The Best Bachelor's in Accounting Programs in South Carolina for 2027
Key Points: Best Accounting Bachelor's Programs in South Carolina
- Clemson University ranks #1 in South Carolina on a 94.8 Program Score, with an 87% graduation rate.
- Private schools hold most of the places on this list.
- Cost and quality are not opposites here: the lowest-tuition program on the list, University of South Carolina-Upstate, ranks #9.
- Programs analyzed
- 11
- In-state tuition range
- $11,208-$59,360
- Average graduation rate
- 63%
- Median salary (BLS)
- $87,660
The best accounting programs in South Carolina span an $11,208 to $59,360 range in published in-state tuition, and the gap has almost nothing to do with graduation outcomes on its own. We analyzed 11 accounting programs across the state, from flagship public universities to small private colleges, using IPEDS enrollment and completion data alongside BLS occupational figures. The average graduation rate across these 11 accounting programs is 63 percent, meaning more than a third of students who start an accounting degree at a typical South Carolina school do not finish it on the traditional four-year timeline.
Cost does not track quality in a straight line here. University of South Carolina Upstate charges $11,208 a year in state, the lowest in-state sticker price among the ranked accounting programs in South Carolina, while Furman University charges $59,360, more than five times as much. Clemson University and the University of South Carolina-Columbia post two of the highest graduation rates in the state, 87 percent and 79 percent respectively, at tuition close to the low end of the range. That combination, public pricing with strong completion numbers, is the benchmark the rest of this guide measures against.
What follows breaks down what a bachelor of accounting actually costs in South Carolina, how the state's CPA licensure path works, why accreditation should be a non-negotiable filter, and which schools stand out and why, based only on the real IPEDS and BLS numbers behind each program.
Accounting Bachelor's Programs in South Carolina, Compared by Score
Clemson leads at 94.8, and Coastal Carolina closes the chart at 71.9. Longer bars rank higher.
Our Methodology for Ranking Accounting Bachelor's Programs in South Carolina
Each Program Score runs from 0 to 100: outcomes count for 44%, selectivity and academics for 38%, and scale and value for 18%, all from federal data. See how the weights work.
The 11 Best Accounting Bachelor's Programs in South Carolina, Ranked for 2027
The 11 best Accounting Bachelor's Programs in South Carolina, ranked by outcomes.
Clemson University
Clemson, SC · Public
- Grad rate
- 87%
- Admit rate
- 38%
- In-state
- $14,038
- Out-of-state
- $39,350
Clemson University's 87% graduation rate and 38% admit rate anchor a Program Score of 94.8, the highest of any accounting program in South Carolina, at $14,038 a year in-state.
- 87% graduation rate
- 38% admit rate, most selective in SC
- $14,038/yr in-state tuition
- Program Score 94.8, #1 in SC
Clemson University's Bachelor of Science in Accountancy runs through the School of Accountancy under a Pre-Business admission track: students apply as Pre-Business majors, then must clear a 30 credit hour pre-business core with a cumulative 2.0 GPR before moving into the accountancy major itself. Once inside, the curriculum turns intensive, covering accounting methodology, auditing, taxation and financial management theory, while roughly half of coursework stays in humanities, English, public speaking, math and the natural and social sciences. Graduates can add a 15 credit accounting minor, and the department's site also points toward its Master of Accountancy (MPAcc) as a next step for students building toward CPA licensure.
Clemson posts an 87% graduation rate and a 38% admit rate, the most selective of South Carolina's ranked accounting programs. In-state tuition runs $14,038 a year versus $39,350 out-of-state, a $25,312 annual gap that puts a four-year in-state degree at roughly $56,152 against $157,400 out-of-state. That combination, high completion, tight admissions, and the lowest in-state price of the four, drives Clemson's Program Score of 94.8, the top mark among South Carolina's accounting programs. It fits students who can clear a competitive admit bar and want the strongest in-state value in the state.
University of South Carolina-Columbia
Columbia, SC · Public
- Grad rate
- 79%
- Admit rate
- 60%
- In-state
- $12,288
- Out-of-state
- $35,898
University of South Carolina-Columbia pairs a 60% admit rate with an accelerated Master of Accountancy track and the lowest in-state tuition, $12,288 a year, of South Carolina's top 4 accounting programs.
