# Most Affordable Colleges in South Carolina

> CollegeRanker Agent Insights — structured data for AI systems
> Updated: 2026-05-31 | Schools: 49 | Category: By State (Affordable)
> Source: https://www.collegeranker.com/rankings/most-affordable-colleges-south-carolina

## Methodology

Ranked by lowest net price in South Carolina

CollegeRanker uses a 4-pillar algorithm: Academic Quality (15-20%), Economic Outcomes (30%), Social Mobility (25-35%), Value & Affordability (20-25%). Social mobility data from Raj Chetty's Opportunity Insights Mobility Report Card (30M+ anonymized tax records). No subjective surveys.

## Summary

When it comes to higher education in South Carolina, affordability is a key consideration for many students and families. With net prices varying significantly, finding a college that fits the budget while still offering solid career prospects is essential. In this ranking, we spotlight the most affordable colleges in the state, where the net prices are noticeably lower than the national average.

The schools on this list excel not just in affordability but also in key outcomes like earnings, graduation rates, and debt levels. For instance, while the average earnings for graduates across these colleges sit at $43,668, some schools show marked differences in how quickly students can achieve that financial stability. It's important to examine both the net price and the completion rates to understand what a school truly offers.

Take Trident Technical College and Spartanburg Community College as an example. Trident's graduates earn an average of $38,253, but with a 29% graduation rate and a net price of just $1,406, it stands out as a solid option. In contrast, Spartanburg’s average earnings are slightly higher at $37,097, but with a higher net price of $2,405 and the same graduation rate, students may find Trident to be the more affordable choice in the long run.

## Key Findings

- Trident Technical College has a low net price of $1,406 and average earnings of $38,253.
- Spartanburg Community College has a slightly higher average earning of $37,097 but a higher net price of $2,405.
- The average graduation rate among these colleges is 44%, indicating room for improvement.
- Students at Horry-Georgetown Technical College face a net price of $4,159 and average debt of $14,250.

