Paying for college · South Carolina
What college really costs in South Carolina
Average yearly net price after grants at 81 four-year colleges, lowest first. The figure for families earning under $30,000 shows how far need-based aid goes at each school.
South Carolina state grants
- South Carolina Need-Based Grant: Set each year by the state and awarded by your college; at the University of South Carolina it is $100 to $1,500 per semester
- LIFE Scholarship: Up to $5,000 a year at a four-year college ($4,700 for tuition plus $300 for books); up to $7,500 for eligible science and math majors from the second year. The state sets the amount each year.
- Federal Pell Grant: up to $7,395 a year (2026–27)
Working while you study
$7.25/hour minimum wage
South Carolina has no state minimum wage law, so the federal minimum wage applies.
All four-year colleges in South Carolina
| College | Avg net price | Income under $30k | Graduate | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Horry-Georgetown Technical CollegeConway · public | $787 | $795 | — | $13,464 |
| Central Carolina Technical CollegeSumter · public | $1,232 | — | — | $12,775 |
| Spartanburg Community CollegeSpartanburg · public | $2,954 | $3,017 | — | $8,811 |
| Williamsburg Technical CollegeKingstree · public | $3,532 | — | — | — |
| Piedmont Technical CollegeGreenwood · public | $4,747 | — | — | $19,000 |
| York Technical CollegeRock Hill · public | $4,979 | $4,965 | — | $5,750 |
| Aiken Technical CollegeGraniteville · public | $5,543 | $5,265 | — | $15,650 |
| Midlands Technical CollegeWest Columbia · public | $5,745 | $5,210 | — | $10,812 |
| Orangeburg Calhoun Technical CollegeOrangeburg · public | $6,267 | $6,540 | — | $14,493 |
| Florence-Darlington Technical CollegeFlorence · public | $6,944 | — | — | $9,500 |
| Strand College of Hair DesignMyrtle Beach · private | $8,871 | $7,090 | — | — |
| Vski Cosmetology SchoolCharleston · private | $8,906 | — | — | — |
| Academy for Careers and TechnologyMullins · public | $8,995 | — | — | — |
| Spartanburg Methodist CollegeSpartanburg · private | $9,138 | $9,193 | 44% | $12,000 |
| Northeastern Technical CollegeCheraw · public | $9,484 | — | — | — |
| Greenville Technical CollegeGreenville · public | $10,029 | $10,112 | 17% | $15,533 |
| University of South Carolina-UnionUnion · public | $10,545 | $9,428 | — | $11,000 |
| University of South Carolina-SalkehatchieAllendale · public | $10,749 | $8,999 | — | $10,250 |
| University of South Carolina-LancasterLancaster · public | $10,750 | $8,763 | — | $9,277 |
| Francis Marion UniversityFlorence · public | $10,890 | $10,228 | 38% | $25,000 |
| University of South Carolina-SumterSumter · public | $11,119 | $8,819 | — | $8,609 |
| Academy of Hair TechnologyGreenville · private | $11,409 | — | — | $3,550 |
| Tri-County Technical CollegePendleton · public | $12,368 | $11,009 | — | $9,350 |
| Allen UniversityColumbia · private | $12,389 | $12,248 | 25% | $29,000 |
| Kenneth Shuler School of Cosmetology-Goose CreekGoose Creek · private | $13,770 | $12,738 | — | $6,260 |
| Voorhees UniversityDenmark · private | $14,187 | — | 25% | $16,904 |
| University of South Carolina AikenAiken · public | $14,565 | $12,555 | 44% | $22,132 |
| Bob Jones UniversityGreenville · private | $14,632 | $13,197 | 71% | $15,750 |
| Kenneth Shuler School of Cosmetology and Nails-ColumbiaWest Columbia · private | $14,672 | — | — | $6,260 |
| Kenneth Shuler School of Cosmetology-SpartanburgSpartanburg · private | $14,988 | — | — | $6,260 |
| Coastal Carolina UniversityConway · public | $15,287 | $11,069 | 54% | $22,312 |
| Paul Mitchell the School-GreenvilleGreenville · private | $15,592 | $15,661 | — | $9,500 |
| University of South Carolina-UpstateSpartanburg · public | $15,680 | $13,501 | 43% | $21,234 |
| Southern Wesleyan UniversityCentral · private | $16,041 | $16,818 | 52% | $24,194 |
| Southeastern Esthetics InstituteElgin · private | $16,051 | — | — | $6,333 |
| Winthrop UniversityRock Hill · public | $16,375 | $13,290 | 52% | $25,500 |
| Kenneth Shuler School of Cosmetology-Rock HillRock Hill · private | $16,385 | — | — | $6,109 |