- 79% graduation rate
- 60% admit rate, ties for most accessible in SC
- $12,288/yr in-state, lowest tuition among ranked SC programs
- Accelerated path to Master of Accountancy in as few as 4 years
The University of South Carolina's B.S.B.A. in Accounting runs through the Darla Moore School of Business and includes an accelerated option that stacks a Master of Accountancy onto the bachelor's degree in as few as four years. The program's winter internship track reports that almost 100 percent of participants receive job offers. Coursework covers GAAP financial reporting principles, cost determination and budgeting, the U.S. regulatory framework for financial reporting and auditing, ethical dilemmas in accounting, international business accounting issues, and the technology used across the profession.
USC Columbia's 79% graduation rate matches Furman's, and its 60% admit rate makes it the most accessible of South Carolina's ranked accounting programs alongside College of Charleston. In-state tuition is $12,288 a year, the lowest of the four, versus $35,898 out-of-state, a $23,610 annual gap; four years in-state runs about $49,152. Those numbers, solid completion, open admissions, and the cheapest in-state price on this list, produce a Program Score of 92.5, second in South Carolina. It suits students who want a large public flagship, a fast-track master's option, and the lowest sticker price among the state's top programs.
Furman University
Greenville, SC · Nonprofit
- Grad rate
- 79%
- Admit rate
- 43%
- In-state
- $59,360
- Out-of-state
- $59,360
Furman University's Accounting B.A. holds a 79% graduation rate but charges $59,360 a year for every student, a $237,440 four-year total with no in-state discount.
- 79% graduation rate
- 43% admit rate
- $59,360/yr flat tuition, no in-state discount
- Major built around explicit CPA 150-credit-hour guidance
Furman University's Accounting B.A. requires a minimum 2.00 GPA across a defined major sequence: Principles of Financial Accounting (ACC-111 or ACC-120), Intermediate Accounting I and II (ACC-312, ACC-313), Cost Accounting (ACC-320), Auditing (ACC-330), Federal Income Taxation (ACC-340), and Accounting Information Systems (ACC-350), plus Business Analytics, Corporate Finance, Introduction to Economics and Introduction to Statistics. The program page addresses CPA licensure directly: many states use 150 credit hours of coursework for CPA licensure, and Furman directs students to research their target state's rules and consult an accounting faculty member to plan for it.
Furman's 79% graduation rate ties USC Columbia, and its 43% admit rate sits between Clemson and the two other public programs on selectivity. Tuition is flat at $59,360 a year regardless of residency, since Furman does not set separate in-state and out-of-state rates; four years runs $237,440, a $181,288 premium over four years of Clemson in-state tuition. That price sits behind a Program Score of 91.4, third in South Carolina, reflecting strong completion and admissions selectivity at a small private university of 2,554 total students. It fits students who want small class sizes and explicit CPA-pathway advising, and who can cover or finance the private-school premium.
College of Charleston
Charleston, SC · Public
- Grad rate
- 66%
- Admit rate
- 60%
- In-state
- $12,518
- Out-of-state
- $37,836
College of Charleston backs a 60% admit rate with named internship placements at KPMG and FORVIS, plus a five-year path to a Master of Science in Accountancy in just one added year, at $12,518 a year in-state.
- 66% graduation rate
- 60% admit rate, ties for most accessible in SC
- $12,518/yr in-state tuition
- 5-year path to MS in Accountancy with one added year
College of Charleston's accounting major runs through a dedicated Department of Accounting where, per the program page, every accounting professor has worked or currently works in the field. A five-year accelerated option lets students add a Master of Science in Accountancy with just one extra year of study. The page names specific employer placements, Elliot Davis, KPMG and FORVIS, and points to Beta Alpha Psi, an international honor society for high-achieving accounting students, as a campus organization. Curriculum builds toward CPA, CMA, CFE and CIA certification tracks, with common outcomes listed as auditor, tax accountant, director of finance and CFO.
