Best Public Colleges in South Carolina 2024

Published: May 4, 2021
Updated: Oct 26, 2023

Public colleges and universities account for almost 75 percent of all undergraduate students in the U.S. The best public colleges in South Carolina provide broad access to reputable degree programs, affordable tuition, and sprawling educational communities.

10 Best Public Colleges in South Carolina

University of South Carolina
Clemson University
College of Charleston
South Carolina State University
Coastal Carolina University
The Citadel
Winthrop University
Francis Marion University
University of South Carolina Upstate
Lander University

South Carolina State University 88%
Francis Marion University 86%
The Citadel 86%
University of South Carolina Beaufort 84%
University of South Carolina Aiken 84%
Coastal Carolina University 79%
College of Charleston 76%
University of South Carolina Upstate 76%
Lander University 69%
Winthrop University 64%

University of South Carolina 18 to 1
Coastal Carolina University 17 to 1
Lander University 17 to 1
University of South Carolina Aiken 17 to 1
Clemson University 16 to 1
University of South Carolina Upstate 16 to 1
College of Charleston 15 to 1
University of South Carolina Beaufort 15 to 1
South Carolina State University 14 to 1
Francis Marion University 14 to 1

Winthrop University $15,306
Clemson University $14,118
College of Charleston $12,518
University of South Carolina $12,288
Coastal Carolina University $11,460
University of South Carolina Upstate $11,208
Lander University $10,700
University of South Carolina Aiken $10,398
Francis Marion University $10,384
University of South Carolina Beaufort $10,344

Winthrop University $15,472
College of Charleston $13,770
University of South Carolina $13,734
University of South Carolina Beaufort $13,734
University of South Carolina Aiken $13,734
University of South Carolina Upstate $13,734
The Citadel $10,740
Coastal Carolina University $10,674
Francis Marion University $10,612
Clemson University $10,600

University of South Carolina Beaufort
University of South Carolina Aiken
Lander University
University of South Carolina Upstate
Francis Marion University
Winthrop University
The Citadel
Coastal Carolina University
South Carolina State University
College of Charleston

Clemson University 49%
University of South Carolina 62%
Winthrop University 64%
Lander University 69%
University of South Carolina Upstate 76%
College of Charleston 76%
Coastal Carolina University 79%
University of South Carolina Aiken 84%
University of South Carolina Beaufort 84%
The Citadel 86%

Winthrop University 12 to 1
The Citadel 12 to 1
South Carolina State University 14 to 1
Francis Marion University 14 to 1
College of Charleston 15 to 1
University of South Carolina Beaufort 15 to 1
Clemson University 16 to 1
University of South Carolina Upstate 16 to 1
Coastal Carolina University 17 to 1
Lander University 17 to 1

The Citadel $8,356
South Carolina State University $9,528
University of South Carolina Beaufort $10,344
Francis Marion University $10,384
University of South Carolina Aiken $10,398
Lander University $10,700
University of South Carolina Upstate $11,208
Coastal Carolina University $11,460
University of South Carolina $12,288
College of Charleston $12,518

Lander University $9,810
South Carolina State University $9,928
Clemson University $10,600
Francis Marion University $10,612
Coastal Carolina University $10,674
The Citadel $10,740
University of South Carolina $13,734
University of South Carolina Beaufort $13,734
University of South Carolina Aiken $13,734
University of South Carolina Upstate $13,734

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.

This list is composed entirely of public colleges and universities that offer bachelor’s degrees. We’ve identified 12 public universities in South Carolina. To be included in our list of the best public colleges in South Carolina, shcools must receive direct funding from the state, be fully accredited, and offer a broad range of bachelor’s degress.

How do we determine South Carolina's best public 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.

Best Public Colleges in South Carolina 2023

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South Carolina’s Best Public College 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.

Check out our directory of public colleges throughout the U.S. for a look at the top public colleges in every state.

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Best Public Colleges in South Carolina 2024

10 Best Public Colleges in South Carolina

Colleges and Universities in South Carolina

What are South Carolina’s Colleges & Universities?

Best Public Colleges in South Carolina 2023

Career Outlook for degree at University of South Carolina

Most Influential Alumni

University of South Carolina’s Online Degrees

Degree Concentrations

Degree Concentrations

Degree Concentrations

Degree Concentrations

Career Outlook for degree at Clemson University

Most Influential Alumni

Clemson University’s Online Degrees

Career Outlook for degree at College of Charleston

Most Influential Alumni

College of Charleston’s Online Degrees

Degree Concentrations

Career Outlook for degree at Coastal Carolina University

Most Influential Alumni

Coastal Carolina University’s Online Degrees

Degree Concentrations

Career Outlook for degree at The Citadel

Most Influential Alumni

The Citadel’s Online Degrees

Degree Concentrations

Career Outlook for degree at Lander University

Most Influential Alumni

Lander University’s Online Degrees

Career Outlook for degree at South Carolina State University

Most Influential Alumni

Career Outlook for degree at Winthrop University

Most Influential Alumni

Career Outlook for degree at Francis Marion University

Most Influential Alumni

Francis Marion University’s Online Degrees

Career Outlook for degree at University of South Carolina Aiken

Most Influential Alumni

University of South Carolina Aiken’s Online Degrees

Career Outlook for degree at University of South Carolina Upstate

Career Outlook for degree at University of South Carolina Beaufort

University of South Carolina Beaufort’s Online Degrees

South Carolina’s Best Public College in Your Area of Interest