## Rankings

| Rank | School | Location | Graduation | Earnings (10yr) | Net Price | Median Debt | Debt/Earnings |
|------|--------|----------|------------|-----------------|-----------|-------------|---------------|
| 1 | [Trident Technical College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/trident-technical-college) | Charleston, SC | 29% | $38,253 | $1,406 | $13,029 | 0.34x |
| 2 | [Spartanburg Community College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/spartanburg-community-college) | Spartanburg, SC | 29% | $37,097 | $2,405 | $6,500 | 0.18x |
| 3 | [Florence-Darlington Technical College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/florence-darlington-technical-college) | Florence, SC | 27% | $32,748 | $2,004 | $12,250 | 0.37x |
| 4 | [Midlands Technical College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/midlands-technical-college) | West Columbia, SC | 17% | $38,701 | $4,647 | $12,000 | 0.31x |
| 5 | [Aiken Technical College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/aiken-technical-college) | Graniteville, SC | 26% | $39,225 | $4,807 | $12,250 | 0.31x |
| 6 | [Horry-Georgetown Technical College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/horry-georgetown-technical-college) | Conway, SC | 32% | $35,507 | $4,159 | $14,250 | 0.4x |
| 7 | [Central Carolina Technical College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/central-carolina-technical-college) | Sumter, SC | 32% | $32,603 | $5,571 | $9,977 | 0.31x |
| 8 | [York Technical College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/york-technical-college) | Rock Hill, SC | 31% | $37,257 | $5,931 | $7,000 | 0.19x |
| 9 | [Orangeburg Calhoun Technical College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/orangeburg-calhoun-technical-college) | Orangeburg, SC | 37% | $35,761 | $6,186 | $10,562 | 0.3x |
| 10 | [University of South Carolina-Sumter](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-south-carolina-sumter) | Sumter, SC | 38% | $42,437 | $7,712 | $9,250 | 0.22x |
| 11 | [University of South Carolina-Union](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-south-carolina-union) | Union, SC | 43% | $33,699 | $8,065 | $11,000 | 0.33x |
| 12 | [University of South Carolina-Salkehatchie](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-south-carolina-salkehatchie) | Allendale, SC | 25% | $31,360 | $9,229 | $11,000 | 0.35x |
| 13 | [Francis Marion University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/francis-marion-university) | Florence, SC | 43% | $43,888 | $11,386 | $27,000 | 0.62x |
| 14 | [University of South Carolina Aiken](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-south-carolina-aiken) | Aiken, SC | 40% | $45,603 | $11,641 | $24,275 | 0.53x |
| 15 | [Northeastern Technical College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/northeastern-technical-college) | Cheraw, SC | 29% | $32,141 | $6,913 | N/A | N/A |
| 16 | [University of South Carolina-Lancaster](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-south-carolina-lancaster) | Lancaster, SC | 27% | $39,426 | $9,801 | $9,616 | 0.24x |
| 17 | [Piedmont Technical College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/piedmont-technical-college) | Greenwood, SC | 33% | $35,768 | $11,366 | $15,000 | 0.42x |
| 18 | [Coastal Carolina University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/coastal-carolina-university) | Conway, SC | 50% | $47,258 | $13,966 | $23,750 | 0.5x |
| 19 | [University of South Carolina-Upstate](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-south-carolina-upstate) | Spartanburg, SC | 43% | $48,587 | $13,557 | $22,310 | 0.46x |
| 20 | [Greenville Technical College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/greenville-technical-college) | Greenville, SC | 19% | $39,473 | $11,713 | $15,392 | 0.39x |
| 21 | [Winthrop University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/winthrop-university) | Rock Hill, SC | 59% | $47,185 | $15,343 | $26,975 | 0.57x |
| 22 | [Williamsburg Technical College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/williamsburg-technical-college) | Kingstree, SC | 18% | $29,935 | $9,887 | N/A | N/A |
| 23 | [Lander University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/lander-university) | Greenwood, SC | 49% | $42,396 | $15,363 | $25,000 | 0.59x |
| 24 | [Southern Wesleyan University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/southern-wesleyan-university) | Central, SC | 52% | $47,756 | $15,464 | $26,000 | 0.54x |
| 25 | [Voorhees University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/voorhees-university) | Denmark, SC | 40% | $35,339 | $13,335 | $26,700 | 0.76x |
| 26 | [University of South Carolina Beaufort](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-south-carolina-beaufort) | Bluffton, SC | 36% | $48,088 | $14,656 | $24,000 | 0.5x |
| 27 | [Tri-County Technical College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/tri-county-technical-college) | Pendleton, SC | 41% | $40,101 | $14,670 | $9,000 | 0.22x |
| 28 | [Erskine College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/erskine-college) | Due West, SC | 47% | $53,459 | $16,525 | $27,000 | 0.51x |
| 29 | [Spartanburg Methodist College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/spartanburg-methodist-college) | Spartanburg, SC | 41% | $42,895 | $14,580 | $12,000 | 0.28x |
| 30 | [South Carolina State University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/south-carolina-state-university) | Orangeburg, SC | 33% | $38,262 | $18,097 | $31,000 | 0.81x |
| 31 | [Claflin University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/claflin-university) | Orangeburg, SC | 50% | $40,304 | $17,800 | $29,000 | 0.72x |
| 32 | [Bob Jones University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/bob-jones-university) | Greenville, SC | 67% | $44,354 | $16,641 | $16,585 | 0.37x |
| 33 | [College of Charleston](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/college-of-charleston) | Charleston, SC | 65% | $56,416 | $18,960 | $23,250 | 0.41x |
| 34 | [Wofford College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/wofford-college) | Spartanburg, SC | 82% | $68,964 | $18,732 | $25,732 | 0.37x |
| 35 | [Benedict College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/benedict-college) | Columbia, SC | 23% | $31,902 | $18,250 | $32,500 | 1.02x |
| 36 | [Columbia College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/columbia-college-sc) | Columbia, SC | 45% | $41,338 | $18,408 | $22,750 | 0.55x |
| 37 | [Coker University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/coker-university) | Hartsville, SC | 38% | $40,117 | $20,286 | $26,000 | 0.65x |
| 38 | [Presbyterian College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/presbyterian-college) | Clinton, SC | 56% | $60,194 | $20,528 | $26,000 | 0.43x |
| 39 | [North Greenville University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/north-greenville-university) | Tigerville, SC | 55% | $43,035 | $21,063 | $23,082 | 0.54x |
| 40 | [Citadel Military College of South Carolina](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/citadel-military-college-of-south-carolina) | Charleston, SC | 74% | $72,085 | $20,723 | $21,096 | 0.29x |
| 41 | [Clemson University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/clemson-university) | Clemson, SC | 87% | $71,513 | $22,253 | $21,500 | 0.3x |
| 42 | [Newberry College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/newberry-college) | Newberry, SC | 45% | $48,040 | $21,656 | $26,805 | 0.56x |
| 43 | [Charleston Southern University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/charleston-southern-university) | Charleston, SC | 48% | $45,898 | $21,666 | $26,471 | 0.58x |
| 44 | [Morris College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/morris-college) | Sumter, SC | 19% | $30,614 | $20,555 | $31,400 | 1.03x |
| 45 | [Converse University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/converse-university) | Spartanburg, SC | 54% | $40,867 | $23,283 | $27,000 | 0.66x |
| 46 | [University of South Carolina-Columbia](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-south-carolina-columbia) | Columbia, SC | 78% | $62,177 | $22,811 | $21,500 | 0.35x |
| 47 | [Anderson University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/anderson-university-sc) | Anderson, SC | 67% | $42,101 | $23,544 | $26,700 | 0.63x |
| 48 | [Columbia International University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/columbia-international-university) | Columbia, SC | 55% | $38,951 | $26,036 | $20,000 | 0.51x |
| 49 | [Furman University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/furman-university) | Greenville, SC | 80% | $68,635 | $30,308 | $23,250 | 0.34x |

## Data Sources

- U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (https://collegescorecard.ed.gov)
- Opportunity Insights Mobility Report Card (https://opportunityinsights.org/data)
- Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas
- Times Higher Education World University Rankings
- NCES IPEDS

## Citation

CollegeRanker. "Most Affordable Colleges in South Carolina." CollegeRanker.com, 2026-05-31. https://www.collegeranker.com/rankings/most-affordable-colleges-south-carolina

## License

This data summary is provided for informational purposes. Underlying data from federal sources (College Scorecard, IPEDS) is public domain. Opportunity Insights data is available under their data use agreement at https://opportunityinsights.org/data/.