College Costs in South Carolina

South Carolina Colleges, Cost and Affordability for 2027

How much does it cost to attend college in South Carolina?   The average annual in-state college tuition in South Carolina was $16,376 for the 2024-2025 academic year. This is $1,434 lower than the U.S. average and ranks South Carolina in the middle of the pack as the 27th most expensive state or district to attend college. This is a change of $1,621 from the 2022-2023 average of $14,755 and represents a 10.99% annual increase in tuition costs. The list of South Carolina colleges below provides school specific cost and value rating.

This analysis surveyed tuition data from the 57 colleges and universities in South Carolina, the most popular being University of South Carolina Columbia with 34,893 full time students and an in-state tuition list price of $12,688. Furman University is the most expensive in South Carolina with an in-state tuition of $59,770.

All price data are reprinted from the U.S. Department of Education's IPEDS 2025 survey and reflect reported costs for academic year 2024/2025.

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South Carolina Public Private For-Profit 4 Year 2 Year

  • Public 4 Year
  • Bluffton, SC
  • | 0 reviews
  • $10,730 tuition

A public university known for undergraduate nursing, hospitality management, and biology. The Bluffton campus sits in South Carolina's Lowcountry near Hilton Head Island.

#10 Best Public Universities in South Carolina 3/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 940-1110
  • Avg GPA 3.82
  • Acceptance Rate 73%
  • Net Price $15,363

  • Private 4 Year
  • Newberry, SC
  • 3.0 | 2 reviews
  • $31,100 tuition

Newberry is a private liberal arts college with undergraduate programs in education and business. The residential campus sits in the small town of Newberry and has long ties to the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.

#13 Best Private Colleges in South Carolina 3/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 820-1060
  • Avg GPA 3.58
  • Acceptance Rate 90%
  • Net Price $21,943
University of South Carolina Upstate Campus
 

  • Public 4 Year
  • Spartanburg, SC
  • | 0 reviews
  • $11,588 tuition

USC Upstate is a public university known for undergraduate nursing, education, and business. The campus is in Spartanburg in South Carolina's Upstate region.

#5 Best Public Universities in South Carolina 5/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1005-1175
  • Avg GPA 2.53
  • Acceptance Rate 67%
  • Net Price $13,999

  • Public 4 Year
  • Florence, SC
  • | 0 reviews
  • $11,160 tuition

Francis Marion is a public university known for undergraduate nursing, education, and business. The wooded campus sits on the edge of Florence.

#9 Best Public Universities in South Carolina 4/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 870-1115
  • Avg GPA 3.89
  • Acceptance Rate 86%
  • Net Price $11,727
Limestone University Campus
 

  • Private 4 Year
  • Gaffney, SC
  • | 0 reviews
  • $27,800 tuition

Limestone is a private university known for undergraduate nursing, business, and education. The campus is in the small town of Gaffney in upstate South Carolina.

#8 Best Private Colleges in South Carolina 4/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 980-1160
  • Avg GPA 3.42
  • Acceptance Rate 97%
  • Net Price $19,369
Columbia International University Campus
 

  • Private 4 Year
  • Columbia, SC
  • | 0 reviews
  • $27,900 tuition
  • Aug 1 application deadline

CIU is a private Christian university known for undergraduate biblical studies and intercultural studies. Most undergrads live on the residential campus in Columbia.

#7 Best Private Colleges in South Carolina 4/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 990-1195
  • Avg GPA 3.5
  • Acceptance Rate 94%
  • Net Price $26,056

  • Private 4 Year
  • Tigerville, SC
  • | 0 reviews
  • $25,800 tuition
  • Aug 22 application deadline

North Greenville is a private Christian university known for undergraduate programs in Christian studies, education, and business. The residential campus lies in the Blue Ridge foothills of rural Tigerville.

#5 Best Private Colleges in South Carolina 5/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1060-1240
  • Avg GPA 3.84
  • Acceptance Rate 67%
  • Net Price $21,346
Spartanburg Methodist College Campus
 

  • Private 2 Year
  • Spartanburg, SC
  • 2.5 | 2 reviews
  • $20,650 tuition

Spartanburg Methodist is a small private Methodist college that offers associate degrees and select bachelor's programs. Most undergrads live on its residential campus.

