2026 Best Value Economics Schools in South Carolina
[Economics](/majors/social-sciences/economics/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong economics education at a price that pays off.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 11 schools to find the best return on investment for economics students.
What’s on this page:
2026 Best Value Economics Schools in South Carolina
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the economics degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Economics Schools
For return on investment in economics, no school beat College Of Charleston 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, with out-of-state students paying around $38,296. Economics graduates carry a median of $24,733 in student loans. Economics graduates of College Of Charleston earn a median of $40,222 early in their careers. Set against $24,733 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 60% of applicants are accepted.
Clemson University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in economics, landing the #2 spot this year. Located in the suburb of Clemson, Clemson University is a very large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $15,554, with out-of-state students paying around $40,866. Economics graduates carry a median of $22,250 in student loans. Economics graduates of Clemson University earn a median of $45,075 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 38% of applicants are accepted.
Students looking for strong value in economics will find it at University Of South Carolina Columbia, which ranked #3. 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, while out-of-state students pay about $36,298. Economics graduates carry a median of $24,062 in student loans. Soon after graduation, economics degree recipients from University Of South Carolina Columbia generally make around $48,149. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. University Of South Carolina Columbia admits about 60% of applicants.
Wofford College came in at #4 on our 2026 list of the best value economics schools. Wofford College is a small private not-for-profit school located in the city of Spartanburg. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $56,005. Students borrow a median of $24,643 to complete the economics program here. Early-career economics graduates make about $41,052. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 52%.
Furman University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in economics, landing the #5 spot this year. Furman University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Greenville. Students from in state pay about $59,770 in tuition and fees. Typical student debt for economics graduates is $24,125. Soon after graduation, economics degree recipients from Furman University generally make around $55,615. That is a strong return on a $24,125 median debt. Furman University admits about 43% of applicants.
Notes and References
The ranking above is published 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 · 11 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 4 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.
