2026 Best Value Applied Horticulture/Horticulture Operations Schools in South Carolina

[Applied Horticulture/Horticulture Operations](/majors/agriculture-ag-operations/horticulture/applied-horticulture-horticulture-operations-general/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong applied horticulture/horticulture operations education at a price that pays off.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 4 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for applied horticulture/horticulture operations students.
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2026 Best Value Applied Horticulture/Horticulture Operations Schools in South Carolina
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in applied horticulture/horticulture operations, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Applied Horticulture/Horticulture Operations Schools
For return on investment in applied horticulture/horticulture operations, no school beat Trident Technical College this year. Set in the city of Charleston, Trident Technical College is a very large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $4,546, while out-of-state students pay about $8,620. Students borrow a median of $18,116 to complete the applied horticulture/horticulture operations program here. Applied Horticulture/horticulture Operations graduates of Trident Technical College earn a median of $50,166 early in their careers. Set against $18,116 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Students looking for strong value in applied horticulture/horticulture operations will find it at Spartanburg Community College, which ranked #2. Set in the suburb of Spartanburg, Spartanburg Community College is a moderately-sized public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $5,071, with out-of-state students paying around $10,135. Typical student debt for applied horticulture/horticulture operations graduates is $10,148. Early-career applied horticulture/horticulture operations graduates make about $29,260. Set against $10,148 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Students looking for strong value in applied horticulture/horticulture operations will find it at Piedmont Technical College, which ranked #3. Located in the town of Greenwood, Piedmont Technical College is a moderately-sized public university. Students from in state pay about $4,775 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $6,923. Students borrow a median of $17,652 to complete the applied horticulture/horticulture operations program here. Early-career applied horticulture/horticulture operations graduates make about $36,577. That is a strong return on a $17,652 median debt.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Clemson University earned it the #4 place for applied horticulture/horticulture operations. Located in the suburb of Clemson, Clemson University is a very large public university. Students from in state pay about $15,554 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $40,866. Applied Horticulture/horticulture Operations graduates carry a median of $23,783 in student loans. Soon after graduation, applied horticulture/horticulture operations degree recipients from Clemson University generally make around $53,834. Set against $23,783 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Clemson University admits about 38% of applicants.
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Notes and References
This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 4 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 1 ranked schools only.
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), serves as the core of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
More about our data sources and methodologies.