by our College Data Analytics TeamWith all of the options you have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take when you want to pursue a degree. At College Factual, we're committed to helping you make that decision by providing information such as that found in our Best Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k) in South Carolina ranking. Due to the amount of income-based financial aid available, many 'high-priced' schools are more affordable than you think.
In This Year's Value Report:
We analyzed 44 schools across South Carolina to determine which have the best value programs. Our ranking methodology focuses on different objective factors to make this determination of the best value schools. More specifically, the following explains what we consider and why.
When determining the value of a school in our Best Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k) in South Carolina ranking, we first look at its average net price of a student coming from a family that makes $0-$30k a year. The net price is defined as the sum of room and board, tuition, and fees minus any financial aid that the student receives. In addition, the overall quality of a school is important to ensure a quality education, not just how much it costs.
To make it into this list a school must offer a quality education like the schools in our Best Colleges ranking. This ranking considers factors such as graduation rates, overall graduate earnings and other educational resources to identify great colleges and universities.
To learn more, visit our best value ranking methodology page.
You can scroll down to see the top schools for this ranking, but you may also want to view some of the other ranking methods listed below.
Know what field you want to major in? Make sure you check out our best value schools by major. In addition, you can select one of the links below to see the best value colleges for other degree levels.
Learn more about these excellent schools below:
Our analysis found Trident Technical College to be the best value (income $0-$30k) school in South Carolina in this year’s ranking. Trident Technical College is a fairly large public school located in Charleston, South Carolina.
Trident Technical College has the honor of being ranked #8 in South Carolina for overall quality on top of being a good value. Students from families who make $0-$30k a year pay an annual average net price of $947.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Florence-Darlington Technical College. It ranked #2 on our 2024 Best Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k) in South Carolina list. Florence-Darlington Technical College is located in Florence, South Carolina and has a small student population. It is a public school.
Not only is Florence-Darlington Technical College a great value, but it is also ranked #27 in South Carolina for overall quality. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes $0-$30k per year is $1,943.
Read full value report on Florence-Darlington Technical College
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Aiken Technical College. It ranked #3 on our 2024 Best Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k) in South Carolina list. This small public school is located in Graniteville, South Carolina.
Not only is Aiken Technical College a great value, but it is also ranked #29 in South Carolina for overall quality. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes $0-$30k per year is $2,033.
The quality degree programs at Spartanburg Community College helped the school earn the #4 place on this year’s ranking of Best Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k) in South Carolina. Located in Spartanburg, South Carolina, the school is a medium-sized public institution.
In addition to being included on this ranking as a good value, Spartanburg Community College is ranked #32 for quality in the state of South Carolina. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes $0-$30k per year is $1,690.
The quality degree programs at Tri-County Technical College helped the school earn the #5 place on this year’s ranking of Best Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k) in South Carolina. Pendleton, South Carolina is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. It is a public school.
Tri-County Technical College has the honor of being ranked #26 in South Carolina for overall quality on top of being a good value. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes $0-$30k per year is $2,504.
With a ranking of #6, Midlands Technical College did quite well on the 2024 Best Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k) in South Carolina list. Located in West Columbia, South Carolina, the school is a medium-sized public institution.
In addition to being included on this ranking as a good value, Midlands Technical College is ranked #20 for quality in the state of South Carolina. Students from families who make $0-$30k a year pay an annual average net price of $4,394.
With a ranking of #7, Furman University did quite well on the 2024 Best Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k) in South Carolina list. Furman is located in Greenville, South Carolina and has a small student population. It is a private not-for-profit school.
Not only is Furman University a great value, but it is also ranked #6 in South Carolina for overall quality. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes $0-$30k per year is $9,934.
University of South Carolina - Columbia landed the #8 spot on the 2024 Best Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k) in South Carolina ranking. University of South Carolina - Columbia is a large public school located in Columbia, South Carolina.
University of South Carolina - Columbia has the honor of being ranked #3 in South Carolina for overall quality on top of being a good value. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes $0-$30k per year is $12,610.
Read full value report on University of South Carolina - Columbia
Clemson University did quite well in the 2024 Best Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k) in South Carolina ranking, coming in at #9. Clemson is a large public school situated in Clemson, South Carolina.
In addition to being included on this ranking as a good value, Clemson University is ranked #1 for quality in the state of South Carolina. Students from families who make $0-$30k a year pay an annual average net price of $13,872.
Greenville Technical College came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k) in South Carolina ranking. Greenville, South Carolina is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. It is a public school.
Greenville Technical College has the honor of being ranked #10 in South Carolina for overall quality on top of being a good value. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes $0-$30k per year is $6,979.
York Technical College landed the #11 spot on the 2024 Best Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k) in South Carolina ranking. This small public school is located in Rock Hill, South Carolina.
In addition to being included on this ranking as a good value, York Technical College is ranked #25 for quality in the state of South Carolina. Students from families who make $0-$30k a year pay an annual average net price of $4,189.
