 22, 2023

For prospective college students looking for schools that align with their Christian faith and demonstrate academic excellence, here are the best Christian colleges and universities in South Carolina.

10 Best Christian Colleges in South Carolina

Bob Jones University

36%

Wofford College

31%

Charleston Southern University

27%

Presbyterian College

26%

Erskine College

25%

Allen University

25%

Benedict College

24%

Anderson University, South Carolina

23%

Claflin University

23%

Newberry College

23%

Columbia College

99%

Benedict College

86%

Presbyterian College

71%

North Greenville University

70%

Erskine College

63%

Claflin University

62%

Newberry College

57%

Allen University

57%

Charleston Southern University

57%

Southern Wesleyan University

57%

Benedict College

18 to 1

Anderson University, South Carolina

16 to 1

Allen University

15 to 1

Erskine College

15 to 1

Newberry College

14 to 1

North Greenville University

14 to 1

Charleston Southern University

13 to 1

Claflin University

13 to 1

Southern Wesleyan University

13 to 1

Bob Jones University

12 to 1

Wofford College

$49,550

Presbyterian College

$41,080

Erskine College

$36,510

Anderson University, South Carolina

$30,720

Charleston Southern University

$28,930

Newberry College

$28,250

Southern Wesleyan University

$26,498

North Greenville University

$22,470

Bob Jones University

$20,950

Columbia College

$20,880

Presbyterian College

$47,000

Southern Wesleyan University

$13,560

Erskine College

$13,200

North Greenville University

$11,880

Claflin University

$11,653

Anderson University, South Carolina

$10,616

Benedict College

$10,100

Bob Jones University

$9,532

Columbia College

$9,120

Allen University

$8,100

Voorhees University

10%

Clinton College

12%

Columbia College

16%

19%

Southern Wesleyan University

19%

North Greenville University

22%

Newberry College

23%

Claflin University

23%

Anderson University, South Carolina

23%

Benedict College

24%

Anderson University, South Carolina

50%

Wofford College

52%

Southern Wesleyan University

57%

Charleston Southern University

57%

Allen University

57%

Newberry College

57%

Claflin University

62%

Erskine College

63%

North Greenville University

70%

Presbyterian College

71%

Clinton College

6 to 1

Voorhees University

11 to 1

Bob Jones University

12 to 1

Wofford College

12 to 1

Presbyterian College

12 to 1

Columbia College

12 to 1

12 to 1

Charleston Southern University

13 to 1

Claflin University

13 to 1

Southern Wesleyan University

13 to 1

Clinton College

$10,020

Voorhees University

$12,630

Allen University

$13,340

$15,450

Claflin University

$17,046

Benedict College

$17,200

Columbia College

$20,880

Bob Jones University

$20,950

North Greenville University

$22,470

Southern Wesleyan University

$26,498

Charleston Southern University

$5,085

Newberry College

$5,940

Allen University

$8,100

Columbia College

$9,120

Bob Jones University

$9,532

Benedict College

$10,100

Anderson University, South Carolina

$10,616

Claflin University

$11,653

North Greenville University

$11,880

Erskine College

$13,200

Key Takeaways

Christian colleges are bound by the Council of Christian Colleges and Universities, the association that spearheads and oversees these institutions’ accreditation status and curriculum design.
South Carolina has a diverse population base, which explains why they also have high-powered colleges and universities, including Bible and Christian colleges.
Almost all states have Christian Colleges, and some of the most exceptional ones are found in South Carolina.

Table of Contents

South Carolina’s Faith-based Colleges

Known as the Palmetto State, South Carolina is the 23^rd most populous state in the US. It has more than five million residents, a diverse workforce and population base.

South Carolina has lots of high-powered universities and colleges. The Christian colleges in the state are no different. There are several exceptional Christian colleges in South Carolina, like Southern Wesleyan University, Erskine College, Wofford College, Allen University, and many more.

Denominations represented include Methodist, Wesleyan, Baptist, Lutheran, Presbyterian, and Pentecostal, to name a few.

Council of Christian Colleges and Universities

Also called CCCU, the Council of Christian Colleges and Universities is an association that works to provide a unifying voice for Christian higher education around the world.

Being a higher education association that progresses the cause of Christian-centered institutions, the CCCU plays a crucial role in setting the standard in formal higher education in Christianity.

One of the goals of the CCCU is to boost professional development by helping schools integrate education and faith in the most efficient way possible. To achieve this, CCCU offers campus and faculty leaders the chance to complete their program, one that inspires and encourages.

