Best Private Colleges in South Carolina 2026

Badge for BEST IN SOUTH CAROLINA PRIVATE COLLEGES

Updated: Jun 24, 2026

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 in 2026

Bob Jones University
+2
Furman University
–1
Wofford College
–1
Anderson University
Erskine College
Claflin University
+6
Presbyterian College
+1
Allen University
–2
Benedict College
–2
Charleston Southern University
+3

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.

Best Private Colleges in South Carolina

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2021 Ranking Archive

Many of our 2024 undergraduate focused rankings look considerably different than 2023. That’s because we took a fundamentally different approach. For 2024 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.

This guide identifies the best private colleges in South Carolina for 2026 and explains how they differ in academic focus, campus character, and post-graduate outcomes so you can match priorities—majors, class size, religious affiliation, internship access, and affordability—to fit. Rather than a single “best,” the list groups schools that excel in liberal arts, professional preparation, and research-active programs, and notes who thrives at each type of campus.

Check out our directory of private colleges throughout the U.S. for a look at the top private schools in every state. Use the profiles below to compare admissions selectivity, signature programs, and distinguishing features that matter when choosing a private college in South Carolina.

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Best Private Colleges in South Carolina 2026

10 Best Private Colleges in South Carolina in 2026

Colleges and Universities in South Carolina

What are South Carolina’s Colleges & Universities?

Best Private Colleges in South Carolina

Last Year’s Ranking:

Career Outlook for degree at Bob Jones University

Most Influential Alumni

Bob Jones University’s Online Degrees

Degree Concentrations

Career Outlook for degree at Furman University

Most Influential Alumni

Career Outlook for degree at Wofford College

Most Influential Alumni

Career Outlook for degree at Anderson University, South Carolina

Most Influential Alumni

Anderson University, South Carolina’s Online Degrees

Degree Concentrations

Degree Concentrations

Degree Concentrations

Career Outlook for degree at Erskine College

Most Influential Alumni

Career Outlook for degree at Claflin University

Most Influential Alumni

Claflin University’s Online Degrees

Career Outlook for degree at Presbyterian College

Most Influential Alumni

Career Outlook for degree at Allen University

Career Outlook for degree at Benedict College

Most Influential Alumni

Career Outlook for degree at Charleston Southern University

Most Influential Alumni

Charleston Southern University’s Online Degrees

Career Outlook for degree at Newberry College

Most Influential Alumni

Newberry College’s Online Degrees

Career Outlook for degree at Converse University

Most Influential Alumni

Career Outlook for degree at Southern Wesleyan University

Most Influential Alumni

Southern Wesleyan University’s Online Degrees

Career Outlook for degree at North Greenville University

North Greenville University’s Online Degrees

Career Outlook for degree at Columbia International University

Most Influential Alumni

Columbia International University’s Online Degrees

Most Influential Alumni

Limestone University’s Online Degrees

Degree Concentrations

Degree Concentrations

Degree Concentrations

Career Outlook for degree at Coker University

Most Influential Alumni

Coker University’s Online Degrees

Career Outlook for degree at Columbia College

Columbia College ’s Online Degrees

Degree Concentrations

Degree Concentrations

Degree Concentrations

Career Outlook for degree at Morris College

Career Outlook for degree at Voorhees University

Voorhees University’s Online Degrees

Career Outlook for degree at Clinton College

South Carolina’s Best Private Colleges in Your Area Interest