Greenville, South Carolina Colleges: Costs & Earnings (2026 stats)
TL;DR
EDsmart Data analysis of 2024 College Scorecard data for Greenville, South Carolina shows: median public in-state tuition $18,484 (+235.3% vs national median) median 10-year earnings $44,354 (-18.4% vs U.S.) employment-outcome proxy 81.1% working & not enrolled at 8 years median graduate debt $15,988 (+19.0% vs U.S.) 15,579 students enrolled statewide.
Key Facts
- Institutions in this profile: 8 campuses
- Total college enrollment: 15,579 students
- Median public in-state tuition: $18,484 (+235.3% vs U.S.)
- Median earnings 10 years after entry: $44,354 (-18.4% vs U.S.)
- Working & not enrolled (8-yr cohort proxy): 81.1% (-6.8 pp vs U.S.)
- Median net price: $17,979 (+80.4% vs U.S.)
- Median student debt at graduation: $15,988 (+19.0% vs U.S. $13,432); regional median $14,173
- Average completion rate (institutions in state): 42.8%
- Median first-year retention (full-time, 4-yr): 90.6%
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Overview
EDsmart Data summarizes higher-education outcomes for campuses in Greenville, South Carolina—costs, debt, enrollment, completion, earnings, and standout institutions—against South Carolina and U.S. medians from the College Scorecard.
Greenville vs South Carolina & national benchmarks
Medians aggregate institution-level College Scorecard fields unless noted. Enrollment is total undergraduate headcount summed across reporting campuses.
| Geography | In-state tuition | Net price | Median debt | Completion rate | Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Greenville, South Carolina | $18,484 | $17,979 | $15,988 | 42.8% | 15,579 |
| South Carolina (state median) | $7,558 | $11,376 | $15,917 | 47.3% | 200,978 |
| United States | $5,512 | $9,967 | $13,432 | 50.3% | 14,484,370 |
Earnings & employment outcomes: Greenville, South Carolina vs benchmarks
Scorecard does not publish formal job-placement rates. We use the share of the 8-year cohort reported as working and not enrolled (working ÷ working + not working) as a federal employment-outcome proxy. 2-yr and 3-yr default rates are federal cohort default shares (0–1 scale). We show 2-yr default as the primary benchmark; 3-yr default appears only when enough campuses report non-suppressed values (otherwise —). 3-yr repayment progress is the share of completers making progress on loans after 3 years. Sample: bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 200. Medians pool campus-level values.
| Geography | Median earnings (10 yr) | Working & not enrolled (8 yr) | Retention (FT yr 1) | 2-yr default | 3-yr default | 3-yr repayment progress | Debt ÷ earnings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Greenville, South Carolina | $44,354 | 81.1% | 90.6% | 1.2% | — | 86.7% | 0.37 |
| South Carolina (state median) | $44,999 | 88.8% | 69.7% | 6.5% | — | 66.0% | 0.55 |
| United States | $54,323 | 87.9% | 76.3% | 5.0% | — | 73.7% | 0.41 |
Other cities in South Carolina (3+ campuses)
Other cities in the same state with at least three reporting campuses.
| City | In-state tuition | Net price | Median debt | Completion | Enrollment | Earnings (10 yr) | Working (8 yr) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Greenville, South Carolina | $18,484 | $17,979 | $15,988 | 42.8% | 15,579 | $44,354 | 81.1% |
| Columbia | $18,145 | $20,404 | $20,000 | 30.6% | 35,532 | $36,686 | 87.1% |
| Columbia | $18,145 | $20,404 | $20,000 | 30.6% | 35,532 | $36,686 | 87.1% |
| Charleston | $12,978 | $19,019 | $15,458 | 63.9% | 27,311 | $64,250 | 88.1% |
| Charleston | $12,978 | $19,019 | $15,458 | 63.9% | 27,311 | $64,250 | 88.1% |
| Conway | $8,054 | $13,966 | $15,917 | 48.5% | 16,654 | $47,258 | 78.5% |
| Conway | $8,054 | $13,966 | $15,917 | 48.5% | 16,654 | $47,258 | 78.5% |
| Spartanburg | $20,650 | $14,250 | $17,155 | 52.3% | 13,262 | $48,587 | 90.0% |
| Rock Hill | $11,136 | $12,744 | $16,988 | 35.5% | 7,646 | $47,185 | 88.5% |
| United States | $5,512 | $9,967 | $13,432 | 50.3% | 14,484,370 | $54,323 | 87.9% |
Top 10 colleges in Greenville, South Carolina by graduation rate (150% time)
Ranked by 150% time completion rate (4-year bachelor's-predominant institutions, enrollment ≥ 500). Higher rate = more students finishing within 150% of normal time.
