Best Private Colleges in South Carolina 2024

Badge for BEST IN SOUTH CAROLINA PRIVATE COLLEGES

Published: May 4, 2021
Updated: Oct 16, 2023

Private colleges, unlike large public institutions, can be a great option for students wanting a more intimate campus experience, more personal attention from excellent professors, and more immediate access to support services. Here is our list of the best private colleges in South Carolina.

10 Best Private Colleges in South Carolina

Furman University
Wofford College
Bob Jones University
Anderson University, South Carolina
Erskine College
Allen University
Benedict College
Presbyterian College
Converse University
Newberry College

Furman University
Bob Jones University
Wofford College
Erskine College
Presbyterian College
Charleston Southern University
Anderson University, South Carolina
Benedict College
Claflin University
Allen University

Columbia College 98%
Coker University 94%
Limestone University 89%
Charleston Southern University 87%
Claflin University 78%
North Greenville University 76%
Newberry College 75%
Benedict College 68%
Furman University 67%
Wofford College 60%

Benedict College 17 to 1
Allen University 15 to 1
Erskine College 15 to 1
Newberry College 14 to 1
Anderson University, South Carolina 14 to 1
Columbia International University 13 to 1
Claflin University 13 to 1
Voorhees University 13 to 1
North Greenville University 13 to 1
Charleston Southern University 12 to 1

Furman University $55,772
Wofford College $51,530
Presbyterian College $41,900
Erskine College $36,710
Coker University $31,764
Anderson University, South Carolina $31,720
Charleston Southern University $29,990
Newberry College $29,100
Southern Wesleyan University $27,820
Columbia International University $26,840

Presbyterian College $47,728
Coker University $18,700
Erskine College $13,400
Columbia College $13,232
Limestone University $12,350
Furman University $12,233
North Greenville University $12,220
Benedict College $12,120
Southern Wesleyan University $11,952
Voorhees University $11,070

Coker University
Columbia College
Clinton College
Voorhees University
Limestone University
Columbia International University
Morris College
Southern Wesleyan University
Charleston Southern University
Claflin University

Voorhees University
Clinton College
Columbia College
Coker University
Columbia International University
Limestone University
Southern Wesleyan University
Morris College
North Greenville University
Converse University

Allen University 43%
Anderson University, South Carolina 45%
Columbia International University 48%
Southern Wesleyan University 51%
Erskine College 53%
Converse University 56%
Presbyterian College 59%
Wofford College 60%
Furman University 67%
Benedict College 68%

Converse University 9 to 1
Furman University 9 to 1
Clinton College 10 to 1
Morris College 10 to 1
Limestone University 11 to 1
Wofford College 11 to 1
Presbyterian College 11 to 1
Columbia College 11 to 1
Charleston Southern University 12 to 1
Bob Jones University 12 to 1

Clinton College $10,516
Voorhees University $12,630
Allen University $13,422
Morris College $15,758
Claflin University $17,046
Benedict College $17,200
Converse University $21,410
Bob Jones University $21,890
Columbia College $22,050
North Greenville University $23,590

Charleston Southern University $5,085
Newberry College $5,940
Converse University $7,650
Allen University $8,100
Anderson University, South Carolina $10,395
Claflin University $10,530
Bob Jones University $10,676
Columbia International University $10,710
Voorhees University $11,070
Southern Wesleyan University $11,952

Table of Contents

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.

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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

What is the difference between public and private colleges?

Public and private colleges and universities operate under different business models. Public colleges and universities are owned by the state and receive both state and federal funding to operate. Private colleges and universities are private companies with private funding. If you’re looking at the pros and cons of private vs. public colleges, consider that many public colleges provide diverse course offerings, influential professors, and an excellent return on your investment.

Public colleges are schools that receive most of their funding from tax revenues. As a result, the cost of a bachelor’s degree at a public university is often lower than the equivalent cost at a private college — especially for students attending a public school in their home state. Attending a college in-state is usually the cheapest option. Private universities and colleges can be very competitive with their funding opportunities, so do not simply believe that private colleges are always going to be more expensive. According to National Center for Educational Statistics, the average annual cost (tuition, fees, room and board for full-time students) at a public university was slightly over $20,000. In contrast, private universities cost, on average, nearly $43,000 annually. But in the end, the cost of college comes down to each student’s academic and financial situation.

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

Methodology

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.

This list is composed entirely of private colleges and universities that offer bachelor’s degrees. We’ve identified 21 private universities in South Carolina. To be included in the list below of the best private universities in South Carolina, schools must be fully accredited, private, non-profit institution, and must offer a broad range of bachelor’s degrees.