The Cheapest Colleges in South Carolina by Out of State Tuition for 2023
If you're looking for an affordable university in South Carolina but aren't a state resident, these are the least expensive out of state colleges to consider. Additionally, if you are a foreign citizen and cannot qualify for in-state tuition, these are the cheapest universities in South Carolina for international students.
Affordable doesn't simply mean finding a school with a low published out of state tuition. It's important to research the typical financial aid package offered by a school, the average net price actually paid and most importantly the quality of education you receive for your tuition dollar. Sometimes a school which appears cheap based on list price can be a poor relative value if it can't award competitive financial aid or doesn't offer a quality education. The list below is a ranking on published out of state tuition with no consideration of actual average price paid or academic quality of the school. Please see the CollegeCalc best value colleges in South Carolina list for a ranking which considers school quality and average net price.
The most affordable four year colleges in South Carolina are listed by one year's out of state tuition list price for the 2021/2022 school year.
What is the cheapest college in South Carolina? Leading the colleges list is W L Bonner College in Columbia with an out of state tuition of $5,158.
Academic Rating is a CollegeCalc rating of a college's overall academics and effectiveness. The score ranges from zero to one hundred, with fifty being the median for all eligible colleges. Dollar value is a measure of a school's academic rating compared with the average price paid by students. Colleges which are ranked "n/a" didn't report sufficient data to formulate a score. Learn more about our rating methodology.
All price data are reprinted from the U.S. Department of Education's 2021/2022 IPEDS Survey and reflect reported costs for the 2021/2022 academic year.
| College | Out of State Tuition | Rating | Value |
|---|---|---|---|
#21 Columbia International UniversityColumbia, Private Not For Profit |
$24,490 | 40 | 41 |
#22 Limestone UniversityGaffney, Private Not For Profit |
$25,200 | 33 | 5 |
#23 Newberry CollegeNewberry, Private Not For Profit |
$25,650 | 31 | 17 |
#24 Southern Wesleyan UniversityCentral, Private Not For Profit |
$25,748 | 38 | 32 |
#25 Coastal Carolina UniversityConway, Public Not For Profit |
$27,214 | 38 | 22 |
#26 Anderson UniversityAnderson, Private Not For Profit |
$27,480 | NA | NA |
#27 Charleston Southern UniversityCharleston, Private Not For Profit |
$28,630 | 37 | 41 |
#28 Winthrop UniversityRock Hill, Public Not For Profit |
$29,636 | 46 | 28 |
#29 Citadel Military College of South CarolinaCharleston, Public Not For Profit |
$30,857 | 64 | 66 |
#30 Coker CollegeHartsville, Private Not For Profit |
$30,864 | 29 | 23 |
#31 University of South Carolina ColumbiaColumbia, Public Not For Profit |
$33,528 | 69 | 51 |
#32 College of CharlestonCharleston, Public Not For Profit |
$33,978 | 58 | 42 |
#33 Erskine CollegeDue West, Private Not For Profit |
$34,435 | 35 | 1 |
#34 Clemson UniversityClemson, Public Not For Profit |
$37,110 | 76 | 71 |
#35 Presbyterian CollegeClinton, Private Not For Profit |
$38,220 | 58 | 83 |
#36 Wofford CollegeSpartanburg, Private Not For Profit |
$47,845 | 77 | 87 |
#37 Furman UniversityGreenville, Private Not For Profit |
$52,992 | 80 | 75 |