Universities in South Carolina
South Carolina has 85 postsecondary institutions reporting to the U.S. Department of Education: 34 public, 24 private nonprofit, 27 for-profit, together enrolling about 199,420 undergraduates (2024-25 data). Each links to a full financial-health and student-outcomes profile. 8 are historically Black colleges or universities.
| # | Institution | Sector | Undergrads |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of South Carolina-ColumbiaColumbia · R1: Very High Research Spending and Doctorate Production | Public | 29,820 |
| 2 | Clemson UniversityClemson · R1: Very High Research Spending and Doctorate Production | Public | 23,300 |
| 3 | College of CharlestonCharleston · Mixed Undergraduate/Graduate-Master's Large/Medium | Public | 10,558 |
| 4 | Trident Technical CollegeCharleston · Professions-focused Associate Large/Medium | Public | 10,512 |
| 5 | Coastal Carolina UniversityConway · Professions-focused Undergraduate/Graduate-Master's Large/Medium | Public | 10,377 |
| 6 | Greenville Technical CollegeGreenville · Professions-focused Associate Large/Medium | Public | 8,916 |
| 7 | Midlands Technical CollegeWest Columbia · Professions-focused Associate Large/Medium | Public | 7,564 |
| 8 | Horry-Georgetown Technical CollegeConway · Professions-focused Associate Large/Medium | Public | 6,274 |
| 9 | Tri-County Technical CollegePendleton · Professions-focused Associate Large/Medium | Public | 5,071 |
| 10 | Spartanburg Community CollegeSpartanburg · Professions-focused Associate Large/Medium | Public | 5,006 |
| 11 | University of South Carolina-UpstateSpartanburg · Professions-focused Baccalaureate Medium | Public | 4,038 |
| 12 | Piedmont Technical CollegeGreenwood · Professions-focused Associate Large/Medium | Public | 3,977 |
| 13 | York Technical CollegeRock Hill · Professions-focused Associate Large/Medium | Public | 3,816 |
| 14 | Winthrop UniversityRock Hill · Mixed Undergraduate/Graduate-Master's Large/Medium | Public | 3,523 |
| 15 | Lander UniversityGreenwood · Professions-focused Baccalaureate Medium | Public | 3,397 |
| 16 | Anderson UniversityAnderson · Professions-focused Undergraduate/Graduate-Doctorate Medium | Private | 3,183 |
| 17 | Florence-Darlington Technical CollegeFlorence · Professions-focused Associate Large/Medium | Public | 3,055 |
| 18 | University of South Carolina AikenAiken · Professions-focused Undergraduate/Graduate-Master's Large/Medium | Public | 2,962 |
| 19 | South Carolina State UniversityOrangeburg · R2: High Research Spending and Doctorate Production | Public | 2,934 |
| 20 | Charleston Southern UniversityCharleston · Professions-focused Undergraduate/Graduate-Doctorate Medium | Private | 2,893 |
| 21 | Citadel Military College of South CarolinaCharleston · Professions-focused Undergraduate/Graduate-Master's Large/Medium | Public | 2,705 |
| 22 | Francis Marion UniversityFlorence · Professions-focused Baccalaureate Medium | Public | 2,628 |
| 23 | Furman UniversityGreenville · Special Focus: Arts and Sciences | Private | 2,379 |
| 24 | Central Carolina Technical CollegeSumter · Professions-focused Associate Large/Medium | Public | 2,163 |
| 25 | University of South Carolina BeaufortBluffton · Mixed Baccalaureate | Public | 2,052 |
| 26 | Bob Jones UniversityGreenville · Professions-focused Baccalaureate Small | Private | 2,005 |
| 27 | Aiken Technical CollegeGraniteville · Mixed Associate Small | Public | 1,925 |
| 28 | Strayer University-South CarolinaGreenville · Special Focus: Business | Private for-profit | 1,868 |
| 29 | North Greenville UniversityTigerville · Professions-focused Baccalaureate Small | Private | 1,819 |
| 30 | Wofford CollegeSpartanburg · Special Focus: Arts and Sciences | Private | 1,816 |
| 31 | Claflin UniversityOrangeburg · Special Focus: Arts and Sciences | Private | 1,706 |
| 32 | Technical College of the LowcountryBeaufort · Professions-focused Associate Small | Public | 1,679 |
