2026 Best Value Political Science & Government Schools in South Carolina
[Political Science & Government](/majors/social-sciences/political-science-and-government/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong political science & government education at a price that pays off.
College Factual analyzed 26 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best value political science & government schools.
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2026 Best Value Political Science & Government Schools in South Carolina
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the political science & government degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Political Science & Government Schools
University Of South Carolina Upstate earned the #1 spot for value among political science & government schools in South Carolina. University Of South Carolina Upstate is a moderately-sized public school located in the suburb of Spartanburg. In-state tuition and fees average $11,588, with out-of-state students paying around $23,090. Political Science & Government graduates carry a median of $30,000 in student loans. Soon after graduation, political science & government degree recipients from University Of South Carolina Upstate generally make around $35,798. Set against $30,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. University Of South Carolina Upstate admits about 67% of applicants.
Coastal Carolina University came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best value political science & government schools. Set in the city of Conway, Coastal Carolina University is a large public institution. Students from in state pay about $11,640 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $29,628. Political Science & Government graduates carry a median of $26,000 in student loans. Soon after graduation, political science & government degree recipients from Coastal Carolina University generally make around $29,924. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Coastal Carolina University admits about 75% of applicants.
Students looking for strong value in political science & government will find it at Lander University, which ranked #3. Located in the town of Greenwood, Lander University is a mid-sized public university. Students from in state pay about $11,700 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $21,300. Political Science & Government graduates carry a median of $23,718 in student loans. Early-career political science & government graduates make about $37,548. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Lander University admits about 81% of applicants.
Francis Marion University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in political science & government, landing the #4 spot this year. Set in the rural area of Florence, Francis Marion University is a mid-sized public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $11,170, compared with $21,544 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for political science & government graduates is $27,000. Political Science & Government graduates of Francis Marion University earn a median of $24,289 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $27,000 median debt. Francis Marion University admits about 86% of applicants.
Winthrop University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in political science & government, landing the #5 spot this year. Located in the city of Rock Hill, Winthrop University is a moderately-sized public university. 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 political science & government graduates is $27,000. Early-career political science & government graduates make about $21,165. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Winthrop University admits about 79% of applicants.
College Of Charleston placed #6 among the best values for political science & government. Located in the city of Charleston, College Of Charleston is a large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $12,978, with out-of-state students paying around $38,296. Typical student debt for political science & government graduates is $26,000. Political Science & Government graduates of College Of Charleston earn a median of $35,398 early in their careers. Set against $26,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. College Of Charleston admits about 60% of applicants.
Presbyterian College came in at #7 for value in political science & government this year. Set in the town of Clinton, Presbyterian College is a small private not-for-profit institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $44,910. Political Science & Government graduates carry a median of $27,000 in student loans. Political Science & Government graduates of Presbyterian College earn a median of $34,712 early in their careers. Set against $27,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Presbyterian College admits about 68% of applicants.
Citadel Military College Of South Carolina placed #8 among the best values for political science & government. 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, compared with $38,508 for out-of-state students. Political Science & Government graduates carry a median of $20,817 in student loans. Political Science & Government graduates of Citadel Military College Of South Carolina earn a median of $44,992 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $20,817 median debt. The acceptance rate is 23%.
Clemson University placed #9 among the best values for political science & government. 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. Students borrow a median of $21,000 to complete the political science & government program here. Early-career political science & government graduates make about $28,041. That is a strong return on a $21,000 median debt. Roughly 38% of applicants are accepted.
University Of South Carolina Columbia landed the #10 spot for political science & government value this year. Located in the city of Columbia, University Of South Carolina Columbia is a very large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $12,688, while out-of-state students pay about $36,298. Typical student debt for political science & government graduates is $25,000. Soon after graduation, political science & government degree recipients from University Of South Carolina Columbia generally make around $33,157. Set against $25,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 60%.
Wofford College ranked #11 on our 2026 list of the best value political science & government schools. Wofford College is a small private not-for-profit school located in the city of Spartanburg. Students from in state pay about $56,005 in tuition and fees. Students borrow a median of $26,825 to complete the political science & government program here. Political Science & Government graduates of Wofford College earn a median of $34,277 early in their careers. Set against $26,825 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Wofford College admits about 52% of applicants.
Furman University ranked #12 on our 2026 list of the best value political science & government schools. 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. Typical student debt for political science & government graduates is $27,000. Early-career political science & government graduates make about $34,473. Set against $27,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 43% of applicants are accepted.
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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 · 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.