Orangeburg Calhoun Technical College ranked #12 on this year’s Best Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k) in South Carolina list. OCtech is a public institution located in Orangeburg, South Carolina.
Not only is Orangeburg Calhoun Technical College a great value, but it is also ranked #22 in South Carolina for overall quality. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes $0-$30k per year is $4,968.
Learn More About Value at Orangeburg Calhoun Technical College
Horry-Georgetown Technical College landed the #13 spot on the 2024 Best Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k) in South Carolina ranking. Horry-Georgetown Technical College is a medium-sized public school located in Conway, South Carolina.
Not only is Horry-Georgetown Technical College a great value, but it is also ranked #38 in South Carolina for overall quality. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes $0-$30k per year is $3,312.
Central Carolina Technical College came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k) in South Carolina ranking. Sumter, South Carolina is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. It is a public school.
In addition to being included on this ranking as a good value, Central Carolina Technical College is ranked #37 for quality in the state of South Carolina. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes $0-$30k per year is $3,771.
Learn More About Value at Central Carolina Technical College
Citadel Military College of South Carolina landed the #15 spot on the 2024 Best Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k) in South Carolina ranking. Citadel Military College of South Carolina is a small public school located in Charleston, South Carolina.
Not only is Citadel Military College of South Carolina a great value, but it is also ranked #5 in South Carolina for overall quality. Students from families who make $0-$30k a year pay an annual average net price of $13,987.
Read full value report on Citadel Military College of South Carolina
Technical College of the Lowcountry landed the #16 spot on the 2024 Best Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k) in South Carolina ranking. Beaufort, South Carolina is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. It is a public school.
Not only is Technical College of the Lowcountry a great value, but it is also ranked #34 in South Carolina for overall quality. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes $0-$30k per year is $6,509.
Read full value report on Technical College of the Lowcountry
College of Charleston landed the #17 spot on the 2024 Best Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k) in South Carolina ranking. This fairly large public school is located in Charleston, South Carolina.
Not only is College of Charleston a great value, but it is also ranked #7 in South Carolina for overall quality. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes $0-$30k per year is $12,945.
University of South Carolina - Aiken ranked #18 on this year’s Best Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k) in South Carolina list. University of South Carolina - Aiken is a small public school located in Aiken, South Carolina.
University of South Carolina - Aiken has the honor of being ranked #31 in South Carolina for overall quality on top of being a good value. Students from families who make $0-$30k a year pay an annual average net price of $8,551.
Read full value report on University of South Carolina - Aiken
Coastal Carolina University ranked #19 on this year’s Best Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k) in South Carolina list. Coastal Carolina University is a fairly large public school situated in Conway, South Carolina.
Coastal Carolina University has the honor of being ranked #16 in South Carolina for overall quality on top of being a good value. Students from families who make $0-$30k a year pay an annual average net price of $10,803.
Piedmont Technical College ranked #20 on this year’s Best Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k) in South Carolina list. This small public school is located in Greenwood, South Carolina.
Piedmont Technical College has the honor of being ranked #30 in South Carolina for overall quality on top of being a good value. Students from families who make $0-$30k a year pay an annual average net price of $10,586.
Wofford College came in at #21 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k) in South Carolina ranking. This small private not-for-profit school is located in Spartanburg, South Carolina.
Wofford College has the honor of being ranked #4 in South Carolina for overall quality on top of being a good value. Students from families who make $0-$30k a year pay an annual average net price of $18,141.
With a ranking of #22, Columbia International University did quite well on the 2024 Best Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k) in South Carolina list. CIU is located in Columbia, South Carolina and has a small student population. It is a private not-for-profit school.
Columbia International University has the honor of being ranked #2 in South Carolina for overall quality on top of being a good value. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes $0-$30k per year is $20,768.
Bob Jones University landed the #23 spot on the 2024 Best Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k) in South Carolina ranking. Greenville, South Carolina is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. It is a private not-for-profit school.
In addition to being included on this ranking as a good value, Bob Jones University is ranked #11 for quality in the state of South Carolina. Students from families who make $0-$30k a year pay an annual average net price of $14,339.
University of South Carolina - Upstate came in at #24 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k) in South Carolina ranking. University of South Carolina - Upstate is a medium-sized public school located in Spartanburg, South Carolina.
Not only is University of South Carolina - Upstate a great value, but it is also ranked #21 in South Carolina for overall quality. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes $0-$30k per year is $12,068.
Francis Marion University landed the #25 spot on the 2024 Best Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k) in South Carolina ranking. Francis Marion University is located in Florence, South Carolina and has a small student population. It is a public school.
In addition to being included on this ranking as a good value, Francis Marion University is ranked #33 for quality in the state of South Carolina. Students from families who make $0-$30k a year pay an annual average net price of $10,877.
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Footnotes
*These averages are for the top 25 schools only.
More about our data sources and methodologies.