2026 Best Value General Special Education Schools in South Carolina

[General Special Education](/majors/education/special-education/general-special-education/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong general special education education at a price that pays off.
College Factual analyzed 17 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best value general special education schools.
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2026 Best Value General Special Education Schools in South Carolina
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in general special education, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value General Special Education Schools
Coastal Carolina University tops our 2026 list of the best value general special education schools in South Carolina. Located in the city of Conway, Coastal Carolina University is a large public university. Students from in state pay about $11,640 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $29,628. General Special Education graduates carry a median of $27,000 in student loans. General Special Education graduates of Coastal Carolina University earn a median of $45,908 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Coastal Carolina University admits about 75% of applicants.
Lander University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in general special education, landing the #2 spot this year. Lander University is a mid-sized public school located in the town of Greenwood. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $11,700, while out-of-state students pay about $21,300. General Special Education graduates carry a median of $26,064 in student loans. Early-career general special education graduates make about $37,548. That is a strong return on a $26,064 median debt. Roughly 81% of applicants are accepted.
Winthrop University came in at #3 on our 2026 list of the best value general special education schools. Winthrop University is a moderately-sized public school located in the city of Rock Hill. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $14,678, with out-of-state students paying around $28,676. Typical student debt for general special education graduates is $26,717. General Special Education graduates of Winthrop University earn a median of $46,028 early in their careers. Set against $26,717 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 79%.
A rank of #4 makes College Of Charleston one of the best values for general special education. Set in the city of Charleston, College Of Charleston is a large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $12,978, compared with $38,296 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for general special education graduates is $24,025. Soon after graduation, general special education degree recipients from College Of Charleston generally make around $39,832. Set against $24,025 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 60%.
Students looking for strong value in general special education will find it at Clemson University, which ranked #5. Set in the suburb of Clemson, Clemson University is a very large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $15,554, with out-of-state students paying around $40,866. Typical student debt for general special education graduates is $23,783. Soon after graduation, general special education degree recipients from Clemson University generally make around $53,834. Set against $23,783 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 38% of applicants are accepted.
Columbia College South Carolina earned the #6 position for value in general special education this year. Located in the city of Columbia, Columbia College South Carolina is a mid-sized private not-for-profit university. In-state tuition and fees average $20,054. Students borrow a median of $28,158 to complete the general special education program here. General Special Education graduates of Columbia College South Carolina earn a median of $48,339 early in their careers. Set against $28,158 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 94% of applicants are accepted.
University Of South Carolina Columbia landed the #7 spot for general special education value this year. Set in the city of Columbia, University Of South Carolina Columbia is a very large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $12,688, compared with $36,298 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for general special education graduates is $24,472. General Special Education graduates of University Of South Carolina Columbia earn a median of $54,087 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $24,472 median debt. Roughly 60% of applicants are accepted.
More General Special Education Rankings
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 17 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 6 ranked schools only.
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), serves as the core of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
More about our data sources and methodologies.