Greenville, South Carolina Colleges: Costs & Earnings (2026 stats)
Executive Summary (TL;DR)
Colleges in Greenville, South Carolina: median public in-state tuition $18,484 (+224.3% vs national median) median 10-year earnings $49,158 (-17.2% vs U.S.) employment-outcome proxy 89.5% working & not enrolled at 8 years median graduate debt $15,642 (+15.9% vs U.S.) 15,579 students enrolled statewide.
Overview
Colleges and universities in Greenville serve students across South Carolina with associate, bachelor's, and graduate pathways. 8 reporting campuses in this city profile, with about 15,579 students enrolled in federal data, and median in-state tuition near $18,484. Tables below compare costs, completion, earnings, and standout institutions against Greenville, 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 | $15,592 | $15,642 | 52.3% | 15,579 |
| South Carolina (state median) | $7,558 | $10,890 | $16,500 | 49.0% | 199,420 |
| United States | $5,700 | $9,912 | $13,500 | 49.3% | 14,465,291 |
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 | $49,158 | 89.5% | 90.6% | 1.2% | — | 86.7% | 0.32 |
| South Carolina (state median) | $49,442 | 93.0% | 69.8% | 6.3% | — | 66.1% | 0.46 |
| United States | $59,401 | 93.0% | 76.4% | 5.0% | — | 73.8% | 0.36 |
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 | $15,592 | $15,642 | 52.3% | 15,579 | $49,158 | 89.5% |
| Columbia | $18,145 | $22,197 | $21,472 | 42.1% | 35,341 | $41,986 | 90.1% |
| Columbia | $18,145 | $22,197 | $21,472 | 42.1% | 35,341 | $41,986 | 90.1% |
| Columbia | $18,145 | $22,197 | $21,472 | 42.1% | 35,341 | $41,986 | 90.1% |
| Charleston | $12,978 | $20,661 | $17,500 | 68.9% | 27,302 | $72,814 | 94.2% |
| Charleston | $12,978 | $20,661 | $17,500 | 68.9% | 27,302 | $72,814 | 94.2% |
| Conway | $9,171 | $8,037 | $17,888 | 54.2% | 16,651 | $54,702 | 93.2% |
| Conway | $9,171 | $8,037 | $17,888 | 54.2% | 16,651 | $54,702 | 93.2% |
| Spartanburg | $21,700 | $15,334 | $16,617 | 43.8% | 13,262 | $53,988 | 92.9% |
| United States | $5,700 | $9,912 | $13,500 | 49.3% | 14,465,291 | $59,401 | 93.0% |
Top 3 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, 73.9%, Furman University
Furman University
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Rank 2, Graduation Rate, 71.3%, Bob Jones University
Bob Jones University
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Rank 3, Graduation Rate, 33.3%, Strayer University-South Carolina
Strayer University-South Carolina
Top 3 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, 94.9%, Furman University
Furman University
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Rank 2, Employment Outcome, 89.5%, Bob Jones University
Bob Jones University
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Rank 3, Employment Outcome, 87.8%, Strayer University-South Carolina
Strayer University-South Carolina
Most selective college 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 3 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, $79,556, Bob Jones University
Bob Jones University
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Rank 2, Entry-Level Earnings, $71,874, Strayer University-South Carolina
Strayer University-South Carolina
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Rank 3, Entry-Level Earnings, $68,621, Furman University
Furman University
Top 3 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 3 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, $57,308, Furman University
Furman University
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Rank 2, Mid-Career Earnings, $42,993, Bob Jones University
Bob Jones University
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Rank 3, Mid-Career Earnings, $41,362, Strayer University-South Carolina
Strayer University-South Carolina
Top 3 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, $67,832, Furman University
Furman University
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Rank 2, 8-Yr Earnings, $48,205, Bob Jones University
Bob Jones University
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Rank 3, 8-Yr Earnings, $44,147, Strayer University-South Carolina
Strayer University-South Carolina
Top 3 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, $70,201, Furman University
Furman University
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Rank 2, 10-Yr Earnings, $49,158, Bob Jones University
Bob Jones University
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Rank 3, 10-Yr Earnings, $44,016, Strayer University-South Carolina
Strayer University-South Carolina
Top 3 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, $168,108, Furman University
Furman University
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Rank 2, 10-Yr ROI, $161,476, Bob Jones University
Bob Jones University
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Rank 3, 10-Yr ROI, $103,396, Strayer University-South Carolina
Strayer University-South Carolina
Top 3 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, $14,632, Bob Jones University
Bob Jones University
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Rank 2, Net Price, $22,593, Strayer University-South Carolina
Strayer University-South Carolina
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Rank 3, Net Price, $31,764, Furman University
Furman University
Top 3 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, +224.3% vs the U.S. median.
Student debt: Greenville, South Carolina vs benchmarks
Borrowing
Median debt at graduation in Greenville, South Carolina is $15,642 (+15.9% vs U.S. median $13,500). Regional median: $15,558.
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 $49,158 (-17.2% 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 89.5% at the median Greenville, South Carolina campus (-3.5 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
Greenville, South Carolina median public in-state tuition is $18,484, about +224.3% vs the national median. Versus the Southeast region, tuition is +258.5%.
Median graduate debt is $15,642 (+15.9% above the U.S. median of $13,500). 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 $49,158, about -17.2% vs the U.S. campus median ($59,401).
The median campus reports 89.5% of its 8-year cohort as working and not enrolled—our closest federal proxy to a placement rate. The U.S. campus median is 93.0% (-3.5 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 90.6% 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 1.2% (U.S. 5.0%); 3-yr repayment progress 86.7% (U.S. 73.8%). 3-yr default is omitted when most campuses report suppressed zeros.
Top employment-outcome campuses in this extract include Furman University (94.9%), Bob Jones University (89.5%), Strayer University-South Carolina (87.8%)—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 52.3% (national institution average about 49.3%).
Frequently Asked Questions
How many colleges are in Greenville?
This city profile covers 8 campuses in Greenville, South Carolina with College Scorecard cost or outcomes data.
How much does college cost in Greenville?
Median in-state tuition in Greenville is $18,484 and median net price is $15,592. For South Carolina overall, medians are $7,558 and $10,890; U.S. medians are $5,700 and $9,912.
What do graduates earn in Greenville?
Median 10-year earnings for campuses in Greenville is $49,158 vs $49,442 for South Carolina and $59,401 nationally.
What is student debt like for Greenville colleges?
Median completer debt in Greenville is $15,642 vs $16,500 for South Carolina and $13,500 nationally.
What are the best colleges in Greenville?
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?
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
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