College of Charleston's 66% graduation rate is the lowest of South Carolina's four ranked accounting programs, while its 60% admit rate ties USC Columbia for the most accessible. In-state tuition is $12,518 a year versus $37,836 out-of-state, a $25,318 annual gap; four years in-state runs about $50,072. That mix, lower completion offset by open admissions, a low in-state price, and a named internship pipeline, produces a Program Score of 87.9, fourth in South Carolina. It fits students prioritizing direct employer connections and a fast add-on master's degree over top-end selectivity or completion rates.
Wofford College
Spartanburg, SC · Nonprofit
- Grad rate
- 84%
- Admit rate
- 52%
- In-state
- $54,080
- Out-of-state
- $54,080
Wofford College's accounting majors graduate at an 84% rate, the highest of South Carolina's top four programs, though tuition runs a flat $54,080 a year with no in-state discount.
- 84% grad rate, highest of SC's top 4
- 52% admit rate
- $54,080 flat tuition, no in-state discount
- 87.5 Program Score, ranked #5 in SC
Wofford College's accounting major sits inside the Accounting, Business and Finance department, built on the college's liberal arts core. Faculty bring backgrounds in business, nonprofit work, and academia, and the department has handed out an annual Accounting Academic Award to its top graduating senior since the late 1970s, judged on academic excellence.
Wofford posts an 87.5 Program Score, the basis for its #5 rank among South Carolina's accounting programs, built on an 84% graduation rate, the highest of the four schools profiled here. Admission runs at a 52% admit rate, and tuition is a flat $54,080 a year with no in-state break, the highest sticker price of the group. At 1,817 total students, it fits someone who wants the smallest campus and the strongest completion odds and can absorb the highest cost of these four.
Anderson University
Anderson, SC · Nonprofit
- Grad rate
- 66%
- Admit rate
- 55%
- In-state
- $34,020
- Out-of-state
- $34,020
Anderson University says 100% of its accounting graduates who have attempted the CPA exam have passed it, and tuition runs $34,020 a year, $20,060 less than Wofford's.
- 100% CPA exam pass rate among grads who sat for it (per program page)
- 66% grad rate / 55% admit rate
- $34,020 flat tuition, 128 credit hours
- 84.7 Program Score, ranked #6 in SC
Anderson University's BSB in Accounting, housed in the College of Business and Economics, runs 128 total credit hours over four years on the seated main campus. The curriculum covers auditing, finance, tax accounting, and managerial accounting across eight dedicated accounting courses, and the program page states that 100% of its graduates who have attempted the CPA exam have passed it. Admission is rolling, with a December 1 deadline for best scholarship consideration and July 1 for fall entry; the school also positions the major as a direct pipeline into its own MBA.
Anderson carries an 84.7 Program Score, good for #6 in South Carolina, on a 66% graduation rate and a 55% admit rate. Tuition is flat at $34,020 a year regardless of residency, $20,060 less than Wofford's $54,080. With 4,710 students enrolled, it fits someone who wants a CPA-focused curriculum and a stated 100% CPA pass record at a mid-tier private price point.
Bob Jones University
Greenville, SC · Nonprofit
- Grad rate
- 65%
- Admit rate
- Open admission
- In-state
- $20,752
- Out-of-state
- $20,752
Bob Jones University charges a flat $20,752 a year for its accounting degree, the lowest tuition among South Carolina's top four programs, with a 65% graduation rate.
- $20,752 flat tuition, lowest of SC's top 4
- 65% grad rate
- 82.2 Program Score, ranked #7 in SC
- Recruiting pipeline includes Deloitte, PwC, EY, KPMG (per program page)
Bob Jones University's BS in Accounting pairs a Christ-centered curriculum with auditing, financial and managerial accounting, and taxation coursework, and it prepares students to sit for the CPA exam. The program runs an annual winter recruiting event that draws more than 20 accounting firms and companies from Greenville, Charlotte, and Atlanta, and its program page names Deloitte, PwC, Ernst & Young, and KPMG among the firms that have hired its graduates. BJU also states its grads have "consistently outperformed state and national CPA Exam pass rates for all four sections taken" and hold CPA certification in more than 25 states.
