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South Carolina · Cost after aid

Cheapest colleges in South Carolina after financial aid

Updated College Scorecard, 2024-25

The short answer

The cheapest four-year colleges in South Carolina after financial aid are Francis Marion University ($10,890 a year in-state), Allen University ($12,389 a year) and University of South Carolina Aiken ($14,565 a year in-state), by the average price students with federal aid paid in 2024-25.

Sticker price isn't what most families pay. This list sorts by the average a student who got federal aid paid for a year after grants and scholarships. At public colleges it covers in-state students. Out-of-state students pay more, so those rows also show an out-of-state estimate: the in-state figure plus the extra tuition.

The list (15 of 30)

Four-year colleges in South Carolina with 500 or more undergraduates, lowest average price after grants first. The list shows 15 of the 30 colleges with a price on file. Prices: College Scorecard, 2024-25.

  1. Francis Marion University $10,890 a year in-state Florence, SC · Out of state: about $21,274 · Families earning under $30,000 paid $10,228 in-state Source: College Scorecard, 2024-25
  2. Allen University $12,389 a year Columbia, SC · Families earning under $30,000 paid $12,248 Source: College Scorecard, 2024-25
  3. University of South Carolina Aiken $14,565 a year in-state Aiken, SC · Out of state: about $25,023 · Families earning under $30,000 paid $12,555 in-state Source: College Scorecard, 2024-25
  4. Bob Jones University $14,632 a year Greenville, SC · Families earning under $30,000 paid $13,197 Source: College Scorecard, 2024-25
  5. Coastal Carolina University $15,287 a year in-state Conway, SC · Out of state: about $33,573 · Families earning under $30,000 paid $11,069 in-state Source: College Scorecard, 2024-25
  6. University of South Carolina-Upstate $15,680 a year in-state Spartanburg, SC · Out of state: about $27,182 · Families earning under $30,000 paid $13,501 in-state Source: College Scorecard, 2024-25
  7. Southern Wesleyan University $16,041 a year Central, SC · Families earning under $30,000 paid $16,818 Source: College Scorecard, 2024-25
  8. Winthrop University $16,375 a year in-state Rock Hill, SC · Out of state: about $30,415 · Families earning under $30,000 paid $13,290 in-state Source: College Scorecard, 2024-25
  9. Lander University $16,659 a year in-state Greenwood, SC · Out of state: about $26,259 · Families earning under $30,000 paid $14,542 in-state Source: College Scorecard, 2024-25
  10. Benedict College $17,734 a year Columbia, SC · Families earning under $30,000 paid $16,910 Source: College Scorecard, 2024-25
  11. South Carolina State University $18,030 a year in-state Orangeburg, SC · Out of state: about $28,720 · Families earning under $30,000 paid $16,960 in-state Source: College Scorecard, 2024-25
  12. College of Charleston $18,177 a year in-state Charleston, SC · Out of state: about $44,043 · Families earning under $30,000 paid $14,245 in-state Source: College Scorecard, 2024-25
  13. Columbia International University $18,951 a year Columbia, SC · Families earning under $30,000 paid $17,759 Source: College Scorecard, 2024-25
  14. Claflin University $19,710 a year Orangeburg, SC · Families earning under $30,000 paid $18,811 Source: College Scorecard, 2024-25
  15. Erskine College $19,826 a year Due West, SC · Families earning under $30,000 paid $18,531 Source: College Scorecard, 2024-25
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What are the cheapest colleges in South Carolina after financial aid?

The cheapest four-year colleges in South Carolina after financial aid are Francis Marion University ($10,890 a year in-state), Allen University ($12,389 a year) and University of South Carolina Aiken ($14,565 a year in-state), by the average price students with federal aid paid in 2024-25.

Which are cheapest for families earning under $30,000?

Of the colleges listed, Francis Marion University ($10,228), Coastal Carolina University ($11,069) and Allen University ($12,248) had the lowest average yearly price for students from families earning under $30,000, in 2024-25.

What does price after aid mean here?

It's what a student who got federal aid paid for a year of tuition, fees, housing, food and books after grants and scholarships, before loans. It comes from the College Scorecard, which the U.S. Department of Education publishes.

Numbers change each year when colleges and the Department of Education publish new data. Confirm costs and admission rules with the college before you apply.

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