| Lander UniversityGreenwood · public | $16,659 | $14,542 | 50% | $21,847 |
| Technical College of the LowcountryBeaufort · public | $16,785 | — | — | $10,500 |
| Charleston Cosmetology InstituteCharleston · private | $17,285 | — | — | $7,390 |
| Benedict CollegeColumbia · private | $17,734 | $16,910 | 43% | $27,000 |
| LeGrand Institute of Cosmetology IncCamden · private | $17,735 | — | — | — |
| Denmark Technical CollegeDenmark · public | $17,875 | — | — | $6,500 |
| South Carolina State UniversityOrangeburg · public | $18,030 | $16,960 | 32% | $26,964 |
| Kenneth Shuler School of Cosmetology-GreenvilleGreenville · private | $18,172 | $16,344 | — | $6,109 |
| College of CharlestonCharleston · public | $18,177 | $14,245 | 65% | $20,500 |
| Clinton CollegeRock Hill · private | $18,255 | — | 68% | $29,500 |
| Kenneth Shuler School of Cosmetology-North AugustaNorth Augusta · private | $18,257 | — | — | $7,382 |
| Paul Mitchell the School-CharlestonNorth Charleston · private | $18,287 | $16,540 | — | $9,500 |
| Columbia International UniversityColumbia · private | $18,951 | $17,759 | 50% | $21,000 |
| Claflin UniversityOrangeburg · private | $19,710 | $18,811 | 47% | $27,000 |
| Kenneth Shuler School of Cosmetology-FlorenceFlorence · private | $19,805 | — | — | $7,382 |
| Erskine CollegeDue West · private | $19,826 | $18,531 | 34% | $26,000 |
| Presbyterian CollegeClinton · private | $20,154 | $19,817 | 52% | $23,250 |
| University of South Carolina BeaufortBluffton · public | $20,646 | $17,414 | 39% | $21,930 |
| Charleston Southern UniversityCharleston · private | $20,661 | $17,825 | 50% | $22,500 |
| Columbia CollegeColumbia · private | $21,611 | $21,039 | 41% | $21,944 |
| Citadel Military College of South CarolinaCharleston · public | $22,019 | $17,669 | 79% | $18,500 |
| Clemson UniversityClemson · public | $22,032 | $14,943 | 88% | $19,500 |
| Newberry CollegeNewberry · private | $22,104 | $20,796 | 42% | $22,500 |
| University of South Carolina-ColumbiaColumbia · public | $22,197 | $13,832 | 79% | $20,500 |
| North Greenville UniversityTigerville · private | $22,235 | $22,102 | 54% | $21,500 |
| Strayer University-South CarolinaGreenville · private | $22,593 | — | 33% | $39,188 |
| Paul Mitchell the School-ColumbiaWest Columbia · private | $22,941 | $21,444 | — | $9,500 |
| Wofford CollegeSpartanburg · private | $23,144 | $15,158 | 80% | $25,000 |
| Converse UniversitySpartanburg · private | $23,526 | $23,971 | 44% | $24,500 |
| Anderson UniversityAnderson · private | $24,068 | $20,877 | 72% | $21,500 |
| Top of the Line Barber CollegeCharleston · private | $24,269 | — | — | $16,500 |
| Coker UniversityHartsville · private | $24,908 | $22,528 | 36% | $23,111 |
| South University-ColumbiaColumbia · private | $25,119 | — | 6% | $26,417 |
| Morris CollegeSumter · private | $25,203 | — | 22% | $25,150 |
| Fortis College-ColumbiaColumbia · private | $26,416 | $26,172 | — | $12,667 |
| Barber Tech Academy-ColumbiaColumbia · private | $26,939 | — | — | $13,000 |
| Personal Touch Beauty and Barber CollegeKingstree · private | $27,020 | — | — | — |
| Galen Health Institutes-Myrtle BeachMyrtle Beach · private | $27,421 | — | — | $22,134 |
| ArclabsPiedmont · private | $28,727 | $28,697 | — | $8,945 |
| Furman UniversityGreenville · private | $31,764 | $17,649 | 74% | $21,500 |
| Southeastern College-CharlestonNorth Charleston · private | $32,853 | $32,269 | — | $9,500 |
| Southeastern College-ColumbiaColumbia · private | $34,183 | — | — | $15,072 |
| American College of the Building ArtsCharleston · private | $34,661 | $28,212 | 72% | $27,000 |
| Barber Tech AcademyOrangeburg · private | $35,299 | — | — | $13,000 |
Linked colleges have a full funding guide. More are added every week.
Short of what aid covers?
Students in South Carolina use My Study Fund to collect monthly support from family, friends and mentors, and receive every dollar.
Sources
U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard and IPEDS; state program pages linked above, checked 2026-10-28. Four-year, campus-based public and private nonprofit colleges with complete net-price data.