2026 Best Value Political Science Schools in South Carolina
[Political Science](/majors/social-sciences/political-science-and-government/political-science/) 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.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 26 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for political science students.
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2026 Best Value Political Science Schools in South Carolina
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in political science, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Political Science Schools
For return on investment in political science, no school beat University Of South Carolina Upstate this year. Located in the suburb of Spartanburg, University Of South Carolina Upstate is a moderately-sized public university. In-state tuition and fees average $11,588, while out-of-state students pay about $23,090. Students borrow a median of $30,000 to complete the political science program here. Political Science graduates of University Of South Carolina Upstate earn a median of $35,798 early in their careers. Set against $30,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 67% of applicants are accepted.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Coastal Carolina University earned it the #2 place for political science. Coastal Carolina University is a large public school located in the city of Conway. In-state tuition and fees average $11,640, compared with $29,628 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for political science graduates is $26,000. Political Science graduates of Coastal Carolina University earn a median of $29,924 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $26,000 median debt. Roughly 75% of applicants are accepted.
Lander University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in political science, landing the #3 spot this year. Located in the town of Greenwood, Lander University is a mid-sized public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $11,700, while out-of-state students pay about $21,300. Political Science graduates carry a median of $23,718 in student loans. Soon after graduation, political science degree recipients from Lander University generally make around $37,548. Set against $23,718 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 81% of applicants are accepted.
Students looking for strong value in political science will find it at Francis Marion University, which ranked #4. Located in the rural area of Florence, Francis Marion University is a mid-sized public university. Students from in state pay about $11,170 in tuition and fees, compared with $21,544 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for political science graduates is $27,000. Soon after graduation, political science degree recipients from Francis Marion University generally make around $24,289. That is a strong return on a $27,000 median debt. Roughly 86% of applicants are accepted.
Winthrop University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in political science, landing the #5 spot this year. Set in the city of Rock Hill, Winthrop University is a moderately-sized public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $14,678, while out-of-state students pay about $28,676. Typical student debt for political science graduates is $27,000. Early-career political science graduates make about $21,165. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 79% of applicants are accepted.
College Of Charleston landed the #6 spot for political science value this year. Set in the city of Charleston, College Of Charleston is a large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $12,978, with out-of-state students paying around $38,296. Students borrow a median of $26,000 to complete the political science program here. Soon after graduation, political science degree recipients from College Of Charleston generally make around $35,398. That is a strong return on a $26,000 median debt. College Of Charleston admits about 60% of applicants.
Presbyterian College earned the #7 position for value in political science this year. Set in the town of Clinton, Presbyterian College is a small private not-for-profit institution. Students from in state pay about $44,910 in tuition and fees. Students borrow a median of $27,000 to complete the political science program here. Political Science graduates of Presbyterian College earn a median of $34,712 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $27,000 median debt. Presbyterian College admits about 68% of applicants.
Citadel Military College Of South Carolina placed #8 among the best values for political science. Citadel Military College Of South Carolina is a mid-sized public school located in the city of Charleston. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $12,570, with out-of-state students paying around $38,508. Typical student debt for political science graduates is $20,817. Early-career political science graduates make about $44,992. That is a strong return on a $20,817 median debt. Roughly 23% of applicants are accepted.
Clemson University earned the #9 position for value in political science this year. Located in the suburb of Clemson, Clemson University is a very large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $15,554, with out-of-state students paying around $40,866. Typical student debt for political science graduates is $21,000. Soon after graduation, political science degree recipients from Clemson University generally make around $28,041. Set against $21,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 38% of applicants are accepted.
University Of South Carolina Columbia earned the #10 position for value in political science this year. University Of South Carolina Columbia is a very large public school located in the city of Columbia. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $12,688, compared with $36,298 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $25,000 to complete the political science program here. Early-career political science graduates make about $33,157. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 60% of applicants are accepted.
Wofford College placed #11 among the best values for political science. 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 $26,825 to complete the political science program here. Soon after graduation, political science degree recipients from Wofford College generally make around $34,277. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 52%.
Furman University landed the #12 spot for political science value this year. Located in the suburb of Greenville, Furman University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $59,770. Political Science graduates carry a median of $27,000 in student loans. Political Science graduates of Furman University earn a median of $34,473 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 43%.
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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 · 26 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 11 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.
