List of 37 best universities in South Carolina

Updated: February 29, 2024

Ranking by academic field

Top 37 universities in South Carolina ranked by EduRank based on research outputs, non-academic prominence, and alumni influence. The rankings are determined by analyzing 5.87M citations received by 232K academic publications made by 37 universities from South Carolina, the popularity of 1,130 recognized alumni, and the largest reference database available.

1. University of South Carolina - Columbia

Columbia

#87 in the United States

#99 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 64%
Average SAT: 1280
Average ACT: 30
Receiving Aid: 98%

2. Clemson University

Clemson

#107 in the United States

#122 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 43%
Average SAT: 1315
Average ACT: 30
Receiving Aid: 85%

3. Medical University of South Carolina

Charleston

#167 in the United States

#192 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 56%
Enrollment: 3,175
Male:Female: 29:71
Founded: 1824

4. College of Charleston

Charleston

#299 in the United States

#330 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 76%
Average SAT: 1215
Average ACT: 27
Receiving Aid: 100%

5. Furman

Greenville

#423 in the United States

#470 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 67%
Average SAT: 1358
Average ACT: 30
Net Price: $33,370

6. Citadel Military College of South Carolina

Charleston

#467 in the United States

#514 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 99%
Average SAT: 1180
Average ACT: 25
Receiving Aid: 84%

7. Anderson University - South Carolina

Anderson

#544 in the United States

#597 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 45%
Net Price: $21,633
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $24,409

8. Coastal Carolina University

Conway

#555 in the United States

#609 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 79%
Average SAT: 1105
Average ACT: 23
Receiving Aid: 100%

9. Winthrop University

Rock Hill

#582 in the United States

#637 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 70%
Average SAT: 1088
Average ACT: 23
Receiving Aid: 99%

10. South Carolina State University

Orangeburg

#828 in the United States

#896 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 84%
Receiving Aid: 97%
Average Aid: $15,873
Enrollment: 2,649

11. University of South Carolina - Aiken

Aiken

#879 in the United States

#947 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 76%
Average SAT: 1065
Average ACT: 21
Receiving Aid: 100%

12. Wofford College

Spartanburg

#887 in the United States

#955 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 60%
Average SAT: 1277
Average ACT: 29
Net Price: $31,192

13. University of South Carolina - Upstate

Spartanburg

#891 in the United States

#959 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 79%
Average SAT: 1050
Average ACT: 23
Receiving Aid: 100%

14. University of South Carolina - Beaufort

Bluffton

#1013 in the United States

#1084 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 80%
Receiving Aid: 98%
Average Aid: $8,452
Enrollment: 2,124

15. Lander University

Greenwood

#1054 in the United States

#1126 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 67%
Average SAT: 1070
Average ACT: 21
Receiving Aid: 100%

16. Presbyterian College

Clinton

#1055 in the United States

#1127 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 59%
Average SAT: 1145
Average ACT: 24
Net Price: $21,571

17. Francis Marion University

Florence

#1062 in the United States

#1134 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 83%
Average SAT: 1007
Average ACT: 19
Receiving Aid: 99%

18. Claflin University

Orangeburg

#1081 in the United States

#1153 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 78%
Net Price: $19,951
Receiving Aid: 99%
Average Aid: $13,707

19. Columbia College - South Carolina

Columbia

#1169 in the United States

#1245 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 98%
Average SAT: 995
Average ACT: 16
Net Price: $18,779

20. Benedict College

Columbia

#1182 in the United States

#1258 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 68%
Average SAT: 920
Net Price: $17,845
Receiving Aid: 98%

21. Bob Jones University

Greenville

#1244 in the United States

#1321 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Net Price: $18,733
Receiving Aid: 99%
Average Aid: $13,717

22. Charleston Southern University

Charleston

#1269 in the United States

#1346 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 87%
Average SAT: 1055
Average ACT: 21
Net Price: $17,536

23. Converse College

Spartanburg

#1295 in the United States

#1372 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 56%
Average SAT: 1128
Average ACT: 24
Net Price: $19,653

24. Newberry College

Newberry

#1408 in the United States

#1488 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 75%
Average SAT: 1016
Average ACT: 19
Net Price: $19,405

25. Voorhees College

Denmark

#1450 in the United States

#1533 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Net Price: $14,587
Receiving Aid: 96%
Average Aid: $15,403

26. Erskine College

Due West

#1529 in the United States

#1614 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 53%
Average SAT: 1035
Average ACT: 20
Net Price: $36,581

27. Limestone College

Gaffney

#1531 in the United States

#1616 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 89%
Net Price: $23,478
Receiving Aid: 98%
Average Aid: $19,016

28. Coker College

Hartsville

#1621 in the United States

#1707 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 94%
Net Price: $19,345
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $25,519

29. Columbia International University

Columbia

#1626 in the United States

#1712 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 48%
Average SAT: 1093
Average ACT: 21
Net Price: $19,911

30. Allen University

Columbia

#1635 in the United States

#1722 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 43%
Net Price: $13,774
Receiving Aid: 99%
Average Aid: $11,268

31. North Greenville University

Tigerville

#1673 in the United States

#1760 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 76%
Net Price: $11,705
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $26,941

32. Sherman College of Chiropractic

Spartanburg

#1699 in the United States

#1786 in North America

Enrollment: 375
Male:Female: 47:53

33. Southern Wesleyan University

Central

#1733 in the United States

#1820 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 51%
Average SAT: 1087
Average ACT: 21
Net Price: $17,639

34. Charleston School of Law

Charleston

#1902 in the United States

#1993 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 39%
Enrollment: 619
Male:Female: 38:62

35. Morris College

Sumter

#1933 in the United States

#2025 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Net Price: $18,829
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $10,274

36. Clinton College

Rock Hill

#2263 in the United States

#2363 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Net Price: $15,486
Receiving Aid: 82%
Average Aid: $5,679

37. W L Bonner College

Columbia

#2422 in the United States

#2523 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%

State	Universities Unis	Best university country rank Best uni rank
North Carolina	65	24
Georgia	63	44
Virginia	63	41
Tennessee	56	50
Kentucky	38	60
Alabama	33	84
West Virginia	26	112
District of Columbia	15	56
Florida	109	22
Maryland	34	9
Ohio	90	18
Delaware	5	90
Indiana	55	39
Pennsylvania	155	12
Mississippi	18	133
New Jersey	47	23
Illinois	100	15
Arkansas	24	127
Louisiana	27	79
Connecticut	28	11
New York	221	4
Missouri	67	38
Rhode Island	12	49
Michigan	62	3
Massachusetts	88	1
Vermont	17	109
Iowa	39	47
Wisconsin	47	13
New Hampshire	16	77
Oklahoma	31	100
Kansas	32	75
Maine	19	152
Minnesota	48	14
Texas	119	26
Nebraska	23	68
South Dakota	15	233
North Dakota	14	182
Colorado	38	46
Puerto Rico	52	373
New Mexico	12	81
US Virgin Islands	1	811
Wyoming	1	141
Utah	20	40
Arizona	25	34
Montana	12	153
Idaho	10	148
Nevada	10	130
California	249	2
Oregon	31	63
Washington	57	8
Alaska	6	181
Hawaii	10	160
American Samoa	1	1702
Northern Mariana Islands	1	1594
Guam	2	614

Closest to South Carolina states