Best Political Science Colleges in South Carolina2026 Rankings
With 26 Political Science programs spread across South Carolina, narrowing your list takes real data. Our algorithm ranks each school on six factors — admission rate, graduation rate, net price, median graduate earnings, student-faculty ratio, and major breadth — so you can compare apples to apples before you apply.
South Carolina offers 11 public and 15 private Political Science programs in this ranking. Public universities average $23,094 for in-state students, making them a strong value option. The most competitive school on the list — Clemson University — accepts 38% of applicants. Early-career earnings for Political Science graduates average $40,689, with a state-wide graduation rate of 54% for ranked programs.
Not sure if your profile matches these schools?
Every Political Science program here has a different student profile it targets. Before you finalize your list, it's worth understanding where you stand.
Drop your application data into our Free Application Review. Our AI will analyze your admission chances and stats in 2 minutes. Get practical next steps for improvements where it matters most.
Get My Free Application Review →2026 Rankings: Political Science Programs in South Carolina
| # | College | Value Score | Admit Rate | Grad Rate | Net Price | Median Earnings | Student:Faculty | Majors Offered | Size |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Furman UniversityPrivate | Excellent· 42 | 53% | 81% | $24,978 | $34,473 | 9:1 | 40 | 2,322 |
| 2 | Wofford CollegePrivate | Great· 41 | 59% | 81% | $22,432 | $34,277 | 12:1 | 29 | 1,873 |
| 3 | Clemson UniversityPublic | Great· 41 | 38% | 88% | $19,988 | $28,041 | 16:1 | 69 | 22,778 |
| 4 | University of South Carolina-ColumbiaPublic | Strong· 37 | 61% | 78% | $22,744 | $33,157 | 18:1 | 67 | 28,113 |
| 5 | Citadel Military College of South CarolinaPublic | Strong· 36 | 98% | 73% | $18,467 | $44,992 | 11:1 | 28 | 2,624 |
| 6 | Winthrop UniversityPublic | Strong· 36 | 75% | 61% | $16,762 | $21,165 | 12:1 | 36 | 3,424 |
| 7 | Francis Marion UniversityPublic | Strong· 35 | 82% | 43% | $15,205 | $24,289 | 12:1 | 33 | 2,640 |
| 8 | University of South Carolina-UpstatePublic | Strong· 35 | 70% | 42% | $13,876 | $35,798 | 15:1 | 36 | 4,008 |
| 9 | University of South Carolina AikenPublic | Strong· 35 | 80% | 40% | $12,688 | $41,170 | 15:1 | 25 | 2,805 |
| 10 | Converse UniversityPrivate | Strong· 34 | 64% | 47% | $18,624 | $34,843 | 12:1 | 33 | 845 |
| 11 | Presbyterian CollegePrivate | Strong· 34 | 72% | 62% | $20,293 | $34,712 | 11:1 | 33 | 862 |
| 12 | Coastal Carolina UniversityPublic | Strong· 34 | 80% | 51% | $13,209 | $29,924 | 16:1 | 42 | 9,909 |
| 13 | North Greenville UniversityPrivate | Strong· 34 | 63% | 55% | $18,576 | $35,763 | 13:1 | 33 | 1,719 |
| 14 | Anderson UniversityPrivate | Strong· 34 | 53% | 71% | $28,002 | $41,774 | 15:1 | 60 | 3,080 |
| 15 | Lander UniversityPublic | Good· 33 | 68% | 49% | $14,297 | $36,764 | 17:1 | 29 | 3,384 |
| 16 | Charleston Southern UniversityPrivate | Good· 32 | 76% | 49% | $22,405 | $40,736 | 13:1 | 55 | 2,716 |
| 17 | College of CharlestonPublic | Good· 32 | 72% | 65% | $18,049 | $35,398 | 16:1 | 51 | 10,366 |
| 18 | Benedict CollegePrivate | Good· 32 | 67% | 21% | $19,763 | $26,936 | 14:1 | 39 | 1,573 |
| 19 | Erskine CollegePrivate | Good· 32 | 61% | 49% | $20,343 | $33,130 | 15:1 | 28 | 821 |
| 20 | Coker UniversityPrivate | Good· 32 | 97% | 35% | $16,242 | $32,565 | 12:1 | 31 | 807 |
| 21 | Claflin UniversityPrivate | Good· 31 | 73% | 49% | $25,768 | $33,287 | 13:1 | 45 | 1,727 |
| 22 | Newberry CollegePrivate | Good· 31 | 75% | 44% | $22,439 | $38,715 | 14:1 | 43 | 1,462 |
| 23 | Columbia CollegePrivate | Good· 30 | 96% | 53% | $22,849 | $42,036 | 11:1 | 55 | 1,245 |
| 24 | South Carolina State UniversityPublic | Good· 30 | 82% | 29% | $19,611 | $30,829 | 19:1 | 41 | 2,757 |
| 25 | Bob Jones UniversityPrivate | Average· 29 | — | 70% | $16,625 | $34,704 | 13:1 | 69 | 2,209 |
| 26 | Morris CollegePrivate | Weak· 21 | — | 20% | $22,795 | $27,032 | 10:1 | 18 | 421 |