South Carolina · History

Best colleges for History in South Carolina

Ranked by graduate earnings

Citadel Military College of South Carolina, Clemson University and College of Charleston are the top bachelor's History programs in South Carolina by graduate earnings. Citadel Military College of South Carolina leads with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $42,712, College Scorecard. University of South Carolina-Columbia, Clemson University and College of Charleston award the most History degrees in South Carolina: 72, 61 and 49 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25). 23 South Carolina colleges offer History and award 376 degrees and certificates a year in all.

The History program offers students a comprehensive understanding of past events, societies, and cultures. It is designed for individuals interested in exploring various historical contexts, from American and European history to military…

Institutions
23
offering CIP 54.01
States & territories
53
with a program page
Degrees / yr
376
IPEDS completions 2024–25
Median starting salary
$30,189
1 yr after graduation, College Scorecard
With earnings data
9
College Scorecard
Median net price
$21,534
IPEDS 2024–25
Avg graduation rate
58%
IPEDS 2024–25
State pay · Historians
$61,470
BLS OEWS May 2025

Top 9 bachelor's programs, ranked by graduate earnings

Ranked by median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard. Programs with fewer than 20 graduates a year, a graduation rate under 30%, or online, degree-completion or graduate-only status rank after the rest.

Starting salary (1 yr): median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard.
#InstitutionStarting salary (1 yr)Graduates / yrGrad rateNet priceMedian debt
1Citadel Military College of South Carolina
Charleston Public · Bachelor's degree
$42,7122975%—$25,524
2Clemson University
Clemson Public · Bachelor's degree
$36,1996187%—$24,550
3College of Charleston
Charleston Public · Bachelor's degree
$28,4494966%—$27,000
4University of South Carolina-Columbia
Columbia Public · Bachelor's degree
$27,6527279%—$22,550
5Coastal Carolina University
Conway Public · Bachelor's degree
$24,1722948%—$26,000
6Lander University
Greenwood Public · Bachelor's degree Small program
$36,613850%—$21,297
7Presbyterian College
Clinton Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree Small program
$35,2651251%$20,548$25,500
8Wofford College
Spartanburg Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree Small program
$30,1891684%$24,459—
9Winthrop University
Rock Hill Public · Bachelor's degree Small program
$28,3221457%—$27,000

Colleges awarding the most History degrees in South Carolina

Top 10 by graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25 completions). Certificate and associate programs, online, degree-completion and graduate-only schools, and schools with a graduation rate under 30% are listed in full below.

Graduates / yr: degrees and certificates awarded in a year, IPEDS completions. Starting salary (1 yr): median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard.
#InstitutionGraduates / yrStarting salary (1 yr)
1University of South Carolina-Columbia
Columbia Public
72$27,652
2Clemson University
Clemson Public
61$36,199
3College of Charleston
Charleston Public
49$28,449
4Citadel Military College of South Carolina
Charleston Public
29$42,712
5Coastal Carolina University
Conway Public
29$24,172
6Furman University
Greenville Private not-for-profit
16Not reported
7Wofford College
Spartanburg Private not-for-profit
16$30,189
8Winthrop University
Rock Hill Public
14$28,322
9Presbyterian College
Clinton Private not-for-profit
12$35,265
10Converse University
Spartanburg Private not-for-profit
11Not reported
Show the other 13 South Carolina colleges offering History
InstitutionCityControlGraduates / yr
Francis Marion UniversityFlorencePublic11
University of South Carolina-UpstateSpartanburgPublic11
Lander UniversityGreenwoodPublic8
Charleston Southern UniversityCharlestonPrivate not-for-profit6
University of South Carolina AikenAikenPublic6
University of South Carolina BeaufortBlufftonPublic6
Anderson UniversityAndersonPrivate not-for-profit5
Southern Wesleyan UniversityCentralPrivate not-for-profit4
North Greenville UniversityTigervillePrivate not-for-profit4
Bob Jones UniversityGreenvillePrivate not-for-profit2
Newberry CollegeNewberryPrivate not-for-profit2
Claflin UniversityOrangeburgPrivate not-for-profit1
Erskine CollegeDue WestPrivate not-for-profit1

Career outlook

What this program leads to: Historians (SOC 19-3093).

Projected growth (2024–2034)
+2.2%
About as fast as average
Openings / yr (US)
~300
BLS Employment Projections
US median wage
$74,050
typically Master's degree

Top skills

Reading ComprehensionWritingCritical ThinkingSpeakingActive ListeningActive Learning

What Historians earn in South Carolina

Jobs in South Carolina
60
BLS OEWS May 2025
State average pay
$61,470
median $52,120
Best-paying metro
—

Related careers

History Teachers, Postsecondary
$77,610 avg · 280 jobs
Curators
$55,640 avg · 120 jobs
Museum Technicians and Conservators
$42,010 avg · 90 jobs

Common questions

Answers for students comparing History programs in South Carolina.

Which South Carolina colleges award the most History degrees?+

University of South Carolina-Columbia (72 graduates a year), Clemson University (61 graduates a year) and College of Charleston (49 graduates a year) award the most History degrees in South Carolina, per IPEDS 2024–25 completions. In all, 23 South Carolina colleges offer History.

What is the best college for History in South Carolina?+

By graduate earnings, Citadel Military College of South Carolina leads among bachelor's History programs in South Carolina, with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $42,712, College Scorecard. Clemson University and College of Charleston follow. By degrees awarded, University of South Carolina-Columbia is the largest, with 72 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25).

Which History program in South Carolina has the highest-earning graduates?+

By median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard, Citadel Military College of South Carolina tops the list at $42,712. Compare it against graduates a year, graduation rate, cost, and debt in the ranked table above.

How much do Historians earn in South Carolina?+

The average annual wage for Historians in South Carolina is $61,470 (median $52,120), across about 60 jobs. Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025.

What is the focus of the History program?+

The History program offers students a comprehensive understanding of past events, societies, and cultures. It is designed for individuals interested in exploring various historical contexts, from American and European history to military…

What skills will I develop in this program?+

You will develop reading comprehension, writing, critical thinking, speaking, and related professional skills.

What is the job outlook for Historians?+

The national job outlook is about +2.2% growth with around 300 annual openings (BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034).

What is the typical education requirement?+

A Master's degree is the typical entry-level education for this field (BLS).

About the data on this page

Every figure comes from an official federal or public source. Here is each one and the release it is currently on.

IPEDSFall 2025–26 release, published July 28, 2026
Enrollment, completions, graduation rates, tuition, financial aid, staffing, and finance for every U.S. institution in federal student aid programs.
College ScorecardJune 10, 2026 release (merged 2025–26 files)
Institution and field-of-study costs, graduate earnings, debt, completion, and admissions outcomes compiled from federal aid records, tax data, and IPEDS.
PSEO graduate earnings2019–21 graduation cohorts (release V4.13.0)
Earnings and employment outcomes of graduates by institution, degree level, and field of study, measured from state wage records.
BLS wages & outlookOEWS May 2025 release
Occupational employment and wage estimates plus 10-year job outlook, used to connect programs to real-world earnings.
FVT/GE program performanceProvisional preview, May 18, 2026 release
Program-level debt-to-earnings and earnings-premium measures behind the FVT/GE and STATS accountability frameworks.

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