BJU's 82.2 Program Score ranks it #7 in South Carolina, built on a 65% graduation rate. Tuition is a flat $20,752 a year, the lowest of the four South Carolina programs profiled here, well under Anderson's $34,020 and Wofford's $54,080. No admit rate is reported for this program. Across 2,734 students, it fits a cost-conscious applicant who wants a Christian worldview integrated into CPA prep and a built-in recruiting pipeline to national firms.
North Greenville University
Tigerville, SC · Nonprofit
- Grad rate
- 55%
- Admit rate
- 67%
- In-state
- $25,600
- Out-of-state
- $25,600
North Greenville University admits 67% of applicants, the most open of South Carolina's top four accounting programs with admissions data, on a 12:1 student-faculty ratio and $25,600 flat tuition.
- 67% admit rate, most open of SC's top 4 with admissions data
- 12:1 student/faculty ratio, 14 avg class size
- $25,600 flat tuition
- 73.3 Program Score, ranked #8 in SC
North Greenville University's BBA in Accounting runs through the College of Business and Entrepreneurship, with a 12:1 student/faculty ratio and an average class size of 14. Its Accounting Directed Internship Program places students with the IRS, private CPA practices, local businesses, and government agencies, and graduates are eligible to sit for the CPA exam upon completion. Coursework includes Federal Income Taxation, Advanced Accounting I and II, Municipal and Governmental Accounting, and Fraud and Corporate Responsibility. U.S. News & World Report ranked NGU #36 on its 2026 Best Value Schools list.
NGU's 73.3 Program Score places it #8 among South Carolina's ranked accounting programs, on a 55% graduation rate. Its 67% admit rate is the most open of the four schools with admissions data here, and tuition is flat at $25,600 a year. With 2,304 students enrolled, it fits an applicant prioritizing small class sizes and easier admission over selectivity, at a mid-low tuition point between BJU's $20,752 and Anderson's $34,020.
University of South Carolina-Upstate
Spartanburg, SC · Public
- Grad rate
- 43%
- Admit rate
- 67%
- In-state
- $11,208
- Out-of-state
- $22,710
University of South Carolina-Upstate's accounting B.S. requires 120 credit hours and builds in internships with accounting and manufacturing firms.
- 43% graduation rate
- Program Score 72.5
- $11,208 in-state tuition
- 120 credit hours with internships
The University of South Carolina Upstate offers an in-person Bachelor of Science in Accounting. The program pairs accounting with analytics and decision-making, and the university says it combines coursework with hands-on learning so graduates can advise management and help improve business processes. Completing the degree takes 120 credit hours, and the academic catalog lays out the extra requirements for students planning to pursue a CPA license. The program points to faculty mentorship, multiple clubs for networking and internship experiences with leading accounting and manufacturing firms. The school says local and national organizations recruit its graduates for entry-level positions, while others go on to graduate school. The admissions page suggests aiming for a GPA above 2.5 for a smooth entry.
Federal data shows a 43% graduation rate at USC Upstate and a 67% admit rate. In-state tuition is $11,208, while out-of-state tuition is $22,710, a narrower gap than at many public universities. The program's Program Score is 72.5 out of 100, which is the basis of its ranking. It fits students who want a campus-based accounting degree in the Spartanburg area with internship access and a clear path toward CPA requirements.
Coastal Carolina University
Conway, SC · Public
- Grad rate
- 48%
- Admit rate
- 75%
- In-state
- $11,460
- Out-of-state
- $29,448
Coastal Carolina University's accounting major offers separate CPA and CMA concentrations within a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration.
- 48% graduation rate
- Program Score 71.9
- $11,460 in-state tuition
- CPA and CMA concentrations
Coastal Carolina University's accounting major leads to a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and is housed in the D. Wyatt Henderson Department of Accounting. Students choose between two concentrations: a CPA concentration aimed at the certified public accountant path and a CMA concentration aimed at certified managerial accounting. The department lists Ernst and Young, Deloitte, KPMG, Raytheon, PwC and regional firms among the employers where graduates have found jobs. Students can work as interns during college, and many take part in volunteer work with the IRS Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program. Accounting students can also join the university's Beta Alpha Psi chapter, an honor organization for accounting students and professionals. For graduates who want further study, Coastal offers an online Master of Accountancy.
