Data shows that students paid $16,572 on average to attend higher education courses at the time, $317 more than the previous school year.
Among the 84 institutions providing full disclosure in the state, Furman University stood out with the highest tuition fees, reaching an average of $55,772. Wofford College followed with an average of $51,530 per year. Williamsburg Technical College students were offered the lowest annual tuition fees at $4,800.
Currently there are 85 higher education institutions in South Carolina.
At the time, at least $443 million in grants or scholarships were awarded to full-time undergraduates who started college in South Carolina. Additionally, federal student loans reached more than $155.2 million.
Undergraduate education costs have seen a significant increase over the past few decades. Data shows a 169% rise in the average total cost, including tuition, fees, room, and board, between 1980 and 2020.
According to a 2023 College Board report, in-state students at public universities paid an average of $11,260, while out-of-state students paid $29,150 in the 2023-24 academic year.
Meanwhile, student loan debt has steadily increased over the last 30 years, reaching $1.75 trillion in 2024, averaging a total of $28,950 per borrower. Federal loans make up 92% of the debt, with over half of students at both public and private four-year colleges graduating with student loans.
Of the 85 institutions in South Carolina, Medical University of South Carolina did not provide detailed data on tuition fees.
Available data sometimes exceeds 100% due to rounding and administrative calculations.
| Institution | Average Tuition Fees | Total Enrollment |
|---|---|---|
| Furman University | $55,772 | 2,283 |
| Wofford College | $51,530 | 1,823 |
| Presbyterian College | $41,900 | 955 |
| Erskine College | $36,710 | 817 |
| Coker University | $31,764 | 1,060 |
| Anderson University | $31,720 | 3,237 |
| Charleston Southern University | $29,990 | 2,836 |
| Newberry College | $29,100 | 1,296 |
| Southern Wesleyan University | $27,820 | 896 |
| Columbia International University | $26,840 | 1,001 |
| Clemson University | $26,797 | 22,566 |
| Limestone University | $26,300 | 1,602 |
| College of Charleston | $25,552 | 9,972 |
| Miller-Motte College-Conway | $25,240 | 235 |
| Citadel Military College of South Carolina | $23,599 | 2,695 |
| North Greenville University | $23,590 | 1,839 |
| Southeastern College-Charleston | $23,324 | 196 |
| Southeastern College-Columbia | $23,324 | 155 |
| Coastal Carolina University | $23,214 | 9,794 |
| University of South Carolina-Columbia | $22,772 | 27,343 |
| Columbia College | $22,050 | 1,173 |
| Bob Jones University | $21,890 | 2,665 |
| Converse University | $21,410 | 804 |
| American College of the Building Arts | $20,572 | 141 |
| Charleston Cosmetology Institute | $19,500 | 101 |
| Spartanburg Methodist College | $19,350 | 1,064 |
| Top of the Line Barber College | $18,475 | 52 |
| Arclabs | $17,900 | 503 |
| Kenneth Shuler School of Cosmetology-North Augusta | $17,766 | 113 |
| Kenneth Shuler School of Cosmetology-Florence | $17,766 | 182 |
| Kenneth Shuler School of Cosmetology-Greenville | $17,766 | 146 |
| Kenneth Shuler School of Cosmetology and Nails-Columbia | $17,766 | 124 |
| Winthrop University | $17,458 | 3,741 |
| Benedict College | $17,200 | 1,796 |
| Claflin University | $17,046 | 1,749 |
| South University-Columbia | $17,014 | 420 |
| Barber Tech Academy | $16,825 | 65 |
| Paul Mitchell the School-Charleston | $16,500 | 284 |
| Paul Mitchell the School-Greenville | $16,500 | 153 |
| Charzanne Beauty College | $16,500 | 43 |
| Paul Mitchell the School-Columbia | $16,500 | 236 |
| Morris College | $15,758 | 384 |
| Vski Cosmetology School | $15,600 | 32 |
| Strand College of Hair Design | $15,000 | 92 |
| Fortis College-Columbia | $14,872 | 431 |
| LeGrand Institute of Cosmetology Inc | $14,000 | 30 |
| South Carolina State University | $13,519 | 2,374 |
| Strayer University-South Carolina | $13,515 | 1,625 |
| Allen University | $13,422 | 603 |
| University of South Carolina Beaufort | $12,780 | 2,053 |
| Lander University | $12,690 | 3,562 |
| Voorhees University | $12,630 | 473 |
| University of South Carolina-Upstate | $12,254 | 4,481 |
| University of South Carolina Aiken | $11,934 | 3,145 |
| Francis Marion University | $11,580 | 3,635 |
| Clinton College | $10,516 | 197 |
| University of South Carolina-Salkehatchie | $9,672 | 745 |
| Southeastern Esthetics Institute | $9,500 | 328 |
| University of South Carolina-Union | $8,592 | 1,098 |
| University of South Carolina-Sumter | $8,487 | 1,537 |
| Kenneth Shuler School of Cosmetology-Goose Creek | $8,150 | 146 |
| Kenneth Shuler School of Cosmetology-Columbia | $8,150 | 117 |
| Kenneth Shuler School of Cosmetology-Spartanburg | $8,150 | 156 |
| Kenneth Shuler School of Cosmetology-Rock Hill | $8,150 | 174 |
| Denmark Technical College | $7,804 | 725 |
| University of South Carolina-Lancaster | $7,776 | 1,772 |
| Central Carolina Technical College | $6,594 | 3,314 |
| Tri-County Technical College | $6,524 | 5,629 |
| Technical College of the Lowcountry | $6,373 | 2,196 |
| Academy for Careers and Technology | $6,300 | 48 |
| Greenville Technical College | $6,144 | 11,380 |
| Midlands Technical College | $6,074 | 9,091 |
| Spartanburg Community College | $6,068 | 6,224 |
| Northeastern Technical College | $6,024 | 1,466 |
| Orangeburg Calhoun Technical College | $6,016 | 2,012 |
| Academy of Hair Technology | $6,000 | 72 |
| York Technical College | $5,931 | 4,521 |
| Horry-Georgetown Technical College | $5,796 | 8,137 |
| Aiken Technical College | $5,481 | 2,121 |
| Piedmont Technical College | $5,328 | 5,315 |
| Trident Technical College | $5,094 | 11,789 |
| Miller-Motte College-Charleston | $5,000 | 174 |
| Florence-Darlington Technical College | $4,994 | 2,940 |
| Williamsburg Technical College | $4,800 | 673 |
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