Hidden Gem Colleges in South Carolina (2026)
Updated
The South Carolina list includes 8 four-year colleges. This list includes only colleges whose overall score is at or above the 50th percentile nationally and whose admission rate is above 50%; colleges without a reported admission rate are left out.
The colleges that qualify are ordered by overall score, highest first, as set out on Azimuth's methodology page. University of South Carolina-Columbia ranks 1st on this list, reporting $67,741 in median earnings for its graduates four years after completing. The group includes 7 public and 1 private nonprofit institutions.
Public institutions account for 88% of the 8 schools. University of South Carolina Aiken posts the lowest average net price, at $11,641. Wofford College reports the highest six-year completion rate, graduating 84% of its students within six years.
The ranked list
| Rank | School | Median earnings, 4 years after completion | Average net price | Net price, families under $30K | Admission rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of South Carolina-Columbia · Columbia, SC | $67,741 | $22,811 | $12,634 | 60.2% |
| University of South Carolina-Columbia ranks 1st on this list and posts median earnings of $67,741 for its graduates four years after completing, alongside a six-year completion rate of 79%. | |||||
| 2 | University of South Carolina-Upstate · Spartanburg, SC | $55,994 | $13,557 | $11,618 | 67.3% |
| Graduates of University of South Carolina-Upstate four years after completing report median earnings of $55,994, and the school carries an average net price of $13,557. | |||||
| 3 | Wofford College · Spartanburg, SC | $65,763 | $18,732 | $8,493 | 51.9% |
| Wofford College, a private nonprofit college in Spartanburg, admits 52% of applicants and reports median earnings of $65,763 for its graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 4 | University of South Carolina Aiken · Aiken, SC | $53,299 | $11,641 | $8,987 | 78.5% |
| University of South Carolina Aiken holds the lowest average net price on the page at $11,641 and graduates 40% of its students within six years. | |||||
| 5 | College of Charleston · Charleston, SC | $58,354 | $18,960 | $12,133 | 60.0% |
| College of Charleston reports median earnings of $58,354 for its graduates four years after completing and an admission rate of 60%. | |||||
| 6 | Coastal Carolina University · Conway, SC | $52,398 | $13,966 | $9,563 | 75.3% |
| Coastal Carolina University shows a six-year completion rate of 48% and an average net price of $9,563 for families earning under $30,000. | |||||
| 7 | Winthrop University · Rock Hill, SC | $48,693 | $15,343 | $12,608 | 79.3% |
| Winthrop University ranks 696th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions and carries an average net price of $15,343. | |||||
| 8 | South Carolina State University · Orangeburg, SC | $46,691 | $18,097 | $16,846 | 82.6% |
| South Carolina State University admits 83% of applicants and reports median earnings of $46,691 for its graduates four years after completing. | |||||
How this list is ordered
This list includes only colleges whose overall score is at or above the 50th percentile nationally and whose admission rate is above 50%; colleges without a reported admission rate are left out. The colleges that qualify are ordered by overall score, highest first, as set out on Azimuth's methodology page. The earnings figures cited are for federally aided completers across all fields, measured four years after completing, among those working and not enrolled. The list does not measure fit or teaching quality. The list includes 7 public institutions and 1 private nonprofit institution.