POPULATION (2021): 5.2 million
CAPITAL: Columbia
LARGEST PUBLIC UNIVERSITY IN SOUTH CAROLINA:
LARGEST PRIVATE UNIVERSITY IN SOUTH CAROLINA:
South Carolina is a proud southern state with many different landscapes, a lot of coastlines, and a patchwork of mid-sized towns that make up the majority of the state’s population.
There are more than 50 colleges and universities in South Carolina, including 8 historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs). The capital city of Columbia is home to the largest college in the state, the University of South Carolina’s main campus, but several schools offer 4-year degrees throughout the beautiful state whose weather is mild year-round.
Universities in South Carolina- 4-Year Colleges and Online
There are no private universities in South Carolina with more than 4,000 students, so if you’re looking for a big school feel, one of the public universities in South Carolina may suit you best. Here is a look at the rest of the college landscape in South Carolina.
Public Universities in South Carolina
The University of South Carolina is the biggest university, by enrollment, with the second being Clemson University, another public college, located in the town with the same name. Here is a list of the other public universities in South Carolina that offer 4-year degrees:
- College of Charleston
- Coastal Carolina University
- University of South Carolina Upstate
- Winthrop University
- USC – Aiken
- Lander University
- South Carolina State University
- USC – Beaufort
Private Universities in South Carolina
Private colleges are spread throughout the state of South Carolina, and most have the small-town college feel, with plenty of parks and natural beauty to enjoy between studies:
- Furman University
- Coker University
- Allen University
- Anderson University
- Charleston Southern University
- North Greenville University
- Benedict College
- Morris College
- Voorhees College
- Limestone University
- Newberry College
- Claflin University
- Wofford College
- Columbia College
Community Colleges in South Carolina
There are several 2-year colleges in South Carolina. Some wear the badge of “University of South Carolina” such as the Salkehatchie campus and the Sumpter campus, but they are 2-year institutions that allow for easy transfer to one of the 4-year colleges in South Carolina.
Prominent Online Colleges in South Carolina
The University of South Carolina system offers more than 50 online degree programs, as well as many hybrid paths of study for students at one of the 2-year colleges looking to get more university credits under their belt while attending one of the community colleges. Charleston Southern and North Greenville University are two private universities in South Carolina with very good reviews regarding their online offerings.
Universities in Greenville, SC
Greenville is one of the fastest-growing cities in South Carolina, and many of the new inhabitants are young professionals or college students. It has a very “hip” feel and is nested in the beautiful woodlands of western South Carolina. Here are the 4-year college options for students looking to go to school in Greenville:
- Bob Jones University
- Greenville Technical College
- Furman University
- Strayer University
Universities in Columbia, SC
The capital of South Carolina, Columbia is home to several 4-year colleges in addition to USC’s main campus, which is also the state’s biggest college. Here are the other colleges in Columbia:
- Allen University
- Benedict College
- Columbia College
- Columbia International University
- South University
- University of South Carolina
- W L Bonner College
Get to Know South Carolina
South Carolina doesn’t have quite as many people as its North counterpart, but that adds to the charm for most people. There are many small cities in South Carolina, and nearly all of them have a very relaxed and welcoming feel. Locals like showing off their cities, and the southern hospitality is in full swing.
Speaking of swinging, golf is extremely popular in South Carolina, especially in the summer months. In the winter, it does cool down quite a bit, and some mountainous parts of the state even experience a little bit of snow. Nothing compared to the Northeast, though, so if you like staying warm, South Carolina (especially near the coast) is a nice choice for college!
| Institution Name | City | State | Website | Degree Levels Offered | Modality | Profit Status (CNTLAFFI) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Academy for Careers and Technology | Mullins | SC | www.mcact.org | Certificates |
Campus | No |
| Academy of Hair Technology | Greenville | SC | www.hairchamps.com | Certificates |
Campus | No |
| Aiken School of Cosmetology and Barbering | Aiken | SC | www.ascandb.com | Certificates |
Campus | No |
| Aiken Technical College | Graniteville | SC | www.atc.edu | Certificates Associates |
Campus | No |
| Allen University | Columbia | SC | www.allenuniversity.edu | Bachelors Masters |