Federal data shows a 48% graduation rate at Coastal Carolina and a 75% admit rate, so admission is not especially selective. In-state tuition is $11,460 and out-of-state tuition is $29,448. The program's Program Score is 71.9 out of 100, the basis of its ranking. It fits students who want a CPA or management accounting track at a mid-sized public university, with internships and VITA experience along the way.
Strayer University-South Carolina
Greenville, SC · For-profit · online option
- Grad rate
- 17%
- Admit rate
- Open admission
- In-state
- $13,725
- Out-of-state
- $13,725
Strayer's BBA in accounting includes Excel and QuickBooks training, corporate and personal tax return preparation, and two digital badges at no added cost.
- 17% graduation rate
- Program Score 63.8
- $13,725 tuition
- Two digital badges included
Strayer University-South Carolina offers a Bachelor of Business Administration with an Accounting concentration, made up of 40 courses of 11 weeks each. The page describes online and in-person options at select campuses. Students learn to use Excel and QuickBooks to provide accounting information, record journal entries, prepare and evaluate financial statements, and prepare both personal and corporate federal income tax returns. Coursework also covers inventory planning, cost distribution and statistical models in cost accounting. The BBA includes an Accounting Foundations badge and an Auditing Essentials badge at no additional cost. Students can transfer up to 28 classes, and Strayer lists a no-cost way to complete general education courses, subject to eligibility. The school reports that its business degrees are programmatically accredited by ACBSP.
Federal data shows a 17% graduation rate, and the school is open admission. Tuition is $13,725 for in-state and out-of-state students alike. The program has a Program Score of 63.8 out of 100, the basis of its ranking. It suits transfer students and working adults who want flexible online scheduling and are prepared to manage a self-paced course load, since the graduation rate is low.
Open admission: the school admits every qualified applicant, so it reports no admit rate.
Graduation Rates at the Ranked Accounting Bachelor's Programs in South Carolina
The median school on this list graduates 66% of its students. The highest rates belong to Clemson University (87%) and Wofford College (84%). The school with the highest rate is also ranked #1.
- #1 Clemson University87% graduation rate
- #5 Wofford College84% graduation rate
- #2 University of South Carolina-Columbia79% graduation rate
Institution-wide graduation rates reported to IPEDS. They describe the whole school, not this program alone.
How Selective Are the Accounting Bachelor's Programs in South Carolina?
On this list, 2 of 11 schools are open-admission, taking every qualified applicant. Of the rest, 2 schools admit fewer than half of applicants, the most selective being Clemson University at 38%.
- #1 Clemson University38% admitted
- #3 Furman University43% admitted
- #5 Wofford College52% admitted
Institution-wide admit rates for first-time applicants, reported to IPEDS. Open-admission schools do not report one.
Public and Private Accounting Bachelor's Programs in South Carolina
This list holds 5 public, 5 private nonprofit, and 1 for-profit schools.
Control (public, private nonprofit, for-profit) as reported to IPEDS. Public schools usually charge residents less; private schools charge everyone the same rate.
Where the Accounting Bachelor's Programs in South Carolina Are
The 11 ranked schools are spread across 8 cities. Greenville (3) and Spartanburg (2) are the only ones with more than one ranked school.
Main campus city as reported to IPEDS.
Campus Size Across the Accounting Bachelor's Programs in South Carolina
Enrollment on this list runs from 1,817 at Wofford College to 38,532 at University of South Carolina-Columbia. Of the 11, 2 enroll 20,000 students or more and 7 enroll fewer than 5,000.
Total institution enrollment reported to IPEDS, all levels and programs.
