Spartanburg, South Carolina Colleges: Costs & Earnings (2026 stats)
TL;DR
EDsmart Data analysis of 2024 College Scorecard data for Spartanburg, South Carolina shows: median public in-state tuition $20,650 (+274.6% vs national median) median 10-year earnings $48,587 (-10.6% vs U.S.) employment-outcome proxy 90.0% working & not enrolled at 8 years median graduate debt $17,155 (+27.7% vs U.S.) 13,262 students enrolled statewide.
Key Facts
- Institutions in this profile: 6 campuses
- Total college enrollment: 13,262 students
- Median public in-state tuition: $20,650 (+274.6% vs U.S.)
- Median earnings 10 years after entry: $48,587 (-10.6% vs U.S.)
- Working & not enrolled (8-yr cohort proxy): 90.0% (+2.1 pp vs U.S.)
- Median net price: $14,250 (+43.0% vs U.S.)
- Median student debt at graduation: $17,155 (+27.7% vs U.S. $13,432); regional median $14,173
- Average completion rate (institutions in state): 52.3%
- Median first-year retention (full-time, 4-yr): 79.6%
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Overview
EDsmart Data summarizes higher-education outcomes for campuses in Spartanburg, South Carolina—costs, debt, enrollment, completion, earnings, and standout institutions—against South Carolina and U.S. medians from the College Scorecard.
Spartanburg 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spartanburg, South Carolina | $20,650 | $14,250 | $17,155 | 52.3% | 13,262 |
| 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: Spartanburg, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spartanburg, South Carolina | $48,587 | 90.0% | 79.6% | 3.3% | — | 66.5% | 0.46 |
| 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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spartanburg, South Carolina | $20,650 | $14,250 | $17,155 | 52.3% | 13,262 | $48,587 | 90.0% |
| 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% |
| Greenville | $18,484 | $17,979 | $15,988 | 42.8% | 15,579 | $44,354 | 81.1% |
| 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 Spartanburg, 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, 84.2%, Wofford College
Wofford College
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Rank 2, Graduation Rate, 61.5%, Converse University
Converse University
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Rank 3, Graduation Rate, 43.0%, University of South Carolina-Upstate
University of South Carolina-Upstate
Top 10 colleges in Spartanburg, 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, 90.1%, University of South Carolina-Upstate
University of South Carolina-Upstate
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Rank 2, Employment Outcome, 90.0%, Wofford College
Wofford College
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Rank 3, Employment Outcome, 84.3%, Converse University
Converse University
Top 10 most selective colleges in Spartanburg, 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, 51.9%, Wofford College
Wofford College
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Rank 2, Admission Rate, 67.3%, University of South Carolina-Upstate
University of South Carolina-Upstate
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Rank 3, Admission Rate, 67.7%, Converse University
Converse University
Top 10 colleges in Spartanburg, 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, $75,849, University of South Carolina-Upstate
University of South Carolina-Upstate
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Rank 2, Entry-Level Earnings, $64,267, Wofford College
Wofford College
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Rank 3, Entry-Level Earnings, $38,850, Converse University
Converse University
Top 10 colleges in Spartanburg, 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, $86,520, Wofford College
Wofford College
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Rank 2, Early-Career Earnings, $79,947, University of South Carolina-Upstate
University of South Carolina-Upstate
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Rank 3, Early-Career Earnings, $55,503, Converse University
Converse University
Top 10 colleges in Spartanburg, 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, $52,076, Wofford College
Wofford College
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Rank 2, Mid-Career Earnings, $43,339, University of South Carolina-Upstate
University of South Carolina-Upstate
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Rank 3, Mid-Career Earnings, $33,110, Converse University
Converse University
Top 10 colleges in Spartanburg, 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, $61,865, Wofford College
Wofford College
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Rank 2, 8-Yr Earnings, $46,601, University of South Carolina-Upstate
University of South Carolina-Upstate
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Rank 3, 8-Yr Earnings, $36,478, Converse University
