Best South Carolina Colleges
South Carolina has 26 ranked four-year colleges, part of our national best colleges ranking. Rankings weigh admission scores, graduation rates, and selectivity using statistical data, not editorial picks.
Leading our 2027 rankings is Furman University in Greenville, South Carolina, topping our list in South Carolina. The top rated public university is Clemson University. Also highly ranked: Clemson University, Wofford College and University of South Carolina Columbia.
Compare tuition, acceptance rates, and enrollment across the colleges below. See how rankings are calculated on our methodology page. Sort by tuition, acceptance rate, or enrollment to find the school that fits you.
Charleston Southern University
- Private 4 Year
- Charleston, SC
-
| 0 reviews
Charleston Southern is a private Baptist university known for undergraduate nursing, business, and education. The suburban campus sits in North Charleston in the greater Charleston area.
- SAT Range 930-1160
- Predicted Avg GPA 3.24
- Acceptance Rate 96%
- Net Price $21,080
Coker University
- Private 4 Year
- Hartsville, SC
-
| 0 reviews
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.
- SAT Range 940-1160
- Predicted Avg GPA 3.1
- Acceptance Rate 94%
- Net Price $19,823
University of South Carolina Beaufort
- Public 4 Year
- Bluffton, SC
-
| 0 reviews
A public university known for undergraduate nursing, hospitality management, and biology. The Bluffton campus sits in South Carolina's Lowcountry near Hilton Head Island.
- SAT Range 940-1110
- Avg GPA 3.82
- Acceptance Rate 73%
- Net Price $15,363
Claflin University
- Private 4 Year
- Orangeburg, SC
-
| 0 reviews
Claflin is a private historically Black university known for undergraduate biology, business, and education. The residential campus is located in Orangeburg in central South Carolina.
- SAT Range 840-1040
- Avg GPA 3.28
- Acceptance Rate 65%
- Net Price $17,272
Newberry College
- Private 4 Year
- Newberry, SC
-
3.0 | 2 reviews
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.
- SAT Range 820-1060
- Avg GPA 3.58
- Acceptance Rate 90%
- Net Price $21,943
Lander University
- Public 4 Year
- Greenwood, SC
-
| 0 reviews
Lander is a public university known for undergraduate nursing and education. The campus is in the small city of Greenwood in South Carolina's Upstate.
- SAT Range 950-1178
- Avg GPA 3.66
- Acceptance Rate 81%
- Net Price $15,520
South Carolina State University
- Public 4 Year
- Orangeburg, SC
-
| 0 reviews
- Jul 31 application deadline
SC State is a public HBCU known for undergraduate education, business, and biological sciences. Most undergrads live on the residential campus in the small city of Orangeburg.
- SAT Range 800-1050
- Avg GPA 3.17
- Acceptance Rate 83%
- Net Price $17,965
Benedict College
- Private 4 Year
- Columbia, SC
-
3.0 | 2 reviews
- Feb 15 application deadline
Benedict is a private historically Black college known for undergraduate business and criminal justice. The urban campus sits in South Carolina's capital city of Columbia.
- SAT Range 820-1010
- Avg GPA NA
- Acceptance Rate 96%
- Net Price $18,665