| 33 | Orangeburg Calhoun Technical CollegeOrangeburg · Professions-focused Associate Small | Public | 1,539 |
| 34 | Benedict CollegeColumbia · Professions-focused Baccalaureate Small | Private | 1,536 |
| 35 | Newberry CollegeNewberry · Professions-focused Baccalaureate Small | Private | 1,479 |
| 36 | Columbia CollegeColumbia · Professions-focused Undergraduate/Graduate-Master's Small | Private | 1,343 |
| 37 | Converse UniversitySpartanburg · Mixed Undergraduate/Graduate-Doctorate Small | Private | 1,173 |
| 38 | Spartanburg Methodist CollegeSpartanburg · Mixed Associate/Baccalaureate | Private | 1,116 |
| 39 | Northeastern Technical CollegeCheraw · Mixed Associate Small | Public | 921 |
| 40 | Presbyterian CollegeClinton · Mixed Undergraduate/Graduate-Doctorate Small | Private | 852 |
| 41 | Coker UniversityHartsville · Professions-focused Baccalaureate Small | Private | 840 |
| 42 | Erskine CollegeDue West · Professions-focused Baccalaureate Small | Private | 766 |
| 43 | Southern Wesleyan UniversityCentral · Professions-focused Baccalaureate Small | Private | 747 |
| 44 | ArclabsPiedmont · Less-than-two-year institution (not classified by Carnegie) | Private for-profit | 744 |
| 45 | Galen Health Institutes-Myrtle BeachMyrtle Beach · Two-year institution (not classified by Carnegie) | Private for-profit | 743 |
| 46 | Columbia International UniversityColumbia · Professions-focused Undergraduate/Graduate-Doctorate Small | Private | 716 |
| 47 | University of South Carolina-SumterSumter · Mixed Associate Small | Public | 716 |
| 48 | University of South Carolina-LancasterLancaster · Mixed Associate Small | Public | 668 |
| 49 | Fortis College-ColumbiaColumbia · Special Focus: Nursing | Private for-profit | 582 |
| 50 | Allen UniversityColumbia · Special Focus: Arts and Sciences | Private | 576 |
| 51 | Denmark Technical CollegeDenmark · Mixed Associate Small | Public | 519 |
| 52 | South University-ColumbiaColumbia · Special Focus: Other Health Professions | Private for-profit | 450 |
| 53 | Williamsburg Technical CollegeKingstree · Mixed Associate Small | Public | 448 |
| 54 | Voorhees UniversityDenmark · Professions-focused Baccalaureate Small | Private | 440 |
| 55 | Morris CollegeSumter · Professions-focused Baccalaureate Small | Private | 383 |
| 56 | Southeastern Esthetics InstituteElgin · Less-than-two-year institution (not classified by Carnegie) | Private for-profit | 358 |
| 57 | Medical University of South CarolinaCharleston · R1: Very High Research Spending and Doctorate Production | Public | 303 |
| 58 | University of South Carolina-SalkehatchieAllendale · Mixed Associate Small | Public | 271 |
| 59 | University of South Carolina-UnionUnion · Mixed Associate Small | Public | 270 |
| 60 | Southeastern College-ColumbiaColumbia · Special Focus: Applied and Career Studies | Private for-profit | 267 |
| 61 | Paul Mitchell the School-CharlestonNorth Charleston · Less-than-two-year institution (not classified by Carnegie) | Private for-profit | 264 |
| 62 | Paul Mitchell the School-ColumbiaWest Columbia · Less-than-two-year institution (not classified by Carnegie) | Private for-profit | 256 |
| 63 | Southeastern College-CharlestonNorth Charleston · Special Focus: Applied and Career Studies | Private for-profit | 225 |
| 64 | Paul Mitchell the School-GreenvilleGreenville · Less-than-two-year institution (not classified by Carnegie) | Private for-profit | 196 |
| 65 | Kenneth Shuler School of Cosmetology-Rock HillRock Hill · Less-than-two-year institution (not classified by Carnegie) | Private for-profit | 181 |
| 66 | Kenneth Shuler School of Cosmetology-FlorenceFlorence · Less-than-two-year institution (not classified by Carnegie) | Private for-profit | 172 |
| 67 | Kenneth Shuler School of Cosmetology-GreenvilleGreenville · Less-than-two-year institution (not classified by Carnegie) | Private for-profit | 157 |