0/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range -
  • Avg GPA NA
  • Acceptance Rate 78%
  • Net Price $14,799

  • Private 4 Year
  • Columbia, SC
  • | 0 reviews
  • $14,304 tuition
  • Jul 1 application deadline

Allen is a small private university with undergraduate programs in business, religion, and the liberal arts. It is an HBCU with historic ties to the African Methodist Episcopal Church.

  • SAT Range -
  • Avg GPA NA
  • Acceptance Rate 73%
  • Net Price $11,182

  • Private 4 Year
  • Spartanburg, SC
  • 5.0 | 1 reviews
  • $25,240 tuition
  • Aug 1 application deadline

Converse is a private university known for undergraduate music and the visual and performing arts. Its historic campus in Spartanburg was long a women's college and is now coeducational.

#6 Best Private Colleges in South Carolina 5/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 1010-1250
  • Avg GPA 3.89
  • Acceptance Rate 68%
  • Net Price $19,061
Trident Technical College Campus
 

  • Public 2 Year
  • Charleston, SC
  • | 0 reviews
  • $5,050 tuition

Trident Tech is a public community college known for undergraduate nursing, culinary arts, and industrial technology. Students attend classes across several campuses in the greater Charleston area.

  • SAT Range -
  • Avg GPA 3.5
  • Acceptance Rate 100%
  • Net Price $1,818
Midlands Technical College Campus
 

  • Public 2 Year
  • West Columbia, SC
  • | 0 reviews
  • $6,300 tuition

Midlands Tech is a public two-year technical college known for undergraduate nursing, health sciences, and industrial technology programs. Students attend classes across multiple campuses in the Columbia metropolitan area.

  • SAT Range -
  • Avg GPA NA
  • Acceptance Rate 100%
  • Net Price $5,675
York Technical College Campus
 

  • Public 2 Year
  • Rock Hill, SC
  • | 0 reviews
  • $8,396 tuition

York Tech is a public two-year technical college known for associate programs in nursing, industrial technology, and advanced manufacturing. Most students commute to the Rock Hill campus in the greater Charlotte region.

  • SAT Range -
  • Avg GPA NA
  • Acceptance Rate 100%
  • Net Price $7,272
Greenville Technical College Campus
 

  • Public 2 Year
  • Greenville, SC
  • | 0 reviews
  • $6,143 tuition

Greenville Tech is a public technical college known for associate programs in nursing, industrial technologies, and health sciences. Students attend across multiple campuses serving the Greenville area.

  • SAT Range -
  • Avg GPA NA
  • Acceptance Rate 100%
  • Net Price $9,015
Tri County Technical College Campus
 

  • Public 2 Year
  • Pendleton, SC
  • 3.0 | 1 reviews
  • $6,031 tuition

Tri-County Technical College is a public two-year technical college known for undergraduate programs in industrial technologies, health sciences, and business. The main campus in Pendleton serves students from Anderson, Oconee, and Pickens counties.

  • SAT Range -
  • Avg GPA NA
  • Acceptance Rate 100%
  • Net Price $16,927
University of South Carolina Lancaster Campus
 

  • Public 2 Year
  • Lancaster, SC
  • | 0 reviews
  • $7,558 tuition

USC Lancaster is a public two-year regional campus of the University of South Carolina known for associate degrees in nursing and business. The small campus serves mainly commuting students in the city of Lancaster.

0/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 910-1090
  • Avg GPA NA
  • Acceptance Rate 83%
  • Net Price $11,257

  • Public 2 Year
  • Union, SC
  • | 0 reviews
  • $7,558 tuition

USC Union is a small public regional campus of the University of South Carolina system offering associate degrees and bachelor's completion pathways. The compact campus serves students in the small town of Union in upstate South Carolina.

0/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 830-1020
  • Avg GPA 3.3
  • Acceptance Rate 62%
  • Net Price $10,359

  • Private 4 Year
  • Hartsville, SC
  • | 0 reviews
  • $33,416 tuition

Coker is a private university known for undergraduate liberal arts programs and round-table classroom teaching. The historic campus sits in the small town of Hartsville.

#11 Best Private Colleges in South Carolina 3/10 Overall Rating
  • SAT Range 940-1160
  • Predicted Avg GPA 3.1
  • Acceptance Rate 94%
  • Net Price $19,823