What Graduates of the Accounting Bachelor's Programs in South Carolina Earn
| Rank | School | Median earnings, 4 years outEarnings, 4 yrs | Average net priceNet price |
|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Clemson UniversityClemson | $84,458 | $22,032 |
| #2 | University of South Carolina-ColumbiaSouth Carolina-Columbia | $86,507 | $22,197 |
| #4 | College of CharlestonCollege of Charleston | $85,826 | $18,177 |
| #5 | Wofford CollegeWofford College | $78,576 | $23,144 |
| #6 | Anderson UniversityAnderson | $79,844 | $24,068 |
| #7 | Bob Jones UniversityBob Jones | $84,369 | $14,632 |
| #8 | North Greenville UniversityNorth Greenville | $62,411 | $22,235 |
| #10 | Coastal Carolina UniversityCoastal Carolina | $63,239 | $15,287 |
| #11 | Strayer University-South CarolinaStrayer-South Carolina | $66,108 | $22,593 |
Four years out, medians on this list run from $62,411 at North Greenville to $86,507 at South Carolina-Columbia.
The highest-ranked school in the table, Clemson (#1), reports $84,458, so the highest score and the highest pay are not the same school.
After grants, the average undergraduate pays least at Bob Jones, $14,632 a year, and most at Anderson, $24,068.
College Scorecard, October 2026 release. Earnings cover each school's programs in this field at this degree level; net price is for full-time first-time undergraduates receiving aid.
What a Bachelor of Accounting Costs in South Carolina
In-state tuition among the 11 ranked accounting programs in South Carolina runs from $11,208 at the University of South Carolina Upstate to $59,360 at Furman University, a $48,152 spread for four years of the same credential. Public schools cluster at the bottom of that range: Coastal Carolina charges $11,460, the University of South Carolina-Columbia charges $12,288, College of Charleston charges $12,518, and Clemson charges $14,038. Private nonprofit schools sit much higher: Bob Jones University at $20,752, North Greenville University at $25,600, Anderson University at $34,020, Wofford College at $54,080, and Furman at $59,360.
Multiply by four years and the gap widens fast. A bachelor of accounting at USC Upstate runs roughly $44,832 in tuition alone before fees, room, or board. The same degree at Furman runs $237,440, a $192,608 difference for a credential that leads to the same national labor market. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics puts the median salary for accountants and auditors at $87,660 a year nationally, the same figure regardless of which South Carolina school appears on the diploma, so the tuition gap has to be justified by something other than the paycheck: smaller class sizes, employer name recognition, or a graduation rate high enough to avoid paying for years that do not finish.
That last point matters more than the sticker price. Clemson's 87 percent graduation rate and $14,038 tuition beat Anderson's 66 percent rate at $34,020 on both axes at once: cheaper and more likely to finish. Among these South Carolina schools, the ones worth the higher private tuition are the ones with a graduation rate to match it, like Wofford's 84 percent at $54,080; the ones that charge private prices without a comparable completion rate, like North Greenville's 55 percent at $25,600, are a harder case to make financially.
Published annual tuition and required fees reported to IPEDS. Private schools charge one rate regardless of residency; public schools charge non-residents the out-of-state rate shown on each card.
How to Become a CPA in South Carolina
Act 34 of 2025 took effect June 30, 2025: a South Carolina bachelor's plus two years of experience now qualifies for a license, and a graduate degree or 150 hours cuts that to one year.
| Education | Experience | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's with an accounting concentration | 2 years | Available since June 2025 |
| A graduate degree, or 150 semester hours | 1 year | Available |
To sit for the exam: 120 semester hours or a bachelor's, with 24 upper-level accounting and 24 business hours. Every route also requires passing all four sections of the Uniform CPA Examination.
A bachelor's in accounting from this list can now lead to a license in South Carolina with no fifth year of coursework, by way of the two-year route. Taking the extra 30 credits now buys a shorter apprenticeship instead, one year of experience rather than two.
Checked against the South Carolina Board of Accountancy and the law behind it in October 2026. These rules are changing state by state, so confirm them with the board before you plan a course schedule around them.
Why Accreditation Matters for an Accounting Bachelor's Degree
Not every accounting degree in South Carolina is accredited the same way. AACSB (aacsb.edu) accredits business and accounting programs against a common standard for faculty qualifications, curriculum, and outcomes; ACBSP accredits many smaller and regional programs against a similar but less selective bar. Before comparing tuition or graduation rate, confirm that a specific accounting program carries one of these two accreditations. An unaccredited program can still grant a degree, but graduates may face extra hurdles sitting for the CPA exam or transferring credit into a master's program later.
