Best colleges in South Carolina, ranked by ROI

Name: South Carolina colleges — cost, earnings and ROI rankings
Creator: Degree Dividend

By the Degree Dividend editorial data teamEvery figure verified against its federal source — methodologyData updated June 2026

We rank all 60 South Carolina institutions we profile by payback years — total net cost divided by earnings above the $48,360 high-school baseline. The state's median net price is $15,995/yr (below the $16,902 national median), and its graduates earn a median $39,783 ten years out (below the $43,549 national median). Citadel Military College of South Carolina leads, clearing its cost in 3.5 years. (Scorecard, 2026.)

$15,995

Median net price / yr

Scorecard, 2026

$39,783

Median earnings, 10 yrs

Scorecard, 2026

6 yrs

Median payback

Our math, 2026

Colleges ranked

degreedividend.com

South Carolina colleges by payback (best first)

#	College	Net price/yr	Earnings 10y	Payback
1	Citadel Military College of South Carolina	$20,723	$72,085	3.5 yrs
2	Wofford College	$18,732	$68,964	3.6 yrs
3	Clemson University	$22,253	$71,513	3.8 yrs
4	Galen Health Institutes-Myrtle Beach	$25,662	$61,480	3.9 yrs
5	Furman University	$30,308	$68,635	6 yrs
6	University of South Carolina-Columbia	$22,811	$62,177	6.6 yrs
7	Presbyterian College	$20,528	$60,194	6.9 yrs
8	College of Charleston	$18,960	$56,416	9.4 yrs
9	Erskine College	$16,525	$53,459	13 yrs
10	University of South Carolina-Upstate	$13,557	$48,587	238.9 yrs
11	University of South Carolina Beaufort	$14,656	$48,088	no payback
12	Southern Wesleyan University	$15,464	$47,756	no payback
13	Coastal Carolina University	$13,966	$47,258	no payback
14	Winthrop University	$15,343	$47,185	no payback
15	Newberry College	$21,656	$48,040	no payback
16	University of South Carolina Aiken	$11,641	$45,603	no payback
17	University of South Carolina-Sumter	$7,712	$42,437	no payback
18	Francis Marion University	$11,386	$43,888	no payback
19	Charleston Southern University	$21,666	$45,898	no payback
20	Spartanburg Methodist College	$14,580	$42,895	no payback
21	Bob Jones University	$16,641	$44,354	no payback
22	Lander University	$15,363	$42,396	no payback
23	North Greenville University	$21,063	$43,035	no payback
24	Aiken Technical College	$4,807	$39,225	no payback
25	University of South Carolina-Lancaster	$9,801	$39,426	no payback
26	Midlands Technical College	$4,647	$38,701	no payback
27	Trident Technical College	$1,406	$38,253	no payback
28	Columbia College	$18,408	$41,338	no payback
29	Anderson University	$23,544	$42,101	no payback
30	Tri-County Technical College	$14,670	$40,101	no payback
31	Greenville Technical College	$11,713	$39,473	no payback
32	Claflin University	$17,800	$40,304	no payback
33	Spartanburg Community College	$2,405	$37,097	no payback
34	Strayer University-South Carolina	$17,979	$40,092	no payback
35	Converse University	$23,283	$40,867	no payback
36	York Technical College	$5,931	$37,257	no payback
37	Coker University	$20,286	$40,117	no payback
38	Horry-Georgetown Technical College	$4,159	$35,507	no payback
39	South Carolina State University	$18,097	$38,262	no payback
40	Orangeburg Calhoun Technical College	$6,186	$35,761	no payback
41	Columbia International University	$26,036	$38,951	no payback
42	Technical College of the Lowcountry	$14,724	$35,090	no payback
43	Piedmont Technical College	$11,366	$35,768	no payback
44	University of South Carolina-Union	$8,065	$33,699	no payback
45	Voorhees University	$13,335	$35,339	no payback
46	Florence-Darlington Technical College	$2,004	$32,748	no payback
47	Fortis College-Columbia	$20,404	$36,368	no payback
48	Central Carolina Technical College	$5,571	$32,603	no payback
49	Northeastern Technical College	$6,913	$32,141	no payback
50	University of South Carolina-Salkehatchie	$9,229	$31,360	no payback
51	South University-Columbia	$27,693	$34,421	no payback
52	Allen University	$10,972	$30,497	no payback
53	Benedict College	$18,250	$31,902	no payback
54	Williamsburg Technical College	$9,887	$29,935	no payback
55	Morris College	$20,555	$30,614	no payback
56	Southeastern College-Columbia	$31,941	$31,156	no payback
57	Southeastern College-Charleston	$31,105	$30,737	no payback
58	Paul Mitchell the School-Charleston	$17,726	$26,696	no payback
59	Paul Mitchell the School-Columbia	$18,210	$26,696	no payback
60	Denmark Technical College	$19,156	$25,351	no payback

College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · ranking and payback are our math. Payback uses institution-wide earnings; a specific major can rank very differently.

Colleges in South Carolina: frequently asked questions

Which college has the best ROI in South Carolina?

Citadel Military College of South Carolina. It charges $20,723/yr after aid and its graduates earn a median $72,085 ten years out, clearing the cost in about 3.5 years — the fastest payback of the 60 South Carolina colleges we track.

How much does college cost in South Carolina?

The median net price across South Carolina colleges is $15,995/yr after grants and scholarships — below the $16,902 national median. That is the actual price the typical aided student pays, not the published sticker.

What do South Carolina college graduates earn?

A median $39,783 ten years after entry (Scorecard), below the $43,549 national median. Earnings vary widely by school and major — see each college's profile for its own figure.

How many South Carolina colleges pay for themselves?

10 of the 60 South Carolina colleges we track clear their cost on institution-wide earnings above the high-school baseline. The rest need a high-ROI major to pay off — the school average alone does not.