Best Online Colleges in South Carolina 2023

Published: Jan 4, 2022
Updated: Sep 8, 2023

Find the best online colleges in South Carolina ranked by the academic success of faculty and alumni associated with the colleges and universities and their online degree programs.

Top 10 Online Colleges in South Carolina

University of South Carolina
Clemson University
College of Charleston
Bob Jones University
Coastal Carolina University
The Citadel
Francis Marion University
Charleston Southern University
Claflin University
Anderson University, South Carolina

Columbia College 99%
Coker University 98%
Limestone University 87%
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%
North Greenville University 70%

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
Anderson University, South Carolina 16 to 1
Columbia International University 15 to 1
College of Charleston 15 to 1
University of South Carolina Beaufort 15 to 1
Newberry College 14 to 1

Coker University $31,524
Anderson University, South Carolina $30,720
Charleston Southern University $28,930
Newberry College $28,250
Southern Wesleyan University $26,498
Limestone University $26,300
Columbia International University $25,590
North Greenville University $22,470
Bob Jones University $20,950
Columbia College $20,880

Coker University $18,700
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
Southern Wesleyan University $13,560
Limestone University $12,350
North Greenville University $11,880
Claflin University $11,653
The Citadel $10,740

Voorhees University
Columbia College
Columbia International University
Coker University
Limestone University
University of South Carolina Beaufort
University of South Carolina Aiken
Southern Wesleyan University
Lander University
North Greenville University

Columbia International University 46%
Clemson University 49%
Anderson University, South Carolina 50%
Southern Wesleyan University 57%
Charleston Southern University 57%
Newberry College 57%
Claflin University 62%
University of South Carolina 62%
Lander University 69%
North Greenville University 70%

Voorhees University 11 to 1
Bob Jones University 12 to 1
Coker University 12 to 1
Columbia College 12 to 1
The Citadel 12 to 1
Charleston Southern University 13 to 1
Limestone University 13 to 1
Claflin University 13 to 1
Southern Wesleyan University 13 to 1
Newberry College 14 to 1

The Citadel $8,356
University of South Carolina Beaufort $10,344
Francis Marion University $10,384
University of South Carolina Aiken $10,398
Lander University $10,700
Coastal Carolina University $11,460
University of South Carolina $12,288
College of Charleston $12,518
Voorhees University $12,630
Clemson University $14,118

Charleston Southern University $5,085
Newberry College $5,940
Columbia College $9,120
Bob Jones University $9,532
Lander University $9,810
Clemson University $10,600
Francis Marion University $10,612
Anderson University, South Carolina $10,616
Coastal Carolina University $10,674
Columbia International University $10,710

Table of Contents

Featured Programs

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.

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.

What are South Carolina’s Colleges & Universities?

South Carolina’s Best Overall

Online education has grown dramatically in quality, credibility, and popularity over the last two decades. Today, more than a quarter of all college students are taking at least one online course. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, there are more than 5 million college students who are pursuing their undergraduate degree fully online. And the number of online college and graduate students continues to grow as online technology and instructional methods improve.

In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, access to remote learning has proven an essential part of the educational ecosystem. Schools that offer primarily online degree programs saw an increase of 7% enrollment just between Fall 2020 and Spring 2021. The number of traditional institutions offering online courses and degrees is growing as well. This all paints a promising picture for the future of online education. But it also produces a dizzying array of options.

Frequently Asked Questions About Best Online Colleges 2022

Asynchronous learning means classes don’t meet at set times. This is the most flexible online learning experience, making when you cover your course material up to you. Most asynchronous online courses will still have deadlines throughout the semester for various assignments and tests. Some asynchronous classes may still ask for an occasional meeting, such as initial meet-and-greets, and in some cases there may be scheduled test times. The idea of asynchronous learning is to allow the student to manage their schedules as needed.

Synchronous learning means you will have scheduled meeting times for your online classes. Synchronous learning gives online students the flexibility of location while also giving students a chance to engage with each other and their professors. For many online students, the structured class schedules and ability to see and hear from peers in real-time helps create the learning experience they want.