The CCCU program includes assessment opportunities, conferences, grants, networking opportunities, scholarships, and much more. The program helps leaders within the schools meet the Christian ministry and academic standards set forth by the Council.

Christian Scholarships

The number of Christian Colleges scattered across the US clearly shows that there will always be students who prefer to enroll in such institutions. This is also why there are numerous Christian scholarships opportunities.

Regardless of denomination, there are plenty of scholarship opportunities for students in Christian colleges, for both general and specific denominations.

Whether you want to attend a seminary school, study theology, or simply identify as a Christian, you can find several scholarships. Many colleges and private organization fund Christian students to reward them for their church and community service.

Here are some scholarship opportunities for Christian students.

Davis Family Scholarship Endowment for Christian Students: This scholarship assists Lowcountry students who are active in Christian churches with the cost of attaining a college degree.

Lettie Pate Whitehead Scholarship Program awards annual grants to female students with financial need at more than 200 accredited educational institutions in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia.

There are hundreds of Christian organizations that offer scholarships to students who plan to attend a Christian college. You can find some other options to explore at scholarships.com for eligible Christian college students.

Colleges and Universities in South Carolina

The 31 public schools range in tuition from $5,000 to $17,000. The largest institution, the University of South Carolina (U of SC), is right in the middle, totaling $11,000 for fees. Located in Columbia, U of SC has over 30,000 students in attendance and offers over 300 degree options. Aside from the technical and community colleges in the state, there are four universities under $10,000. At $17,000, the Medical University of South Carolina is the most expensive public school in the state.

Find college admissions consultants in your state.

In addition, over 25 private schools, 17 with religious affiliations, offer academic settings with small student populations, none exceeding 3,500. Though it is the most expensive at $50,000, Furman University boasts an 84% graduation rate. With Methodist connections, Wofford College charges a tuition of $44,000, and it bears noting that the campus is situated on a national arboretum. The University of South Carolina School of Law is one of the nation’s oldest law schools and the state’s only nonprofit law school. Graduates of the school have the opportunity to receive financial assistance from the Public Interest Law Loan Forgiveness Fund if they are employed in the field of public interest law.

Along the 60-mile stretch of beaches in South Carolina is iconic Myrtle Beach, home to one of the world’s tallest Ferris wheels. Cypress swamps, military museums, and tea gardens add to the southern charm of this state. And with over 50 higher education institutions, students have plenty of options for where to earn their associate, bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral degree.

Check out the top programs available, and earn your degree in The Palmetto State.

What are South Carolina’s Colleges & Universities?

South Carolina’s Best Overall

The following list of the best Christian schools consists entirely of colleges and universities that offer four-year undergraduate degrees. We’ve identified 16 Christian colleges in South Carolina. In order to be included in this ranking list of best Christian colleges and universities, a school must self-identify as Christian, be fully accredited, and offer a broad range of bachelor degree programs.

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How do we determine South Carolina's best Christian colleges and universities?

The people affiliated with a school are ultimately what make it great! If you are serious about finding the best colleges and universities for a bachelor’s degree, you should be asking where the most influential professors are teaching and whether their graduates are themselves advancing the school’s reputation for academic excellence in their fields of study.

Most ranking sites rely on an opaque combination of reputation surveys and arbitrary performance metrics. Concentrated Influence provides a ranking that is freer from bias, insulated from manipulation, and reflective of real-world educational outcomes.

To rank the influence of schools, we first determine the influence of scholars and professionals based on the number of citations and publications they have had over the past 10 years. In addition to publications and citations, we consider the web links to and from these sources, and the page views of those sources. We then match the influential people to their alma maters and institutions of employment, so that their influence is attributed to those schools. Our machine-learning Influence Ranking algorithm produces a numerical score of academic achievements, merits, and citations across Wikipedia, wikidata, Crossref, Semantic Scholar and an ever-growing body of data. If you are interested in exploring how and why we rank by influence, explore our methodology in more depth.

Best Christian Colleges in South Carolina 2022

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South Carolina’s Best Christian Colleges in Your Area of Interest

2021 Ranking Archive

Many of our 2022 undergraduate focused rankings look considerably different than 2021. That’s because we took a fundamentally different apporach. For 2021 we utilized our Concentrated Influence algorithm, designed to take away the size advantage larger schools have when we rank their faculty and alumni’s academic influence. Concentrated influence highlights smaller schools that are proportionally as successful as larger universities at cultivating influential alumni and faculty.