2026 Best Value Chemical Engineering Schools in South Carolina
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the chemical engineering degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Chemical Engineering Schools
Our analysis ranked Clemson University the best value for a degree in chemical engineering in South Carolina. Set in the suburb of Clemson, Clemson University is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $15,554 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $40,866. Chemical Engineering graduates carry a median of $21,450 in student loans. Early-career chemical engineering graduates make about $75,951. That is a strong return on a $21,450 median debt. The acceptance rate is 38%.
University Of South Carolina Columbia is a great value for students pursuing a degree in chemical engineering, landing the #2 spot this year. Located in the city of Columbia, University Of South Carolina Columbia is a very large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $12,688, with out-of-state students paying around $36,298. Students borrow a median of $27,000 to complete the chemical engineering program here. Soon after graduation, chemical engineering degree recipients from University Of South Carolina Columbia generally make around $75,680. That is a strong return on a $27,000 median debt. University Of South Carolina Columbia admits about 60% of applicants.
Notes and References
This list is compiled 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 · 2 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 2 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.
[Chemical Engineering](/majors/engineering/chemical-engineering/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