Accreditation is especially important when it comes to online college. This is because the online education landscape is a mix of highly-reputable institutions and less-than-reputable for-profit schools. Accreditation gives you the power to differentiate between the two. Accreditation is a stamp of approval from an independent accrediting agency which indicates that a college or university is meeting standards of quality, credibility, and currency. School-wide accreditation falls into two major categories: regional and national accreditation. Regional accreditors generally hold jurisdiction only over schools in the states comprising their region, whereas national accreditors hold jurisdiction over schools in all states. Regional accreditation is widely regarded as a more rigorous standard of quality and credibility than national accreditation.

Attending a college or university which is not regionally accredited could limit your opportunities. When seeking an online education, we strongly recommend that students opt for regionally accredited schools. Regional accreditation ensures eligibility for federal loans and grants, ensures your college credits can be transferred between schools, and ensures that your degree credits can be accepted if you wish to earn an advanced degree.

As long as your online college degree is regionally accredited, you should have little difficulty transferring most of your credits or credentials to another regionally accredited undergraduate school. Every school carries its own standards and procedures for granting a transfer. In many cases, you will be required to navigate a bureaucracy in which some of your credits will be transferred and others will be jettisoned. However, provided that you have attended an online school with the proper regional accreditation, you should have plenty of options for transfer.

In most cases, as long you graduate from a well-regarded, regionally-accredited online college, prospective employers won’t look sideways at your degree. In fact, unless you attend an exclusively online college or university, there will likely be no specific indicator on your degree, transcript or resume differentiating your school from its brick-and-mortar counterpart. This means that your employer will likely only differentiate between an online and in-person degree if you mention this distinction.

While some employers may express concern about making the adjustment from online education to in-person workplace collaboration, many other employers will view your online degree as evidence of valuable 21st Century professional skills such as independence, self-motivation, time management, and tech savvy.

The advantages of online classes are many. First and foremost, online courses give you the freedom and flexibility to attend class from anywhere that works for you, whether you’re at home, in a coffee shop, or in a quiet conference room at work. In many cases, you’ll also enjoy the convenience of asynchronous learning opportunities—educational experiences that you can complete on your own schedule. This may include pre-taped lectures, ongoing chat-board discussions, and 24/7 access to digital materials. And of course, just as there are some learners who prefer the energy of a live classroom, there are those who learn best when working in their own personal space, free from distractions. If this sounds like you, you might find the solitude of online learning to be a major advantage.

How do we determine the best online colleges for undergrads?

Methodology

Pursuing your degree online doesn’t mean you need to settle for an inferior school. Today, most universities and colleges offer online degrees, and many respected schools are seeing significant growth in their numbers of online students.

The people affiliated with a school are ultimately what make it great. This is why influence — i.e., the academic impact of faculty and alumni associated with a school — gets at the heart of what is truly best in education. The combined influence score of a college or university’s top academic influencers is the best indicator of academic excellence. For our online degree rankings, we focus on the academic influence of faculty and alumni in the specific disciplines we’re ranking.

If you are serious about finding the best online colleges, you should be asking where the most influential professors are teaching, and whether their graduates themselves are advancing the school’s reputation for academic excellence. Most ranking sites rely on an opaque combination of reputation surveys and arbitrary performance metrics. Influence, as measured by our InfluenceRanking engine, provides a ranking that is free from bias, insulated from manipulation, and reflective of real-world educational outcomes.

Median Salaries of Top Careers in South Carolina

The following graph depicts the average salaries of top occupations in different industries in South Carolina.

Source: U.S. BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS

Annual Salary

95160Personal Financial Advisors

106440Computer and Information Research Scientists

115480Aerospace Engineers

138060Physicists

195930Chief Executives

Best Online Colleges in South Carolina 2023

Top 10 Online Colleges in South Carolina

Featured Programs

Colleges and Universities in South Carolina

What are South Carolina’s Colleges & Universities?

Median Salaries of Top Careers in South Carolina

Best Online Colleges in South Carolina 2022

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