Colleges in South Carolina: ACT scores and what they really cost.

35 four-year colleges in South Carolina, 19 of which publish an admitted ACT range. The lowest average net price among SC schools is $10,972 a year at Allen University, after grant and scholarship aid. Sorted cheapest first. All figures from the U.S. Department of Education.

Browse South Carolina colleges by ACT score
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35 colleges

Allen University

Columbia, SC · Private
$10,972/yr
average net price after aid
Admitted ACT
ACT accepted
Admit rate
73%
Undergrads
576

Francis Marion University

Florence, SC · Public
$11,386/yr
average net price after aid
Admitted ACT
16–24
Admit rate
86%
Undergrads
2,628

Clinton College

Rock Hill, SC · Private
$11,458/yr
average net price after aid
Admitted ACT
ACT accepted
Admit rate
Undergrads
126

University of South Carolina Aiken

Aiken, SC · Public
$11,641/yr
average net price after aid
Admitted ACT
19–26
Admit rate
79%
Undergrads
2,962

Voorhees University

Denmark, SC · Private
$13,335/yr
average net price after aid
Admitted ACT
ACT accepted
Admit rate
Undergrads
440

University of South Carolina-Upstate

Spartanburg, SC · Public
$13,557/yr
average net price after aid
Admitted ACT
21–26
Admit rate
67%
Undergrads
4,038

Coastal Carolina University

Conway, SC · Public
$13,966/yr
average net price after aid
Admitted ACT
21–26
Admit rate
75%
Undergrads
10,377

University of South Carolina Beaufort

Bluffton, SC · Public
$14,656/yr
average net price after aid
Admitted ACT
ACT accepted
Admit rate
73%
Undergrads
2,052

Winthrop University

Rock Hill, SC · Public
$15,343/yr
average net price after aid
Admitted ACT
20–27
Admit rate
79%
Undergrads
3,523

Lander University

Greenwood, SC · Public
$15,363/yr
average net price after aid
Admitted ACT
16–23
Admit rate
81%
Undergrads
3,397

Southern Wesleyan University

Central, SC · Private
$15,464/yr
average net price after aid
Admitted ACT
22–28
Admit rate
100%
Undergrads
747

Erskine College

Due West, SC · Private
$16,525/yr
average net price after aid
Admitted ACT
ACT accepted
Admit rate
63%
Undergrads
766

Bob Jones University

Greenville, SC · Private
$16,641/yr
average net price after aid
Admitted ACT
ACT accepted
Admit rate
Undergrads
2,005

Claflin University

Orangeburg, SC · Private
$17,800/yr
average net price after aid
Admitted ACT
ACT accepted
Admit rate
65%
Undergrads
1,706

Strayer University-South Carolina

Greenville, SC · Private, for-profit
$17,979/yr
average net price after aid
Admitted ACT
ACT accepted
Admit rate
Undergrads
1,868

South Carolina State University

Orangeburg, SC · Public
$18,097/yr
average net price after aid
Admitted ACT
ACT accepted
Admit rate
83%
Undergrads
2,934

Benedict College

Columbia, SC · Private
$18,250/yr
average net price after aid
Admitted ACT
ACT accepted
Admit rate
96%
Undergrads
1,536

Columbia College

Columbia, SC · Private
$18,408/yr
average net price after aid
Admitted ACT
ACT accepted
Admit rate
94%
Undergrads
1,343

Wofford College

Spartanburg, SC · Private
$18,732/yr
average net price after aid
Admitted ACT
27–31
Admit rate
52%
Undergrads
1,816

College of Charleston

Charleston, SC · Public
$18,960/yr
average net price after aid
Admitted ACT
25–30
Admit rate
60%
Undergrads
10,558

Coker University

Hartsville, SC · Private
$20,286/yr
average net price after aid
Admitted ACT
ACT accepted
Admit rate
94%
Undergrads
840

Presbyterian College

Clinton, SC · Private
$20,528/yr
average net price after aid
Admitted ACT
21–26
Admit rate
68%
Undergrads
852

Morris College

Sumter, SC · Private
$20,555/yr
average net price after aid
Admitted ACT
ACT accepted
Admit rate
Undergrads
383

Citadel Military College of South Carolina

Charleston, SC · Public
$20,723/yr
average net price after aid
Admitted ACT
22–27
Admit rate
23%
Undergrads
2,705

North Greenville University

Tigerville, SC · Private
$21,063/yr
average net price after aid
Admitted ACT
20–28
Admit rate
67%
Undergrads
1,819

Newberry College

Newberry, SC · Private
$21,656/yr
average net price after aid
Admitted ACT
ACT accepted
Admit rate
90%
Undergrads
1,479

Charleston Southern University

Charleston, SC · Private
$21,666/yr
average net price after aid
Admitted ACT
18–24
Admit rate
96%
Undergrads
2,893

Clemson University

Clemson, SC · Public
$22,253/yr
average net price after aid
Admitted ACT
28–32
Admit rate
38%
Undergrads
23,300

University of South Carolina-Columbia

Columbia, SC · Public
$22,811/yr
average net price after aid
Admitted ACT
26–32
Admit rate
60%
Undergrads
29,820

Converse University

Spartanburg, SC · Private
$23,283/yr
average net price after aid
Admitted ACT
19–26
Admit rate
68%
Undergrads
1,173

Anderson University

Anderson, SC · Private
$23,544/yr
average net price after aid
Admitted ACT
22–29
Admit rate
55%
Undergrads
3,183

Columbia International University

Columbia, SC · Private
$26,036/yr
average net price after aid
Admitted ACT
ACT accepted
Admit rate
94%
Undergrads
716

South University-Columbia

Columbia, SC · Private, for-profit
$27,693/yr
average net price after aid
Admitted ACT
ACT accepted
Admit rate
Undergrads
450

Furman University

Greenville, SC · Private
$30,308/yr
average net price after aid
Admitted ACT
28–32
Admit rate
43%
Undergrads
2,379

American College of the Building Arts

Charleston, SC · Private
$30,403/yr
average net price after aid
Admitted ACT
20–27
Admit rate
44%
Undergrads
155

Net price is total cost of attendance (tuition, fees, housing, books) minus grant and scholarship aid, for students receiving federal aid. Admitted ACT range is the 25th to 75th percentile of admitted students; schools that do not publish a range may still accept ACT scores. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.

Common questions

How many four-year colleges are in South Carolina?

South Carolina (SC) has 35 four-year colleges reporting an average net price to the U.S. Department of Education. 19 of them publish an admitted ACT score range; the rest are test-optional or do not report one, though they may still accept ACT scores.

What is the cheapest college in South Carolina?

By average net price after grant and scholarship aid, Allen University in Columbia is the least expensive four-year college in South Carolina at $10,972 a year. Net price is the total cost of attendance minus aid that does not need to be repaid, for students receiving federal aid. What a specific family pays varies by household income.

Are public colleges cheaper than private colleges in South Carolina?

Usually, but not always. Among South Carolina's 12 public colleges the median net price is $15,363 a year, against $20,286 across 23 private colleges. Private schools often discount heavily through grant aid, so a private college can cost a specific family less than a public one despite a far higher sticker price.

Does household income change what college costs in South Carolina?

Substantially. Across South Carolina colleges the median net price is $14,555 a year for a family earning under $30,000 and $23,972 for one earning over $110,000, at the same schools. The average price a college publishes blends every income level together, so it may be far from what any particular family pays.