Accreditation status is not something to guess at from a ranking. It changes by campus and by year, so verify it directly on the school's own program page or through the AACSB and ACBSP directories before enrolling. For the 11 accounting programs in South Carolina covered here, accreditation is a threshold check, not a differentiator baked into the Program Score; the score measures graduation rate, selectivity, cost, and outcomes on top of whatever accreditation floor a program already clears.
What Separates the Best Bachelor's in Accounting Programs in South Carolina
Clemson University leads the state with a 94.8 Program Score, an 87 percent graduation rate, and $14,038 in-state tuition, the highest completion rate of any ranked program paired with tuition near the bottom of the range. The University of South Carolina-Columbia ranks second at 92.5, with a 79 percent graduation rate and $12,288 tuition, the cheapest in-state price among the top five schools. Furman University ranks third at 91.4 with a matching 79 percent graduation rate, but its $59,360 tuition is more than four times USC-Columbia's, a private-school premium that buys a smaller campus rather than a materially better completion rate.
College of Charleston (87.9 score, 66 percent graduation rate, $12,518 tuition) and Wofford College (87.5 score, 84 percent graduation rate, $54,080 tuition) round out the top five. Wofford's graduation rate is the second-highest in the state behind Clemson, which makes it the strongest case among the private colleges for paying above public tuition: an 84 percent completion rate is close to Clemson's 87 percent and well above Furman's 79 percent, even though Wofford costs $5,280 less per year than Furman.
Below the top five, tuition and outcomes start to diverge in ways worth flagging directly. Anderson University (84.7 score, 66 percent graduation rate, $34,020 tuition) and Bob Jones University (82.2 score, 65 percent graduation rate, $20,752 tuition) both charge private-college prices for graduation rates on par with the cheaper public schools. North Greenville University (73.3 score, 55 percent graduation rate) and the University of South Carolina-Upstate (72.5 score, 43 percent graduation rate) sit lower on both cost efficiency and completion. Coastal Carolina University (71.9 score, 48 percent graduation rate, $11,460 tuition) offers the second-lowest public tuition in the state but a below-average graduation rate to match it.
Online and Accelerated Bachelor's in Accounting Programs in South Carolina
Strayer University-South Carolina is the one fully online, for-profit option among the 11 ranked accounting programs in South Carolina, priced at $13,725 in-state tuition, close to the public university range. Its Program Score of 63.8 is the lowest in this ranking, driven largely by a 17 percent graduation rate, the weakest completion number of any school analyzed here by a wide margin. That gap illustrates the core trade-off with online and accelerated formats: flexible scheduling and lower entry barriers can come with far fewer students finishing the accounting degree they started.
Several of the traditional South Carolina schools now offer accelerated or hybrid components inside their standard bachelor of accounting curricula, letting students layer online coursework onto a residential degree rather than choosing a fully online school outright. That hybrid approach keeps a student inside a program with a public or nonprofit graduation rate, Clemson's 87 percent or USC-Columbia's 79 percent, for example, while still getting scheduling flexibility for upper-level or summer coursework. For a bachelor of accounting specifically, where the eventual goal is CPA eligibility, a program's completion rate is a more useful signal than its format.
Accounting Salaries and Job Outlook After Graduation
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a national median salary of $87,660 a year for accountants and auditors as of its most recent occupational data, published through BLS Occupational Outlook (bls.gov/ooh) and BLS wage data (bls.gov/oes). That figure is a national benchmark, not a South Carolina-specific or school-specific number, and it applies the same regardless of which of the 11 ranked schools a graduate attended.
What does vary by school is the probability of finishing the degree that leads to that salary. A graduation rate gap between Clemson's 87 percent and Strayer's 17 percent is a 70-point difference in the odds a given enrollee actually earns the credential the BLS wage data describes. For a prospective accountant weighing schools in South Carolina, the graduation rate and tuition figures in this ranking are a better predictor of whether the $87,660 national median becomes personally relevant than any single ranking or awards list.