Small colleges in South Carolina are a great option for students interested in a more intimate campus experience, more personal attention from excellent professors, and more immediate access to support services. Whether the focus is on the technical or on the liberal arts, small colleges give you the chance to pursue a well-rounded education while working closely with classmates and professors in a dynamic community atmosphere.
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.
The following list of the best small colleges and universities in South Carolina is composed mainly of four-year undergraduate schools (though a handful also offer graduate programs). We’ve identified 27 small colleges in South Carolina. The list below of the best small colleges in South Carolina. To be included schools must fully accredited, and must have student body populations below 5,000 students.
Tuition + fees
$53K
Acceptance
65%
Graduation
81%
Student body
3K
Median SAT/ACT
1330/30
Furman University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$50K
Acceptance
53%
Graduation
80%
Student body
2K
Median SAT/ACT
1270/28
Wofford College’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
$13K
Acceptance
80%
Graduation
71%
Student body
4K
Median SAT/ACT
1140/22
The Citadel’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$12K
Acceptance
57%
Graduation
49%
Student body
3K
Median SAT/ACT
1035/20
Lander 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
$11K
Acceptance
75%
Graduation
44%
Student body
3K
Median SAT/ACT
1005/18
Francis Marion University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$11K
Acceptance
56%
Graduation
41%
Student body
3K
Median SAT/ACT
1050/20
University of South Carolina Aiken’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
$13K
Acceptance
65%
Graduation
19%
Student body
<1K
Allen University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$17K
Acceptance
73%
Graduation
28%
Student body
2K
Median SAT/ACT
925/17
Benedict College’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$41K
Acceptance
71%
Graduation
64%
Student body
1K
Median SAT/ACT
1115/22
Presbyterian 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
$28K
Acceptance
57%
Graduation
52%
Student body
1K
Median SAT/ACT
985/18
Newberry College’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
$11K
Acceptance
67%
Graduation
34%
Student body
2K
Median SAT/ACT
1015/19
University of South Carolina Beaufort’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$17K
Acceptance
65%
Graduation
50%
Student body
2K
Median SAT/ACT
940/17
Claflin University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$29K
Acceptance
54%
Graduation
44%
Student body
3K
Median SAT/ACT
1110/25
Charleston Southern 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
$15K
Graduation
26%
Student body
<1K
Morris College’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:
Tuition + fees
$26K
Acceptance
68%
Graduation
33%
Student body
2K
Median SAT/ACT
1065/21
Limestone University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$13K
Graduation
41%
Student body
<1K
Voorhees University’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$10K
Graduation
8%
Student body
<1K
Clinton College ’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$21K
Acceptance
97%
Graduation
66%
Student body
1K
Columbia College ’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:
Tuition + fees
$32K
Acceptance
93%
Graduation
53%
Student body
1K
Median SAT/ACT
1065/23
Coker 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.
