The Best Colleges in Charleston, South Carolina

If you are searching for the Best Colleges in Charleston, then this article will definitely help you. Charleston, located in South Carolina, very conveniently fuses the past into historical culture, diversity, and modern education in a single city. A number of the finest colleges are situated here in the south, all providing great learning experiences in a beautiful environment.

Now, if you are an incoming student, a parent, or an education aficionado, let’s check out the best of what Charleston, SC Colleges has in store for you. We will see some background information on South Carolina education, and then go into detail about college-going costs, campus facilities/offerings, and graduation rates. All things will be factored in while you choose your college from private colleges in the area that grant degrees and certificates along with your curriculum of choice.

History of the Education System in South Carolina

The history of education in South Carolina reflects ideals of access and quality, right from the colonial period. The founding of the College of Charleston in 1770 became one of the earlier important events. Today, this institution is the first municipal college and one of the oldest colonial schools in the country.

In the 19th and 20th centuries, South Carolina expanded its schools by creating them in the public and private sectors. Indeed, new ideas about academic success led to development in the state so that today South Carolina is littered with broad and diverse types of higher education institutions, from huge research universities to small liberal arts colleges.

Through a solid historical basis and vibrant school communities, Charleston acts as the hub of quality education within the state. The colleges of this city challenge students academically while they are cultured with the presence of the Lowcountry lifestyle and history.

Things to Consider When Choosing a College

Your big first step into a future full of school and work is choosing the right college.

Here are some important things to consider

Academic Programs

The college should offer academic programs in the area of interest. Look for specific courses, gifted teachers, and research opportunities.

Location

Consider whether you prefer to be in an urban or rural setting, whether you are close to cultural and social activities, and whether you are far from home.

Tuition and Financial Aid

Take into consideration the total cost of going to school, including tuition, fees, housing, and daily living. Look over scholarships, grants, and work-study jobs.

Campus facilities

Observe classroom, library, laboratory, dorm facilities, and other recreational amenities. This will enable you to get a feel for the place.

Graduation Rates

A higher graduation rate may indicate that students receive adequate support services and effective academic advising. Campus Life: Understand the social atmosphere, clubs, organizations, and extracurricular activities. A very lively campus life can make your college experience so amazing.

Best Colleges in Charleston, SC

Among many of these noted colleges, each with its own strengths, programs, and campus settings, Charleston is home to some of the best.

College of Charleston

The College of Charleston is located on the downtown historic campus that mixes the olden style of student life with modern living. It has more than 200 student groups, invigorating events on campus, and intense academics. The college gives a complete experience one experiences in college life. It has a mix of historic and modern buildings on campus, together with state-of-the-art labs and art studios. Intercollegiate athletics are very much a part of the college scene. The institution is affiliated with NCAA Division I. Being located at the heart of Charleston, students have easy access to the richness of the city’s culture and history.

Fee Structure

Name of the facility	Estimated Fees
Tuition fees (in-state)	$12,000 (on average) annually
Tuition fees (out of state)	$32,000 annually
Additional fees	Room & Board Approx. $13,000; Books & Supplies: $1,200

Student Campus Life

The College of Charleston’s campus is located in the heart of downtown Charleston, providing students with easy access to the city’s attractions, restaurants, and historic sites. The campus itself is a blend of historic buildings and modern facilities, offering students a unique environment to live and learn.

List of Specialised facilities

• Modern amenities.
• Advanced labs, art studios, and exhibition centers.
• Well-equipped Addlestone Library
• Gyms, sports fields, and other sports facilities.

Graduation Rate: Around 68%

Degree Programs Offered

• Associates Degrees:
  • More than 60+ are offered
  • Business Administration
  • Marine Biology
  • International Studies
  • Psychology
  • Fine Arts.

• Professional Master’s Programs:
  • MPA in Public Administration
  • Master’s in Environmental Studies
  • Master’s in Computer and Information Sciences

• Certificates:
  • Professional and graduate certificates in Project Management
  • Data Science
  • Urban and Regional Planning.

The Citadel, The Military College of South Carolina

Citadel provides an organized student life wherein they are engaged in military training and leadership. Cadets live in a highly disciplined atmosphere, through which they engage in daily workouts, drills, and areas of leadership. Further, students form lifelong bonds within the Corps of Cadets; hence, some sort of camaraderie is built among them. Even under the tight ropes of military rule, cadets are allowed to fraternize in a number of clubs, activities, and NCAA Division I sports. The Citadel emphasizes discipline, leadership, and academic success to prepare students for jobs in the military and in civilian life.

