2026 Best Value Public Health Schools in South Carolina
[Public Health](/majors/health-care-professions/public-health/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
College Factual analyzed 17 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best value public health schools.
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2026 Best Value Public Health Schools in South Carolina
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in public health, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Public Health Schools
Coastal Carolina University earned the #1 spot for value among public health schools in South Carolina. Coastal Carolina University is a large public school located in the city of Conway. In-state tuition and fees average $11,640, compared with $29,628 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for public health graduates is $27,000. Early-career public health graduates make about $29,862. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 75% of applicants are accepted.
Students looking for strong value in public health will find it at Lander University, which ranked #2. Located in the town of Greenwood, Lander University is a mid-sized public university. In-state tuition and fees average $11,700, while out-of-state students pay about $21,300. Typical student debt for public health graduates is $26,064. Public Health graduates of Lander University earn a median of $37,548 early in their careers. Set against $26,064 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Lander University admits about 81% of applicants.
Students looking for strong value in public health will find it at University Of South Carolina Beaufort, which ranked #3. Located in the town of Bluffton, University Of South Carolina Beaufort is a mid-sized public university. In-state tuition and fees average $10,730, while out-of-state students pay about $21,776. Students borrow a median of $27,000 to complete the public health program here. Public Health graduates of University Of South Carolina Beaufort earn a median of $33,628 early in their careers. Set against $27,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 72%.
College Of Charleston is a great value for students pursuing a degree in public health, landing the #4 spot this year. Set in the city of Charleston, College Of Charleston is a large public institution. Students from in state pay about $12,978 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $38,296. Public Health graduates carry a median of $26,926 in student loans. Soon after graduation, public health degree recipients from College Of Charleston generally make around $31,848. That is a strong return on a $26,926 median debt. The acceptance rate is 60%.
Benedict College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in public health, landing the #5 spot this year. Benedict College is a small private not-for-profit school located in the city of Columbia. In-state tuition and fees average $17,748. Students borrow a median of $39,254 to complete the public health program here. Early-career public health graduates make about $25,769. That is a strong return on a $39,254 median debt. Roughly 96% of applicants are accepted.
Clemson University came in at #6 for value in public health this year. Located in the suburb of Clemson, Clemson University is a very large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $15,554, with out-of-state students paying around $40,866. Students borrow a median of $23,783 to complete the public health program here. Soon after graduation, public health degree recipients from Clemson University generally make around $53,834. That is a strong return on a $23,783 median debt. Roughly 38% of applicants are accepted.
Charleston Southern University placed #7 among the best values for public health. Located in the city of Charleston, Charleston Southern University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit university. In-state tuition and fees average $32,520. Public Health graduates carry a median of $27,569 in student loans. Soon after graduation, public health degree recipients from Charleston Southern University generally make around $46,288. That is a strong return on a $27,569 median debt. The acceptance rate is 96%.
University Of South Carolina Columbia earned the #8 position for value in public health this year. Located in the city of Columbia, University Of South Carolina Columbia is a very large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $12,688, with out-of-state students paying around $36,298. Students borrow a median of $24,958 to complete the public health program here. Early-career public health graduates make about $64,396. That is a strong return on a $24,958 median debt. University Of South Carolina Columbia admits about 60% of applicants.
Furman University came in at #9 for value in public health this year. Located in the suburb of Greenville, Furman University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $59,770. Public Health graduates carry a median of $23,764 in student loans. Early-career public health graduates make about $36,520. Set against $23,764 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Furman University admits about 43% of applicants.
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 17 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 8 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.
