31 Best Political Science schools in South Carolina

Updated: March 02, 2025

Ranking by academic field

Below is a list of best universities in South Carolina ranked based on their research performance in Political Science. A graph of 1.8M citations received by 66.8K academic papers made by 31 universities in South Carolina was used to calculate publications' ratings, which then were adjusted for release dates and added to final scores.

We don't distinguish between undergraduate and graduate programs nor do we adjust for current majors offered. You can find information about granted degrees on a university page but always double-check with the university website.

1. University of South Carolina - Columbia

Columbia

For Political Science

#61 in the United States

#72 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 61%
Average SAT: 1280
Average ACT: 29
Receiving Aid: 95%

2. Clemson University

Clemson

For Political Science

#126 in the United States

#147 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 38%
Average SAT: 1310
Average ACT: 30
Receiving Aid: 84%

3. Medical University of South Carolina

Charleston

For Political Science

#149 in the United States

#172 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 56%
Enrollment: 3,117
Male:Female: 28:72
Founded: 1824

4. Anderson University - South Carolina

Anderson

For Political Science

#273 in the United States

#305 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 53%
Average SAT: 1190
Average ACT: 25
Net Price: $22,222

5. College of Charleston

Charleston

For Political Science

#294 in the United States

#329 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 72%
Average SAT: 1215
Average ACT: 27
Receiving Aid: 87%

6. Winthrop University

Rock Hill

For Political Science

#548 in the United States

#603 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 75%
Average SAT: 1115
Average ACT: 23
Receiving Aid: 100%

7. Furman

Greenville

For Political Science

#563 in the United States

#619 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 53%
Average SAT: 1343
Average ACT: 30
Net Price: $32,901

8. Coastal Carolina University

Conway

For Political Science

#601 in the United States

#659 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 80%
Average SAT: 1130
Average ACT: 23
Receiving Aid: 94%

9. Citadel Military College of South Carolina

Charleston

For Political Science

#641 in the United States

#704 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 98%
Average SAT: 1165
Average ACT: 24
Receiving Aid: 89%

10. Columbia College - South Carolina

Columbia

For Political Science

#786 in the United States

#856 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 96%
Net Price: $23,920
Receiving Aid: 99%
Average Aid: $13,961

11. Lander University

Greenwood

For Political Science

#797 in the United States

#867 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 68%
Average SAT: 1060
Average ACT: 21
Receiving Aid: 99%

12. University of South Carolina - Upstate

Spartanburg

For Political Science

#806 in the United States

#877 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 70%
Average SAT: 1085
Average ACT: 22
Receiving Aid: 98%

13. University of South Carolina - Aiken

Aiken

For Political Science

#816 in the United States

#887 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 80%
Average SAT: 1085
Average ACT: 20
Receiving Aid: 99%

14. Francis Marion University

Florence

For Political Science

#894 in the United States

#965 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 82%
Average SAT: 1019
Average ACT: 20
Receiving Aid: 100%

15. South Carolina State University

Orangeburg

For Political Science

#1045 in the United States

#1120 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 82%
Receiving Aid: 97%
Average Aid: $12,130
Enrollment: 3,041

16. University of South Carolina - Beaufort

Bluffton

For Political Science

#1048 in the United States

#1123 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 69%
Receiving Aid: 94%
Average Aid: $7,735
Enrollment: 2,121

17. Presbyterian College

Clinton

For Political Science

#1102 in the United States

#1178 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 72%
Average SAT: 1180
Average ACT: 25
Net Price: $20,058

18. Benedict College

Columbia

For Political Science

#1231 in the United States

#1309 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 67%
Average SAT: 915
Average ACT: 17
Net Price: $18,146

19. Converse College

Spartanburg

For Political Science

#1251 in the United States

#1329 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 64%
Average SAT: 1134
Average ACT: 24
Net Price: $19,438

20. Wofford College

Spartanburg

For Political Science

#1275 in the United States

#1354 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 59%
Average SAT: 1275
Average ACT: 29
Net Price: $31,061

21. Charleston Southern University

Charleston

For Political Science

#1325 in the United States

#1404 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 76%
Average SAT: 1055
Average ACT: 21
Net Price: $21,347

22. Erskine College

Due West

For Political Science

#1375 in the United States

#1456 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 61%
Net Price: $21,982
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $32,409

23. Claflin University

Orangeburg

For Political Science

#1383 in the United States

#1464 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 73%
Net Price: $21,232
Receiving Aid: 98%
Average Aid: $12,306

24. Allen University

Columbia

For Political Science

#1416 in the United States

#1499 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 32%
Net Price: $11,058
Receiving Aid: 98%
Average Aid: $13,755

25. Coker College

Hartsville

For Political Science

#1435 in the United States

#1518 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 97%
Net Price: $18,910
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $25,453

26. Charleston School of Law

Charleston

For Political Science

#1437 in the United States

#1520 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 39%
Enrollment: 675
Male:Female: 32:68

27. Newberry College

Newberry

For Political Science

#1476 in the United States

#1562 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 75%
Average SAT: 940
Average ACT: 21
Net Price: $20,941

28. Voorhees College

Denmark

For Political Science

#1512 in the United States

#1601 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Net Price: $15,747
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $10,086

29. Bob Jones University

Greenville

For Political Science

#1529 in the United States

#1618 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Net Price: $19,773
Receiving Aid: 99%
Average Aid: $14,764

30. Columbia International University

Columbia

For Political Science

#1591 in the United States

#1680 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 98%
Net Price: $21,320
Receiving Aid: 97%
Average Aid: $18,883

31. Limestone College

Gaffney

For Political Science

#1596 in the United States

#1685 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 98%
Net Price: $21,177
Receiving Aid: 98%
Average Aid: $19,792

Closest to South Carolina states to learn Political Science

State	Universities Unis	Best university country rank Best uni rank
North Carolina	47	20
Georgia	50	45
Virginia	42	32
Tennessee	37	47
Kentucky	27	63
Alabama	26	97
West Virginia	17	122
District of Columbia	12	41
Florida	64	34
Maryland	28	14
Ohio	63	19
Delaware	4	86
Indiana	35	39
Pennsylvania	101	8
Mississippi	14	181
New Jersey	28	21
Illinois	78	9
Arkansas	16	131
Louisiana	26	84
Connecticut	21	7
New York	140	5
Missouri	40	43
Rhode Island	9	66
Michigan	43	2
Massachusetts	71	1
Vermont	11	127
Iowa	31	48
Wisconsin	34	16
New Hampshire	12	75
Oklahoma	20	92
Kansas	17	68
Maine	14	229
Minnesota	29	18
Texas	82	22
Nebraska	13	82
South Dakota	9	338
North Dakota	8	230
Colorado	21	57
Puerto Rico	13	528
New Mexico	8	104
Utah	11	50
Arizona	10	24
Montana	8	203
Idaho	7	242
Nevada	6	134
California	133	3
Oregon	19	105
Washington	32	6
Alaska	4	331
Hawaii	7	111