10 Business colleges in South Carolina with strong social mobility outcomes. Average earnings: $58,784.
These 9 Business programs in South Carolina aren't just accessible—they deliver results. Each school ranks in the 60th percentile or above for social mobility, meaning they actually enroll and graduate low-income students. Then we ranked them by graduate earnings, finding schools that are both accessible AND high-performing.
Citadel Military College Of South Carolina leads the rankings, producing Business graduates earning $72,085 while maintaining a 78th percentile mobility score. Across this list, average graduate earnings reach $59,375—demonstrating that schools serving low-income students can compete on outcomes, not just access.
University Of South Carolina-Upstate serves 46% Pell Grant recipients—students from families earning under $60,000—while still producing graduates earning $48,587. The best mobility schools deliver a double win: Clemson University combines 90th percentile mobility with just a 7% payment burden, landing in the 'Excellent' affordability category.
Earnings: $72,085 | Mobility: 78th percentile
46% Pell students with $48,587 earnings
7% payment burden | Excellent - payment under 8% of discretionary
19% family burden | Challenging - payment 18-25% of discretionary
| Rank | School | Graduate Earnings | Student Debt | Student GPS | Parent Debt | Parent GPS | Mobility |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | $72,085 | $21,096 | Excellent | $33,899 | Manageable | 77th percentile mobility | |
| #2 | Clemson UniversityPublic | $71,513 | $21,500 | Excellent | $35,463 | Manageable | 89th percentile mobility |
| #3 | Wofford CollegePrivate | $68,964 | $25,732 | Excellent | $58,390 | Challenging | 85th percentile mobility |
| #4 | $62,177 | $21,500 | Excellent | $31,393 | Good | 94th percentile mobility | |
| #5 | Presbyterian CollegePrivate | $60,194 | $26,000 | Excellent | $26,491 | Manageable | 75th percentile mobility |
| #6 | College Of CharlestonPublic | $56,416 | $23,250 | Excellent | $35,971 | Challenging | 73th percentile mobility |
| #7 | Erskine CollegePrivate | $53,459 | $27,000 | Good | $19,774 | Challenging | 61th percentile mobility |
| #8 | $48,587 | $22,310 | Excellent | $14,836 | Manageable | 78th percentile mobility | |
| #9 | $47,258 | $23,750 | Good | $35,414 | Challenging | 72th percentile mobility | |
| #10 | Winthrop UniversityPublic | $47,185 | $26,975 | Good | $23,888 | Challenging | 74th percentile mobility |
Our social mobility rankings answer: "Which schools deliver the best outcomes for students from low-income backgrounds?"
This is not simply "which schools admit the most low-income students" — it's which schools both serve low-income students and deliver strong earnings outcomes.
Data based on May 2026 refresh for 2026 rankings, based on Department of Education reporting standards. Learn about our methodology →