Converse University
Top 10 colleges in Spartanburg, 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, $68,964, Wofford College
Wofford College
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Rank 2, 10-Yr Earnings, $48,587, University of South Carolina-Upstate
University of South Carolina-Upstate
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Rank 3, 10-Yr Earnings, $40,867, Converse University
Converse University
Top 10 colleges in Spartanburg, 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, $162,466, University of South Carolina-Upstate
University of South Carolina-Upstate
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Rank 2, 10-Yr ROI, $160,370, Wofford College
Wofford College
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Rank 3, 10-Yr ROI, $85,362, Converse University
Converse University
Top 10 most affordable colleges in Spartanburg, 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, $13,557, University of South Carolina-Upstate
University of South Carolina-Upstate
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Rank 2, Net Price, $18,732, Wofford College
Wofford College
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Rank 3, Net Price, $23,283, Converse University
Converse University
Top 10 colleges in Spartanburg, 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, 91.0%, Wofford College
Wofford College
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Rank 2, First-Year Retention, 79.6%, Converse University
Converse University
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Rank 3, First-Year Retention, 69.8%, University of South Carolina-Upstate
University of South Carolina-Upstate
In-state tuition: Spartanburg, South Carolina vs benchmarks
Sticker price
Spartanburg, South Carolina median in-state tuition is $20,650, +274.6% vs the U.S. median.
Student debt: Spartanburg, South Carolina vs benchmarks
Borrowing
Median debt at graduation in Spartanburg, South Carolina is $17,155 (+27.7% vs U.S. median $13,432). Regional median: $14,173.
Median earnings (10 years out): Spartanburg, South Carolina vs benchmarks
Payoff
Median earnings 10 years after entry for bachelor's-predominant campuses in Spartanburg, South Carolina center around $48,587 (-10.6% vs U.S.).
Median institution-level 10-year earnings. Source: College Scorecard.
Employment outcome proxy: Spartanburg, 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 90.0% at the median Spartanburg, South Carolina campus (+2.1 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
Spartanburg, South Carolina median public in-state tuition is $20,650, about +274.6% vs the national median. Versus the Southeast region, tuition is +313.7%.
Median graduate debt is $17,155 (+27.7% 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 Spartanburg, South Carolina are $48,587, about -10.6% vs the U.S. campus median ($54,323).
The median campus reports 90.0% 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% (+2.1 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 79.6% 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 3.3% (U.S. 5.0%); 3-yr repayment progress 66.5% (U.S. 73.7%). 3-yr default is omitted when most campuses report suppressed zeros.
Top employment-outcome campuses in this extract include University of South Carolina-Upstate (90.1%), Wofford College (90.0%), Converse University (84.3%)—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 Spartanburg, South Carolina is 52.3% (national institution average about 50.3%).
FAQ
How many colleges are in Spartanburg?
EDsmart Data analysis: this city profile covers 6 campuses in Spartanburg, South Carolina with College Scorecard cost or outcomes data.
How much does college cost in Spartanburg?
EDsmart Data analysis: median in-state tuition in Spartanburg is $20,650 and median net price is $14,250. 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 Spartanburg?
EDsmart Data analysis: median 10-year earnings for campuses in Spartanburg is $48,587 vs $44,999 for South Carolina and $54,323 nationally.
What is student debt like for Spartanburg colleges?
EDsmart Data analysis: median completer debt in Spartanburg is $17,155 vs $15,917 for South Carolina and $13,432 nationally.
What are the best colleges in Spartanburg?
EDsmart Data analysis: top campuses on this page include Wofford College (graduation) and Wofford College (10-yr earnings). See Top 10 lists for admission, affordability, and employment metrics.
Are there HBCUs, Hispanic-serving, tribal, or religious colleges in Spartanburg?
EDsmart Data analysis: among 6 campuses in Spartanburg, South Carolina, 2 religiously affiliated private nonprofit campuses (IPEDS RELAFFIL); most common affiliations: United Methodist (2).
Sources & related
- South Carolina college profile
- All college profiles
- National benchmarks
- U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard
- Download: JSON