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Rank 1, Graduation Rate, 78.8%, Furman University
Furman University
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Rank 2, Graduation Rate, 64.8%, Bob Jones University
Bob Jones University
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Rank 3, Graduation Rate, 16.7%, Strayer University-South Carolina
Strayer University-South Carolina
Top 10 colleges in Greenville, South Carolina by employment outcome (8 yrs after entry, working & not enrolled)
Ranked by share of the 8-year cohort reported as working and not enrolled — a federal outcome proxy, not a verified job-placement rate. Enrollment ≥ 500.
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Rank 1, Employment Outcome, 84.6%, Furman University
Furman University
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Rank 2, Employment Outcome, 81.1%, Strayer University-South Carolina
Strayer University-South Carolina
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Rank 3, Employment Outcome, 80.1%, Bob Jones University
Bob Jones University
Top 10 most selective colleges in Greenville, South Carolina (lowest admission rate)
Ranked by lowest admission rate (most selective first). Bachelor's-predominant four-year institutions with enrollment ≥ 500 and a reported admission rate.
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Rank 1, Admission Rate, 43.0%, Furman University
Furman University
Top 10 colleges in Greenville, South Carolina by entry-level earnings (1 yr post-completion, program)
Ranked by median program-level earnings one year after completion (highest first). Enrollment ≥ 300; reflects completers in reported CIP programs, not all entrants.
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Rank 1, Entry-Level Earnings, $73,493, Bob Jones University
Bob Jones University
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Rank 2, Entry-Level Earnings, $71,167, Strayer University-South Carolina
Strayer University-South Carolina
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Rank 3, Entry-Level Earnings, $55,615, Furman University
Furman University
Top 10 colleges in Greenville, South Carolina by early-career earnings (4 yr post-completion, program)
Ranked by median program-level earnings four years after completion (highest first). Enrollment ≥ 300; program cohort, not institution-wide median.
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Rank 1, Early-Career Earnings, $87,413, Strayer University-South Carolina
Strayer University-South Carolina
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Rank 2, Early-Career Earnings, $84,369, Bob Jones University
Bob Jones University
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Rank 3, Early-Career Earnings, $74,476, Furman University
Furman University
Top 10 colleges in Greenville, South Carolina by mid-career earnings (6 yrs after entry)
Ranked by median earnings six years after entry (highest first). Bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 500.
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Rank 1, Mid-Career Earnings, $50,796, Furman University
Furman University
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Rank 2, Mid-Career Earnings, $40,892, Bob Jones University
Bob Jones University
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Rank 3, Mid-Career Earnings, $36,582, Strayer University-South Carolina
Strayer University-South Carolina
Top 10 colleges in Greenville, South Carolina by 8-year earnings (8 yrs after entry)
Ranked by median earnings eight years after entry (highest first). Bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 500.
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Rank 1, 8-Yr Earnings, $57,288, Furman University
Furman University
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Rank 2, 8-Yr Earnings, $40,886, Bob Jones University
Bob Jones University
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Rank 3, 8-Yr Earnings, $37,064, Strayer University-South Carolina
Strayer University-South Carolina
Top 10 colleges in Greenville, South Carolina by long-term earnings (10 yrs after entry)
Ranked by median earnings ten years after entry (highest first). Bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 500.
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Rank 1, 10-Yr Earnings, $68,635, Furman University
Furman University
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Rank 2, 10-Yr Earnings, $44,354, Bob Jones University
Bob Jones University
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Rank 3, 10-Yr Earnings, $40,092, Strayer University-South Carolina
Strayer University-South Carolina
Top 10 colleges in Greenville, South Carolina by 10-year ROI
Ranked by 10-year return on investment (highest first). Bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 200 and a computed ROI in the EDsmart dataset.
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Rank 1, 10-Yr ROI, $143,738, Furman University
Furman University
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Rank 2, 10-Yr ROI, $121,996, Bob Jones University
Bob Jones University
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Rank 3, 10-Yr ROI, $78,469, Strayer University-South Carolina
Strayer University-South Carolina
Top 10 most affordable colleges in Greenville, South Carolina (net price)
Ranked by lowest average net price (most affordable first). Uses overall net price, or mid-income bracket net price for public schools when available. Enrollment ≥ 300.