| 68 | American College of the Building ArtsCharleston · Professions-focused Baccalaureate Small | Private | 155 |
| 69 | Kenneth Shuler School of Cosmetology-Goose CreekGoose Creek · Less-than-two-year institution (not classified by Carnegie) | Private for-profit | 152 |
| 70 | Kenneth Shuler School of Cosmetology and Nails-ColumbiaWest Columbia · Less-than-two-year institution (not classified by Carnegie) | Private for-profit | 127 |
| 71 | Clinton CollegeRock Hill · Special Focus: Business | Private | 126 |
| 72 | Kenneth Shuler School of Cosmetology-North AugustaNorth Augusta · Less-than-two-year institution (not classified by Carnegie) | Private for-profit | 118 |
| 73 | Kenneth Shuler School of Cosmetology-SpartanburgSpartanburg · Less-than-two-year institution (not classified by Carnegie) | Private for-profit | 113 |
| 74 | Charleston Cosmetology InstituteCharleston · Less-than-two-year institution (not classified by Carnegie) | Private for-profit | 100 |
| 75 | Strand College of Hair DesignMyrtle Beach · Less-than-two-year institution (not classified by Carnegie) | Private for-profit | 70 |
| 76 | Barber Tech AcademyOrangeburg · Less-than-two-year institution (not classified by Carnegie) | Private for-profit | 59 |
| 77 | Academy of Hair TechnologyGreenville · Less-than-two-year institution (not classified by Carnegie) | Private for-profit | 58 |
| 78 | Barber Tech Academy-ColumbiaColumbia · Less-than-two-year institution (not classified by Carnegie) | Private for-profit | 51 |
| 79 | Top of the Line Barber CollegeCharleston · Less-than-two-year institution (not classified by Carnegie) | Private for-profit | 45 |
| 80 | Academy for Careers and TechnologyMullins · Less-than-two-year institution (not classified by Carnegie) | Public | 37 |
| 81 | LeGrand Institute of Cosmetology IncCamden · Less-than-two-year institution (not classified by Carnegie) | Private for-profit | 33 |
| 82 | Vski Cosmetology SchoolCharleston · Less-than-two-year institution (not classified by Carnegie) | Private | 31 |
| 83 | Personal Touch Beauty and Barber CollegeKingstree · Less-than-two-year institution (not classified by Carnegie) | Private for-profit | 7 |
| 84 | Charleston School of LawCharleston · Special Focus: Law | Private for-profit | – |
| 85 | Sherman College of ChiropracticBoiling Springs · Special Focus: Other Health Professions | Private | – |
This is a directory, not a ranking, listed by undergraduate enrollment. Counts and figures come from the most recent College Scorecard & IPEDS release (2024-25), which lags the current academic year by 2–3 years. Open each institution’s profile for financial health, outcomes and peer benchmarks.
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Frequently asked
How many colleges and universities are in South Carolina?
85 postsecondary institutions in South Carolina report to the U.S. Department of Education: 34 public, 24 private nonprofit, 27 for-profit. Together they enroll about 199,420 undergraduates (2024-25 data).
Which South Carolina college enrolls the most undergraduates?
University of South Carolina-Columbia in Columbia, with about 29,820 undergraduates (2024-25 data). It is the largest of the 85 institutions listed on this page by undergraduate enrollment.
Are there historically Black colleges or universities in South Carolina?
Yes: South Carolina State University, Claflin University, Benedict College, Allen University, Denmark Technical College, Voorhees University and others. South Carolina has 8 HBCUs in this directory.
Where does this South Carolina college data come from?
The U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard and IPEDS collections, most recent release (2024-25). Every figure is federal, published and free to check. Nothing on this page is estimated or AI-generated.
Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard & IPEDS (most recent release, 2024-25). Compiled by Ibex Insights. See the methodology.