Colleges
Colleges in South Carolina
South Carolina has 29 four-year colleges with at least 500 undergraduates: 12 public and 17 private. The largest is University of South Carolina, with 29,820 undergraduates.
| School | City | Type | Undergrads | Acceptance rate | SAT middle 50% | In-state tuition | Avg. net price | Grad rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of South Carolina | Columbia | public | 29,820 | 60.2% | 1180–1360 | $12,688 | $22,811 | 78.8% |
| Clemson University | Clemson | public | 23,300 | 38.3% | 1240–1410 | $15,554 | $22,253 | 86.6% |
| College of Charleston | Charleston | public | 10,558 | 60% | 1140–1310 | $12,978 | $18,960 | 65.8% |
| Coastal Carolina University | Conway | public | 10,377 | 75.3% | 1050–1220 | $11,640 | $13,966 | 48.5% |
| University of South Carolina-Upstate | Spartanburg | public | 4,038 | 67.3% | 1005–1175 | $11,588 | $13,557 | 43% |
| Winthrop University | Rock Hill | public | 3,523 | 79.3% | 1010–1220 | $14,678 | $15,343 | 57% |
| Lander University | Greenwood | public | 3,397 | 81.3% | 950–1178 | $11,700 | $15,363 | 49.8% |
| Anderson University | Anderson | private | 3,183 | 54.7% | 1100–1280 | $34,970 | $23,544 | 65.7% |
| University of South Carolina Aiken | Aiken | public | 2,962 | 78.5% | 980–1220 | $10,760 | $11,641 | 39.9% |
| South Carolina State University | Orangeburg | public | 2,934 | 82.6% | $11,060 | $18,097 | 36.6% | |
| Charleston Southern University | Charleston | private | 2,893 | 96.5% | 930–1160 | $32,520 | $21,666 | 47.2% |
| Citadel Military College of South Carolina | Charleston | public | 2,705 | 22.7% | 1085–1285 | $12,570 | $20,723 | 75% |
| Francis Marion University | Florence | public | 2,628 | 86.4% | 870–1115 | $11,160 | $11,386 | 43.4% |
| Furman University | Greenville | private | 2,379 | 43% | 1260–1430 | $59,770 | $30,308 | 78.8% |
| University of South Carolina Beaufort | Bluffton | public | 2,052 | 72.5% | $10,730 | $14,656 | 34% | |
| Bob Jones University | Greenville | private | 2,005 | $24,470 | $16,641 | 64.8% | ||
| North Greenville University | Tigerville | private | 1,819 | 66.7% | 1060–1240 | $25,800 | $21,063 | 54.5% |
| Wofford College | Spartanburg | private | 1,816 | 51.9% | 1198–1343 | $56,005 | $18,732 | 84.2% |
| Claflin University | Orangeburg | private | 1,706 | 64.9% | $18,282 | $17,800 | 51.6% | |
| Benedict College | Columbia | private | 1,536 | 95.7% | $17,440 | $18,250 | 24.3% | |
| Newberry College | Newberry | private | 1,479 | 89.8% | $31,100 | $21,656 | 45.1% | |
| Columbia College | Columbia | private | 1,343 | 93.9% | $22,214 | $18,408 | 36.9% | |
| Converse University | Spartanburg | private | 1,173 | 67.7% | 1010–1250 | $25,240 | $23,283 | 61.5% |
| Presbyterian College | Clinton | private | 852 | 68.4% | 980–1200 | $44,910 | $20,528 | 51.5% |
| Coker University | Hartsville | private | 840 | 94% | $33,416 | $20,286 | 39.5% | |
| Erskine College | Due West | private | 766 | 62.7% | $36,710 | $16,525 | 45.2% | |
| Southern Wesleyan University | Central | private | 747 | 99.5% | 1040–1210 | $29,800 | $15,464 | 52.4% |
| Columbia International University | Columbia | private | 716 | 94.5% | $27,900 | $26,036 | 46.8% | |
| Allen University | Columbia | private | 576 | 72.5% | $14,304 | $10,972 | 13.3% |
A blank cell means the school did not report that figure. Net price is the average cost after grants for students receiving federal aid. Graduation rate is within six years.
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Frequently asked questions
How many colleges are in South Carolina?
29 four-year public and private nonprofit colleges with at least 500 undergraduates, 12 public and 17 private, according to the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard. Community colleges, for-profit schools, and online-only schools are not counted.
What is the hardest college to get into in South Carolina?
By acceptance rate, Citadel Military College of South Carolina (22.7%), Clemson University (38.3%), Furman University (43%), Wofford College (51.9%), Anderson University (54.7%) are the most selective.
What is the cheapest public college in South Carolina?
University of South Carolina Beaufort has the lowest published in-state tuition and fees of the public four-year colleges here, at $10,730 a year. That is the sticker price before financial aid.
Source: College Scorecard, Most Recent Institution-Level Data (U.S. Department of Education), 2026-06-10 release. These are federal figures. Schools with a linked profile have also been checked against their own filings; the others have not.
