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Best Schools in South Carolina

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2023 Best Schools in South Carolina

22 Schools Ranked
$37,273 Average Earnings
$23,819 Avg Student Debt

There are lots of options to pick from today when trying to decide which program is right for you. With more and more schools offering online options, you could even register for a great program on the other side of the country. Or you may find the programs at a trade school or bootcamp to be a better alternative for you.

To help you arm yourself with the information you need to make your decision, Grad Degree Search has developed this Best Schools in South Carolina ranking. Our analysis looked at 22 schools in South Carolina to see which programs offered the best educational experiences for students.

View our full ranking methodology.

Top Schools in South Carolina

Learn more about these excellent schools below:

#1

Clemson University

Clemson, South Carolina

Our 2023 rankings named Clemson University the best school in South Carolina for students working on their degree.

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#2

Citadel Military College of South Carolina

Charleston, South Carolina

The excellent programs at Citadel Military College of South Carolina helped the school earn the #2 place on this year’s ranking of the best schools in South Carolina.

Full Citadel Military College of South Carolina Report

#3

University of South Carolina - Columbia

Columbia, South Carolina

The excellent programs at University of South Carolina - Columbia helped the school earn the #3 place on this year’s ranking of the best schools in South Carolina.

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#4

Columbia International University

Columbia, South Carolina

Out of the 22 schools in South Carolina that were part of this year’s ranking, Columbia International University landed the # 4 spot on the list.

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#5

Erskine College

Due West, South Carolina

The excellent programs at Erskine College helped the school earn the #5 place on this year’s ranking of the best schools in South Carolina.

Full Erskine College Report

#6

Anderson University South Carolina

Anderson, South Carolina

Anderson University South Carolina landed the #6 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best programs.

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#7

College of Charleston

Charleston, South Carolina

With a ranking of #7, College of Charleston did quite well on this year’s best schools for students working.

Read full report on College of Charleston

#8

University of South Carolina - Upstate

Spartanburg, South Carolina

University of South Carolina - Upstate came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Best Schools in South Carolina ranking.

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#9

University of South Carolina - Aiken

Aiken, South Carolina

University of South Carolina - Aiken ranked #9 on this year’s Best Schools in South Carolina list.

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#10

Southern Wesleyan University

Central, South Carolina

Southern Wesleyan University did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best places for students. It came in at #10 on the list.

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#11

Winthrop University

Rock Hill, South Carolina

Winthrop University did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best places for students. It came in at #11 on the list.

Read full report on Winthrop University

#12

Francis Marion University

Florence, South Carolina

Francis Marion University landed the #12 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best programs.

Read full report on Francis Marion University

#13

North Greenville University

Tigerville, South Carolina

North Greenville University came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Best Schools in South Carolina ranking.

Full North Greenville University Report

#14

Charleston Southern University

Charleston, South Carolina

With a ranking of #14, Charleston Southern University did quite well on this year’s best schools for students working.

Read full report on Charleston Southern University

#15

South University, Columbia

Columbia, South Carolina

South University, Columbia ranked #15 on this year’s Best Schools in South Carolina list.

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#16

Bob Jones University

Greenville, South Carolina

Bob Jones University did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best places for students. It came in at #16 on the list.

Read full report on Bob Jones University

#17

Coastal Carolina University

Conway, South Carolina

Coastal Carolina University did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best places for students. It came in at #17 on the list.

Read full report on Coastal Carolina University

#18

Coker University

Hartsville, South Carolina

Coker University did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best places for students. It came in at #18 on the list.

Full Coker University Report

#19

Converse College

Spartanburg, South Carolina

With a ranking of #19, Converse College did quite well on this year’s best schools for students working.

Read full report on Converse College

#20

South Carolina State University

Orangeburg, South Carolina

South Carolina State University came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Best Schools in South Carolina ranking.

Read full report on South Carolina State University

#21

Claflin University

Orangeburg, South Carolina

Claflin University landed the #21 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best programs.

Full Claflin University Report

#22

Columbia College

Columbia, South Carolina

Columbia College came in at #22 in this year’s edition of the Best Schools in South Carolina ranking.

Read full report on Columbia College

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Notes and References

Footnotes

*These averages are for the top 22 schools only.

References

  • Read more about our ranking methodology.
  • The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) serves as the core of our data about colleges.
  • Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
  • Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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