Campus | No |
| American College of the Building Arts | Charleston | SC | acba.edu | Associates Bachelors |
Campus | No |
| Anderson University | Anderson | SC | www.andersonuniversity.edu | Bachelors Masters Doctorate |
Campus | No |
| Arclabs | Piedmont | SC | www.arclabs.edu | Certificates |
Campus | No |
| B-Unique Beauty and Barber Academy | Greenville | SC | bubba-online.com | Certificates |
Campus | No |
| Barber Tech Academy | Orangeburg | SC | www.barbertechacademy.com | Certificates |
Campus | No |
| Benedict College | Columbia | SC | www.benedict.edu | Bachelors Masters |
Campus | No |
| Bob Jones University | Greenville | SC | www.bju.edu | Certificates Associates Bachelors Masters Doctorate |
Campus | No |
| Central Carolina Technical College | Sumter | SC | www.cctech.edu | Certificates Associates |
Campus | No |
| Charleston Cosmetology Institute | Charleston | SC | www.charlestoncosmetology.com | Certificates |
Campus | No |
| Charleston School of Law | Charleston | SC | www.charlestonlaw.edu | Masters Doctorate |
Campus | No |
| Charleston Southern University | Charleston | SC | www.charlestonsouthern.edu | Bachelors Masters Doctorate |
Campus | No |
| Charzanne Beauty College | Greenwood | SC | charzannebeautycollege.com | Certificates |
Campus | No |
| Citadel Military College of South Carolina | Charleston | SC | www.citadel.edu | Bachelors Masters |
Campus | No |
| Claflin University | Orangeburg | SC | www.claflin.edu | Bachelors Masters |
Campus | No |
| Clemson University | Clemson | SC | www.clemson.edu | Bachelors Masters Doctorate |
Campus | No |
| Clinton College | Rock Hill | SC | www.clintoncollege.edu | Associates Bachelors |
Campus | No |
| Coastal Carolina University | Conway | SC | www.coastal.edu | Certificates Bachelors Masters Doctorate |
Campus | No |
| Coker University | Hartsville | SC | coker.edu | Bachelors Masters |
Campus | No |
| College of Charleston | Charleston | SC | www.cofc.edu | Certificates Bachelors Masters |
Campus | No |
| Columbia College | Columbia | SC | www.columbiasc.edu | Associates Bachelors Masters |
Campus | No |
| Columbia International University | Columbia | SC | www.ciu.edu | Certificates Associates Bachelors Masters Doctorate |
Campus | No |
| Construction Training Center | Columbia | SC | www.constructiontrainingcenter.org | Certificates |
Campus | No |
| Converse College | Spartanburg | SC | www.converse.edu | Bachelors Masters Doctorate |
Campus | No |
| Denmark Technical College | Denmark | SC | www.denmarktech.edu | Certificates Associates |
Campus | No |
| Erskine College | Due West | SC | www.erskine.edu | Certificates Bachelors Masters Doctorate |
Campus | No |
| Florence-Darlington Technical College | Florence | SC | WWW.FDTC.EDU | Certificates Associates |
Campus | No |
| Forrest College | Anderson | SC | www.forrestcollege.edu | Certificates Associates |
Campus | No |
| Fortis College-Columbia | Columbia | SC | www.fortis.edu | Certificates Associates |
Campus | No |
| Francis Marion University | Florence | SC | www.fmarion.edu | Bachelors Masters Doctorate |
Campus | No |
| Furman University | Greenville | SC | www.furman.edu | Bachelors Masters |
Campus | No |
| Greenville Technical College | Greenville | SC | www.gvltec.edu | Certificates Associates Bachelors |
Campus | No |
| Horry-Georgetown Technical College | Conway | SC | www.hgtc.edu | Certificates Associates |
Campus | No |
| International Diving Institute | North Charleston | SC | www.idicharleston.edu | Certificates |
Campus | No |
| Kenneth Shuler School of Cosmetology and Nails-Columbia | Columbia | SC | www.kennethshuler.com | Certificates |
Campus | No |
| Kenneth Shuler School of Cosmetology-Columbia | Columbia | SC | www.kennethshuler.com | Certificates |
Campus | No |
| Kenneth Shuler School of Cosmetology-Florence | Florence | SC | www.kennethshuler.com | Certificates |
Campus | No |
| Kenneth Shuler School of Cosmetology-Goose Creek | Goose Creek | SC | www.kennethshuler.com | Certificates |
Campus | No |
| Kenneth Shuler School of Cosmetology-Greenville | Greenville | SC | www.kennethshuler.com | Certificates |
Campus | No |
| Kenneth Shuler School of Cosmetology-North Augusta | North Augusta | SC | www.kennethshuler.com | Certificates |
Campus | No |
| Kenneth Shuler School of Cosmetology-Rock Hill | Rock Hill | SC | www.kennethshuler.com | Certificates |
Campus | No |
| Kenneth Shuler School of Cosmetology-Spartanburg | Spartanburg | SC | www.kennethshuler.com | Certificates |
Campus | No |
| Lander University | Greenwood | SC | www.lander.edu | Certificates Bachelors Masters |
Campus | No |
| LeGrand Institute of Cosmetology Inc | Camden | SC | www.legrandinstitute.com | Certificates |
Campus | No |
| Limestone College | Gaffney | SC | www.limestone.edu | Associates Bachelors Masters |
Campus | No |
| Medical University of South Carolina | Charleston | SC | web.musc.edu | Bachelors Masters Doctorate |
