Conway, South Carolina Colleges: Costs & Earnings (2026 stats)
TL;DR
Colleges in Conway, South Carolina: median public in-state tuition $8,054 (+46.1% vs national median) median 10-year earnings $47,258 (-13.1% vs U.S.) employment-outcome proxy 78.5% working & not enrolled at 8 years median graduate debt $19,000 (+43.2% vs U.S.) 16,651 students enrolled statewide.
Key Facts
- Institutions in this profile: 2 campuses
- Total college enrollment: 16,651 students
- Median public in-state tuition: $8,054 (+46.1% vs U.S.)
- Median earnings 10 years after entry: $47,258 (-13.1% vs U.S.)
- Working & not enrolled (8-yr cohort proxy): 78.5% (-9.5 pp vs U.S.)
- Median net price: $9,062 (-9.1% vs U.S.)
- Median student debt at graduation: $19,000 (+43.2% vs U.S. $13,271); regional median $14,456
- Average completion rate (institutions in state): 48.5%
- Median first-year retention (full-time, 4-yr): 77.4%
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Overview
Colleges and universities in Conway serve students across South Carolina with associate, bachelor's, and graduate pathways. 2 reporting campuses in this city profile, with about 16,651 students enrolled in federal data, and median in-state tuition near $8,054. Tables below compare costs, completion, earnings, and standout institutions against Conway, South Carolina and U.S. medians from the College Scorecard.
Conway 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conway, South Carolina | $8,054 | $9,062 | $19,000 | 48.5% | 16,651 |
| South Carolina (state median) | $7,558 | $11,376 | $15,392 | 48.0% | 199,420 |
| United States | $5,512 | $9,969 | $13,271 | 50.3% | 14,468,221 |
Earnings & employment outcomes: Conway, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conway, South Carolina | $47,258 | 78.5% | 77.4% | 6.7% | — | 62.5% | 0.50 |
| South Carolina (state median) | $44,978 | 88.9% | 69.8% | 6.3% | — | 66.1% | 0.55 |
| United States | $54,384 | 88.0% | 76.4% | 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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conway, South Carolina | $8,054 | $9,062 | $19,000 | 48.5% | 16,651 | $47,258 | 78.5% |
| Columbia | $18,145 | $22,811 | $21,500 | 30.6% | 35,341 | $36,686 | 87.1% |
| Columbia | $18,145 | $22,811 | $21,500 | 30.6% | 35,341 | $36,686 | 87.1% |
| Columbia | $18,145 | $22,811 | $21,500 | 30.6% | 35,341 | $36,686 | 87.1% |
| Charleston | $12,978 | $19,019 | $15,000 | 63.9% | 27,302 | $64,250 | 88.1% |
| Charleston | $12,978 | $19,019 | $15,000 | 63.9% | 27,302 | $64,250 | 88.1% |
| Greenville | $18,484 | $17,979 | $15,988 | 42.8% | 15,579 | $44,354 | 81.1% |
| Greenville | $18,484 | $17,979 | $15,988 | 42.8% | 15,579 | $44,354 | 81.1% |
| Greenville | $18,484 | $17,979 | $15,988 | 42.8% | 15,579 | $44,354 | 81.1% |
| United States | $5,512 | $9,969 | $13,271 | 50.3% | 14,468,221 | $54,384 | 88.0% |
Top college in Conway, 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, 48.5%, Coastal Carolina University
Coastal Carolina University
Top college in Conway, 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, 78.5%, Coastal Carolina University
Coastal Carolina University
Most selective college in Conway, 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, 75.3%, Coastal Carolina University
Coastal Carolina University
Top college in Conway, 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, $84,021, Coastal Carolina University
Coastal Carolina University
Top college in Conway, 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, $77,999, Coastal Carolina University
Coastal Carolina University
Top college in Conway, 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, $38,070, Coastal Carolina University
Coastal Carolina University
Top college in Conway, 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, $44,747, Coastal Carolina University
Coastal Carolina University
Top college in Conway, 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, $47,258, Coastal Carolina University
Coastal Carolina University
Top college in Conway, 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, $147,656, Coastal Carolina University
Coastal Carolina University
Most affordable college in Conway, 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, $13,966, Coastal Carolina University
Coastal Carolina University
Top college in Conway, 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, 77.4%, Coastal Carolina University
Coastal Carolina University
In-state tuition: Conway, South Carolina vs benchmarks
Sticker price
Conway, South Carolina median in-state tuition is $8,054, +46.1% vs the U.S. median.
Student debt: Conway, South Carolina vs benchmarks
Borrowing
Median debt at graduation in Conway, South Carolina is $19,000 (+43.2% vs U.S. median $13,271). Regional median: $14,456.
Median earnings (10 years out): Conway, South Carolina vs benchmarks
Payoff
Median earnings 10 years after entry for bachelor's-predominant campuses in Conway, South Carolina center around $47,258 (-13.1% vs U.S.).
Median institution-level 10-year earnings. Source: College Scorecard.
Employment outcome proxy: Conway, 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 78.5% at the median Conway, South Carolina campus (-9.5 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
Conway, South Carolina median public in-state tuition is $8,054, about +46.1% vs the national median. Versus the Southeast region, tuition is +61.3%.
Median graduate debt is $19,000 (+43.2% above the U.S. median of $13,271). 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 Conway, South Carolina are $47,258, about -13.1% vs the U.S. campus median ($54,384).
The median campus reports 78.5% of its 8-year cohort as working and not enrolled—our closest federal proxy to a placement rate. The U.S. campus median is 88.0% (-9.5 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 77.4% vs a U.S. median of 76.4%—a leading indicator for completion and time-to-degree.
Loan repayment indicators at the median campus: 2-yr default 6.7% (U.S. 5.0%); 3-yr repayment progress 62.5% (U.S. 73.7%). 3-yr default is omitted when most campuses report suppressed zeros.
Top employment-outcome campuses in this extract include Coastal Carolina University (78.5%)—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 Conway, South Carolina is 48.5% (national institution average about 50.3%).
Frequently Asked Questions
How many colleges are in Conway?
This city profile covers 2 campuses in Conway, South Carolina with College Scorecard cost or outcomes data.
How much does college cost in Conway?
Median in-state tuition in Conway is $8,054 and median net price is $9,062. For South Carolina overall, medians are $7,558 and $11,376; U.S. medians are $5,512 and $9,969.
What do graduates earn in Conway?
Median 10-year earnings for campuses in Conway is $47,258 vs $44,978 for South Carolina and $54,384 nationally.
What is student debt like for Conway colleges?
Median completer debt in Conway is $19,000 vs $15,392 for South Carolina and $13,271 nationally.
What are the best colleges in Conway?
Top campuses on this page include Coastal Carolina University (graduation) and Coastal Carolina University (10-yr earnings). See Top 10 lists for admission, affordability, and employment metrics.
Are there HBCUs, Hispanic-serving, tribal, or religious colleges in Conway?
Among 2 College Scorecard campuses in Conway, South Carolina, none are flagged as HBCUs or tribal colleges in IPEDS, and none meet our 25% Hispanic-enrollment HSI proxy or report a religious affiliation in IPEDS.
Sources & related
- South Carolina college profile
- All college profiles
- National benchmarks
- U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard
- Download: JSON