Fee Structure

Name of the facility	Estimated Fees
Tuition fees (in-state)	$14,000 (Approx.) annually
Tuition fees (out of state)	$38,000 annually
Additional fees	Military Uniforms Approx. $7,000; Room & Board: $8,000

Student Campus Life

The College of Charleston’s campus is located in the heart of downtown Charleston, providing students with easy access to the city’s attractions, restaurants, and historic sites. The campus itself is a blend of historic buildings and modern facilities, offering students a unique environment to live and learn.

List of Specialised facilities

• Modern Structures
• Complete all military schools
• New Classrooms and Laboratories
• Johnson Hagood Stadium and Other Recreation Facilities
• Dormitories with a disciplinary and organizational nature focused on leadership

Graduation Rate: Approximately 70%

Degree Programs Offered:

• Undergraduate Bachelor’s Programs (UG):
  • Engineering
  • Business
  • Political Science
  • Criminal Justice, and many more.

• Master’s Degrees:
  • Master’s degree in LeadershipMaster’s in Business Administration (MBA)
  • Engineering Management, and Education.

Graduate certificate programs are offered in leadership, intelligence, and security studies, as well as in tactical performance and resilience.

Charleston Southern University

Charleston Southern University CSU is a private Christian institution of learning and spiritual development. The campus atmosphere has a strong faith-based community. Regular chapel services and many faith-related activities occur. There are over 50 groups students can become involved in. These include academic clubs, honor societies, and service organizations. Newly opened on the CSU campus are attractive housing facilities, dining for all types of diets, and a plethora of activities along with numerous sports. The Buccaneers will play in the NCAA Division I.

Fee Structure

Name of the facility	Estimated Fees
Tuition fees (in-state)	$28,000 annually
Tuition fees (out of state)	$28,000 annually
Additional fees	Room & Board Approx. $10,000; Books & Supplies: $1,200

Student Campus Life

CSU involves over 50 student organizations, from academic clubs and honor societies to service groups. Some of the more popularly known are the Student Government Association, and Baptist Collegiate Ministry, along with countless cultural and ethnic clubs. The influences of the Christian foundations of CSU find their way into student life. With weekly chapel sessions required, students are continually prodded to become more involved through Bible study groups or mission trips.

List of Specialised facilities

• New academic buildings and new residence halls
• There are also exercise establishments, like gymnasiums and play courts.
• Lightsey Chapel is for church services and events.
• A library with thousands of resources inside.

Graduation Rate: Approximately 49%

Degree Programs Offered:

• Bachelor’s degrees: (over 50+ available)
  • Nursing
  • Business
  • Kinesiology
  • Music
  • Criminal Justice

• Master’s Degrees:
  • Master of Business Administration (MBA)
  • Organisational Leadership
  • Christian Studies
  • Education
  • Public Health

• Certificates:
  • Certificate in Cybersecurity
  • Certificate in Healthcare Management
  • Certificate in Supply Chain Management.

Best Independent Colleges in Charleston, SC

Charleston is home to independent colleges, and with this comes an experience that provides closer and more intimate attention to the learner in smaller classes, a close-knit community, along special programs.

Charleston School of Law

Charleston School of Law is committed to providing students with a variety of focused resources to prepare them for their careers in law. Life for students is built on top of rigorous academic programs, focusing more on ethics and aiding community needs. Students do free legal work; hands-on experiences are provided through internships and clinical programs. Therein lies the very essence of its downtown location in Charleston—to keep students close to courts and law firms for practical learning. Student organizations, such as the Moot Court Board and legal fraternities, provide additional opportunities for meeting people and exercising skills.

Fee Structure

Name of the facility	Estimated Fees
Tuition fees (in-state)	$43,000 annually
Tuition fees (out of state)	$43,000 annually
Additional fees	Books & Supplies Approx. $1,500; Living Expenses: $18,000

Student Campus Life

The student life in the Charleston School of Law, with themes of toiling for legal education and a commitment to ethics and helping the community, is where the law students at the School Bar Association, Moot Court Board, and numerous legal fraternities. All these make it much easier for students to find new acquaintances and aid in student skill development in the law field outside the classroom.