Campus | No |
| Midlands Technical College | West Columbia | SC | www.midlandstech.edu | Certificates Associates |
Campus | No |
| Morris College | Sumter | SC | www.morris.edu | Bachelors |
Campus | No |
| Newberry College | Newberry | SC | www.newberry.edu | Bachelors |
Campus | No |
| North Greenville University | Tigerville | SC | www.ngu.edu | Bachelors Masters Doctorate |
Campus | No |
| Northeastern Technical College | Cheraw | SC | www.netc.edu | Certificates Associates |
Campus | No |
| Orangeburg Calhoun Technical College | Orangeburg | SC | www.octech.edu | Certificates Associates |
Campus | No |
| Palmetto Beauty School | Spartanburg | SC | www.palmettocosmo.com | Certificates |
Campus | No |
| Paul Mitchell the School-Charleston | North Charleston | SC | paulmitchell.edu | Certificates |
Campus | No |
| Paul Mitchell the School-Columbia | Columbia | SC | paulmitchell.edu | Certificates |
Campus | No |
| Paul Mitchell the School-Greenville | Greenville | SC | paulmitchell.edu | Certificates |
Campus | No |
| Piedmont Technical College | Greenwood | SC | www.ptc.edu | Certificates Associates |
Campus | No |
| Platt College-Miller-Motte Technical-Charleston | Charleston | SC | miller-motte.edu | Certificates Associates |
Campus | No |
| Platt College-Miller-Motte Technical-Conway | Conway | SC | www.miller-motte.edu | Certificates Associates |
Campus | No |
| Presbyterian College | Clinton | SC | www.presby.edu | Bachelors Masters Doctorate |
Campus | No |
| Remington College-Columbia Campus | Columbia | SC | www.remingtoncollege.edu | Certificates |
Campus | No |
| Sherman College of Chiropractic | Spartanburg | SC | www.sherman.edu | Doctorate |
Campus | No |
| South Carolina State University | Orangeburg | SC | www.scsu.edu | Certificates Bachelors Masters Doctorate |
Campus | No |
| South University, Columbia | Columbia | SC | www.southuniversity.edu | Associates Bachelors Masters Doctorate |
Campus | No |
| Southeastern College - Charleston | North Charleston | SC | www.sec.edu | Certificates Associates |
Campus | No |
| Southeastern Esthetics Institute | Columbia | SC | www.seestheticsinstitute.com | Certificates |
Campus | No |
| Southeastern College - Columbia | Columbia | SC | www.sec.edu | Certificates Associates |
Campus | No |
| Southern Wesleyan University | Central | SC | www.swu.edu | Associates Bachelors Masters Doctorate |
Campus | No |
| Spartanburg Community College | Spartanburg | SC | www.sccsc.edu | Certificates Associates |
Campus | No |
| Spartanburg Methodist College | Spartanburg | SC | www.smcsc.edu | Associates Bachelors |
Campus | No |
| Strand College of Hair Design | Myrtle Beach | SC | www.strandcollege.com | Certificates |
Campus | No |
| Strayer University-South Carolina | Greenville | SC | www.strayer.edu | Certificates Associates Bachelors Masters |
Online | No |
| Sumter Beauty College | Sumter | SC | www.sumterbeautycollege.com | Certificates |
Campus | No |
| Technical College of the Lowcountry | Beaufort | SC | www.tcl.edu | Certificates Associates |
Campus | No |
| Top of the Line Barber College | Charleston | SC | www.topofthelinebarbercollege.edu | Certificates |
Campus | No |
| Tri-County Technical College | Pendleton | SC | www.tctc.edu | Certificates Associates |
Campus | No |
| Trident Technical College | Charleston | SC | www.tridenttech.edu | Certificates Associates |
Campus | No |
| University of South Carolina Aiken | Aiken | SC | www.usca.edu | Bachelors Masters |
Campus | No |
| University of South Carolina Beaufort | Bluffton | SC | www.uscb.edu | Certificates Associates Bachelors Masters |
Campus | No |
| University of South Carolina-Columbia | Columbia | SC | www.sc.edu | Certificates Associates Bachelors Masters Doctorate |
Campus | No |
| University of South Carolina-Lancaster | Lancaster | SC | www.sc.edu | Associates |
Campus | No |
| University of South Carolina-Salkehatchie | Allendale | SC | uscsalkehatchie.sc.edu | Associates |
Campus | No |
| University of South Carolina-Sumter | Sumter | SC | www.sc.edu | Associates |
Campus | No |
| University of South Carolina-Union | Union | SC | www.sc.edu | Associates |
Campus | No |
| University of South Carolina-Upstate | Spartanburg | SC | www.uscupstate.edu | Bachelors Masters |
Campus | No |
| Voorhees College | Denmark | SC | www.voorhees.edu | Certificates Bachelors |
Campus | No |
| Vski Cosmetology School | Charleston | SC | www.vskicosmetology.com | Certificates |
Campus | No |
| W L Bonner College | Columbia | SC | www.wlbc.edu | Certificates Associates Bachelors |
Campus | No |
| Williamsburg Technical College | Kingstree | SC | www.wiltech.edu | Certificates Associates |
Campus | No |
| Winthrop University | Rock Hill | SC | www.winthrop.edu | Certificates Bachelors Masters |
Campus | No |
| Wofford College | Spartanburg | SC | www.wofford.edu | Bachelors |
Campus | No |
| York Technical College | Rock Hill | SC | www.yorktech.edu | Certificates Associates |
Campus | No |