31 Best Political Science schools in South Carolina

Updated: March 15, 2026

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 1.9M citations received by 68.7K 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: 60%
Average SAT: 1270
Average ACT: 29
Receiving Aid: 94%

2. Clemson University

Clemson

For Political Science

#125 in the United States

#145 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 38%
Average SAT: 1325
Average ACT: 30
Receiving Aid: 86%

3. Medical University of South Carolina

Charleston

For Political Science

#148 in the United States

#171 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 56%
Enrollment: 3,246
Male:Female: 27:73
Founded: 1824

4. Anderson University - South Carolina

Anderson

For Political Science

#273 in the United States

#305 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 55%
Average SAT: 1190
Average ACT: 26
Net Price: $24,434

5. College of Charleston

Charleston

For Political Science

#291 in the United States

#324 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 60%
Average SAT: 1225
Average ACT: 28
Receiving Aid: 95%

6. Winthrop University

Rock Hill

For Political Science

#546 in the United States

#602 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 79%
Average SAT: 1115
Average ACT: 24
Receiving Aid: 99%

7. Furman

Greenville

For Political Science

#557 in the United States

#614 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 43%
Average SAT: 1345
Average ACT: 30
Net Price: $34,086

8. Coastal Carolina University

Conway

For Political Science

#590 in the United States

#648 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 75%
Average SAT: 1135
Average ACT: 24
Receiving Aid: 97%

9. Citadel Military College of South Carolina

Charleston

For Political Science

#638 in the United States

#701 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 23%
Average SAT: 1185
Average ACT: 25
Receiving Aid: 90%

10. Columbia College - South Carolina

Columbia

For Political Science

#796 in the United States

#866 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 94%
Net Price: $18,790
Receiving Aid: 98%
Average Aid: $16,451

11. University of South Carolina - Upstate

Spartanburg

For Political Science

#799 in the United States

#869 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 67%
Average SAT: 1090
Average ACT: 24
Receiving Aid: 98%

12. Lander University

Greenwood

For Political Science

#802 in the United States

#872 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 81%
Average SAT: 1064
Average ACT: 20
Receiving Aid: 99%

13. University of South Carolina - Aiken

Aiken

For Political Science

#815 in the United States

#886 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 79%
Average SAT: 1100
Average ACT: 23
Receiving Aid: 96%

14. Francis Marion University

Florence

For Political Science

#897 in the United States

#968 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 86%
Average SAT: 993
Average ACT: 20
Receiving Aid: 98%

15. University of South Carolina - Beaufort

Bluffton

For Political Science

#1048 in the United States

#1124 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 73%
Receiving Aid: 92%
Average Aid: $8,692
Enrollment: 2,208

16. South Carolina State University

Orangeburg

For Political Science

#1054 in the United States

#1130 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 83%
Receiving Aid: 96%
Average Aid: $11,579
Enrollment: 3,242

17. Presbyterian College

Clinton

For Political Science

#1103 in the United States

#1180 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 68%
Average SAT: 1090
Average ACT: 24
Net Price: $20,840

18. Benedict College

Columbia

For Political Science

#1204 in the United States

#1281 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 96%
Net Price: $18,665
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $13,335

19. Converse College

Spartanburg

For Political Science

#1261 in the United States

#1340 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 68%
Average SAT: 1130
Average ACT: 23
Net Price: $19,061

20. Wofford College

Spartanburg

For Political Science

#1262 in the United States

#1341 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 52%
Average SAT: 1271
Average ACT: 29
Net Price: $30,481

21. Charleston Southern University

Charleston

For Political Science

#1315 in the United States

#1394 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 96%
Average SAT: 1045
Average ACT: 21
Net Price: $21,080

22. Claflin University

Orangeburg

For Political Science

#1377 in the United States

#1458 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 65%
Net Price: $17,272
Receiving Aid: 98%
Average Aid: $16,596

23. Erskine College

Due West

For Political Science

#1380 in the United States

#1462 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 63%
Net Price: $23,882
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $31,174

24. Allen University

Columbia

For Political Science

#1420 in the United States

#1503 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 73%
Net Price: $11,182
Receiving Aid: 97%
Average Aid: $12,927

25. Coker College

Hartsville

For Political Science

#1437 in the United States

#1521 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 94%
Net Price: $19,823
Receiving Aid: 98%
Average Aid: $26,449

26. Charleston School of Law

Charleston

For Political Science

#1441 in the United States

#1525 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 39%
Enrollment: 692
Male:Female: 31:69

27. Newberry College

Newberry

For Political Science

#1483 in the United States

#1571 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 90%
Net Price: $21,943
Receiving Aid: 97%
Average Aid: $24,461

28. Voorhees College

Denmark

For Political Science

#1525 in the United States

#1614 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Net Price: $13,307
Receiving Aid: 100%
Average Aid: $12,239

29. Bob Jones University

Greenville

For Political Science

#1541 in the United States

#1630 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 100%
Net Price: $19,624
Receiving Aid: 93%
Average Aid: $17,161

30. Limestone College

Gaffney

For Political Science

#1599 in the United States

#1688 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 97%
Net Price: $19,369
Receiving Aid: 99%
Average Aid: $21,504

31. Columbia International University

Columbia

For Political Science

#1600 in the United States

#1689 in North America

Acceptance Rate: 94%
Net Price: $26,056
Receiving Aid: 95%
Average Aid: $17,009

State	Universities Unis	Best university country rank Best uni rank
North Carolina	47	20
Georgia	50	45
Virginia	42	32
Tennessee	37	46
Kentucky	28	63
Alabama	26	97
West Virginia	17	123
District of Columbia	12	41
Florida	64	34
Maryland	28	13
Ohio	63	19
Delaware	4	86
Indiana	35	39
Pennsylvania	101	8
Mississippi	14	178
New Jersey	28	21
Illinois	78	9
Arkansas	17	130
Louisiana	26	84
Connecticut	21	7
New York	139	5
Missouri	40	43
Rhode Island	9	66
Michigan	43	2
Massachusetts	71	1
Vermont	11	129
Iowa	31	49
Wisconsin	34	16
New Hampshire	12	75
Oklahoma	20	92
Kansas	17	68
Maine	14	227
Minnesota	29	18
Texas	82	22
Nebraska	13	83
South Dakota	9	338
North Dakota	8	229
Colorado	22	57
Puerto Rico	13	527
New Mexico	8	105
Utah	11	50
Arizona	10	24
Montana	8	202
Idaho	7	240
Nevada	6	133
California	133	3
Oregon	19	106
Washington	32	6
Alaska	4	331
Hawaii	7	113