List of Specialised facilities

• Modern classrooms and moot courtrooms
• Extensive law library with comprehensive legal resources
• Opportunities for externships and clinical experiences

Graduation Rate: Approximately 65%

Degree Programs Offered:

• Juris Doctor (JD) Program
• Juris Doctor (JD) in law degree covering all essential areas of legal education, including Constitutional Law, Civil Procedure, Contracts, Criminal Law, Property Law, Torts, and more.
• Certificate Programs(specializations within the JD program)
• Environmental Law
• Criminal Law
• Family Law
• Trial Advocacy.
• Continuing Legal Education (CLE) Programs:

These are non-degree programs for practicing lawyers to continue their education and stay current with legal developments.

Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC)

The Medical University of South Carolina MUSC is an active Medical University oriented toward healthy and vibrant student life. Students are adapted to working within a professional field with practical experience in clinics on cutting-edge research projects. This school is renowned for its research fields in medical science; students are exposed to advanced facilities like simulation centers, teaching hospitals, and research labs. MUSC supports good work-life balance. It offers wellness programs and recreational activities for students to support them in handling the stress of medical education.

Fee Structure

Tuition at the Medical University of South Carolina is program-specific to which one is enrolled at that time. The following represents an overview of charges for in-state and out-of-state students for some primary programs in 2024

Name of Facility / Program	Tuition fees (in-state)	Tuition fees (out of state)	Additional Fees
Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN)	$16,000	$30,000	$1,500 (Lab, simulation, technology)
Bachelor’s in Health Administration	$14,000	$26,000	$1,200 (Technology, library)
Respiratory Therapy (Bachelor’s)	$14,000	$26,000	$1,200 (Lab, clinical, technology)
Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD)	$27,000	$46,000	$2,500 (Lab, technology, clinical fees)
Doctor of Dental Medicine (DMD)	$47,000	$83,000	$4,000 (Clinic, lab, instruments, etc.)
Doctor of Medicine (MD)	$36,000	$67,000	$3,000 (Lab, technology, library, etc.)
Master’s/Doctorate Programs (Health Professions)	$20,000 – $25,000	$38,000 – $48,000	$2,000 – $3,000 (Lab, clinical, technology)

Explanation of Extra Charges

Lab Fees: Fees paid for using laboratory facilities and equipment.

Technology fees cover all those related to online learning management systems, software, and IT support.

Library Fees: Allows access to many online resources, databases, and physical materials.

Clinics and Clinical Fees: This applies to programs that have laboratory training requiring the use of facilities, instruments, and patient care.

Fees to support simulation in health programs: fees pay the operational expenses of running simulation labs and equipment.

Student Campus Life

In a number of student organizations, students are represented at the Medical University of South Carolina, all of which span the professionally focused to interest-based service groups. The popular one includes the Student Government Association, the MUSC Pride Alliance, and then a variety of Specialty Interest Groups like the Surgery Interest Group. MUSC also highly supports balancing work with life because of how demanding coursework can be. The university provides programs for wellness, mental health services, and fun activities to enable students to balance the work of coursework stress with being in good health.

List of Specialised facilities

• Cutting-edge medical research labs and simulation centers
• Teaching hospitals and clinics providing real-world experience
• Extensive medical library with a vast collection of resources

Graduation Rate: Approximately 85%

Degree Programs Offered:

• Doctor of Medicine (MD)
• Doctor of Dental Medicine (DMD)
• Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD)

Nursing Degrees:

• Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN)
• Master of Science in Nursing (MSN)
• Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)

Graduate PhD Degree Programs

• Biomedical Sciences
• Biostatistics
• Public Health

Certificate Programs:

• Post-graduate certificates
• Advanced Practice Nursing
• Clinical Research
• Healthcare Administration

Frequently Asked Questions

Conclusion

From the College of Charleston’s historic core to The Citadel’s strict settings, and now Charleston Southern University with a base found in Christian values, there are three unique systems that a student could choose from in Charleston, SC. All colleges are different; hence, each offers a different college experience. Any student would find their ideal school based on needs and goals.

Making a college decision generally involves thinking over the academic programs offered, tuition cost, available campus facilities, graduation, and on-campus life. Charleston’s private colleges—with these, there are also two unique institutions: Charleston School of Law and MUSC—offer a kind of education that looks to professional growth and life-related skills.

Charleston enjoys a rich educational heritage combined with an exciting academic ambiance and rich culture. Because of this, it remains a popular option for students looking for a complete and satisfying college experience in the South.