Graduate school may be a critical step in your higher education, whether you are interested in expanding your knowledge, learning a specialization, or earning advanced credentials required by your profession. The best graduate schools in South Carolina offer advanced degrees, such as master’s and doctoral degrees, as well as opportunities for independent research, mentorships, and professional networking.
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.
There are 11 doctorate-granting graduate schools in South Carolina. Our ranking of the best graduate schools in the South Carolina is composed of both private and public schools. To be included, schools must be fully accredited non-profit institutions, and must offer doctoral degrees and a broad array of graduate degrees.
Tuition + fees
$13K
Acceptance
68%
Graduation
78%
Student body
32K
Median SAT/ACT
1275/28
University of South Carolina’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$16K
Acceptance
62%
Graduation
85%
Student body
25K
Median SAT/ACT
1315/29
Clemson University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$12K
Acceptance
70%
Graduation
46%
Student body
10K
Median SAT/ACT
1090/21
Coastal Carolina University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$21K
Graduation
65%
Student body
3K
Bob Jones University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$11K
Acceptance
94%
Graduation
30%
Student body
2K
Median SAT/ACT
915/16
South Carolina State University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$31K
Acceptance
59%
Graduation
57%
Student body
3K
Median SAT/ACT
1035/23
Anderson University, South Carolina’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$37K
Acceptance
60%
Graduation
52%
Student body
<1K
Median SAT/ACT
1025/19
Erskine College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$20K
Acceptance
82%
Graduation
52%
Student body
1K
Median SAT/ACT
1115/19
Converse University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$22K
Acceptance
65%
Graduation
51%
Student body
2K
Median SAT/ACT
1055/23
North Greenville University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$26K
Acceptance
56%
Graduation
54%
Student body
1K
Median SAT/ACT
1050/20
Southern Wesleyan University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$26K
Acceptance
51%
Graduation
68%
Student body
1K
Median SAT/ACT
1035/21
Columbia International University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Many of our 2022 undergraduate focused rankings look considerably different than 2021. That’s because we took a fundamentally different apporach. For 2021 we utiulized 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.