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Rank 1, Net Price, $16,641, Bob Jones University
Bob Jones University
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Rank 2, Net Price, $17,979, Strayer University-South Carolina
Strayer University-South Carolina
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Rank 3, Net Price, $30,308, Furman University
Furman University
Top 10 colleges in Greenville, South Carolina by first-year retention (full-time)
Ranked by first-year, full-time retention rate (highest first). Bachelor's-predominant four-year institutions with enrollment ≥ 500.
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Rank 1, First-Year Retention, 100.0%, Strayer University-South Carolina
Strayer University-South Carolina
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Rank 2, First-Year Retention, 90.6%, Furman University
Furman University
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Rank 3, First-Year Retention, 82.5%, Bob Jones University
Bob Jones University
In-state tuition: Greenville, South Carolina vs benchmarks
Sticker price
Greenville, South Carolina median in-state tuition is $18,484, +235.3% vs the U.S. median.
Student debt: Greenville, South Carolina vs benchmarks
Borrowing
Median debt at graduation in Greenville, South Carolina is $15,988 (+19.0% vs U.S. median $13,432). Regional median: $14,173.
Median earnings (10 years out): Greenville, South Carolina vs benchmarks
Payoff
Median earnings 10 years after entry for bachelor's-predominant campuses in Greenville, South Carolina center around $44,354 (-18.4% vs U.S.).
Median institution-level 10-year earnings. Source: College Scorecard.
Employment outcome proxy: Greenville, South Carolina vs benchmarks
Working & not enrolled
The share of the 8-year cohort reported as working and not enrolled—our Scorecard employment proxy—is 81.1% at the median Greenville, South Carolina campus (-6.8 pp vs U.S.).
Percent of 8-year cohort working and not enrolled (not a formal placement rate).
Analysis & insights
EDsmart Data aggregates institution-level College Scorecard data for this profile. Highlights below compare local medians to U.S. and regional benchmarks.
Costs & borrowing
Greenville, South Carolina median public in-state tuition is $18,484, about +235.3% vs the national median. Versus the Southeast region, tuition is +270.3%.
Median graduate debt is $15,988 (+19.0% above the U.S. median of $13,432). Low sticker prices do not always mean low borrowing—living costs, time-to-degree, and aid mix matter.
Earnings, employment & retention
Among bachelor's-predominant campuses with ≥200 students, median 10-year earnings in Greenville, South Carolina are $44,354, about -18.4% vs the U.S. campus median ($54,323).
The median campus reports 81.1% of its 8-year cohort as working and not enrolled—our closest federal proxy to a placement rate. The U.S. campus median is 87.9% (-6.8 pp). Formal job-placement statistics are not published in Scorecard; treat this as a comparative outcome indicator, not a hire guarantee.
First-year, full-time retention at the median campus is 90.6% vs a U.S. median of 76.3%—a leading indicator for completion and time-to-degree.
Loan repayment indicators at the median campus: 2-yr default 1.2% (U.S. 5.0%); 3-yr repayment progress 86.7% (U.S. 73.7%). 3-yr default is omitted when most campuses report suppressed zeros.
Top employment-outcome campuses in this extract include Furman University (84.6%), Strayer University-South Carolina (81.1%), Bob Jones University (80.1%)—useful anchors for local reporting on where graduates are most often working rather than still enrolled.
Completion & workforce context
Average institution-level completion rate across all sectors in Greenville, South Carolina is 42.8% (national institution average about 50.3%).
FAQ
How many colleges are in Greenville?
EDsmart Data analysis: this city profile covers 8 campuses in Greenville, South Carolina with College Scorecard cost or outcomes data.
How much does college cost in Greenville?
EDsmart Data analysis: median in-state tuition in Greenville is $18,484 and median net price is $17,979. For South Carolina overall, medians are $7,558 and $11,376; U.S. medians are $5,512 and $9,967.
What do graduates earn in Greenville?
EDsmart Data analysis: median 10-year earnings for campuses in Greenville is $44,354 vs $44,999 for South Carolina and $54,323 nationally.
What is student debt like for Greenville colleges?
EDsmart Data analysis: median completer debt in Greenville is $15,988 vs $15,917 for South Carolina and $13,432 nationally.
What are the best colleges in Greenville?
EDsmart Data analysis: top campuses on this page include Furman University (graduation) and Furman University (10-yr earnings). See Top 10 lists for admission, affordability, and employment metrics.
Are there HBCUs, Hispanic-serving, tribal, or religious colleges in Greenville?
EDsmart Data analysis: among 8 campuses in Greenville, South Carolina, 1 religiously affiliated private nonprofit campus (IPEDS RELAFFIL); most common affiliations: Evangelical Christian (1).
Sources & related
- South Carolina college profile
- All college profiles
- National benchmarks
- U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard
- Download: JSON