2026 Best Value Physical Sciences Schools in South Carolina
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in physical sciences, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Physical Sciences Schools
Leading the list is Lander University, our #1 best value for physical sciences in South Carolina. Set in the town of Greenwood, Lander University is a mid-sized public institution. Students from in state pay about $11,700 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $21,300. Typical student debt for physical sciences graduates is $26,064. Early-career physical sciences graduates make about $37,548. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Lander University admits about 81% of applicants.
College Of Charleston is a great value for students pursuing a degree in physical sciences, landing the #2 spot this year. Set in the city of Charleston, College Of Charleston is a large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $12,978, while out-of-state students pay about $38,296. Typical student debt for physical sciences graduates is $26,846. Early-career physical sciences graduates make about $44,083. That is a strong return on a $26,846 median debt. The acceptance rate is 60%.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Clemson University earned it the #3 place for physical sciences. Set in the suburb of Clemson, Clemson University is a very large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $15,554, while out-of-state students pay about $40,866. Students borrow a median of $25,000 to complete the physical sciences program here. Soon after graduation, physical sciences degree recipients from Clemson University generally make around $53,834. Set against $25,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 38% of applicants are accepted.
A rank of #4 makes University Of South Carolina Columbia one of the best values for physical sciences. Located in the city of Columbia, University Of South Carolina Columbia is a very large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $12,688, compared with $36,298 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $25,493 to complete the physical sciences program here. Soon after graduation, physical sciences degree recipients from University Of South Carolina Columbia generally make around $59,841. That is a strong return on a $25,493 median debt. University Of South Carolina Columbia admits about 60% of applicants.
Students looking for strong value in physical sciences will find it at Wofford College, which ranked #5. Wofford College is a small private not-for-profit school located in the city of Spartanburg. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $56,005. Students borrow a median of $24,643 to complete the physical sciences program here. Early-career physical sciences graduates make about $41,052. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 52% of applicants are accepted.
Furman University came in at #6 for value in physical sciences this year. Furman University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Greenville. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $59,770. Physical Sciences graduates carry a median of $23,764 in student loans. Early-career physical sciences graduates make about $36,520. Set against $23,764 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Furman University admits about 43% of applicants.
Notes and References
This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 26 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 3 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.
[Physical Sciences](/majors/physical-sciences/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
