Best Online Computer Science Programs in Lancaster, SC (2026)

Lancaster, South Carolina has 5 accredited schools offering computer science programs, with tuition ranging from $15,956 to $30,286 per year for indexed programs. Lancaster has a population of about 8,738. Median household income is $43,234 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 17.3% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC metro area, the top-earning computer science-related role is Computer and Information Systems Manager at a median $176,840 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).


Closest Computer Science Schools to Lancaster

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer computer science programs near Lancaster, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Lancaster city center. The list is rebuilt from federal IPEDS data on every site update.

How We Rank Schools

Every school list on this site is ordered by the BOC Score, computed from the most recent school-level data published by the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and IPEDS). To qualify, a school must be currently operating and accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Each eligible school is then scored on five measures, percentile-ranked against schools at the same credential level:

  • Graduation rate 30%
  • Median earnings, 10 years after entry 25%
  • Average net price (lower is better) 20%
  • Retention rate 15%
  • Fully online availability 10%

Schools without enough outcome data appear after ranked schools, without a score. On this page, schools are ordered by distance from Lancaster. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

#1

Winthrop University

Rock Hill, SC 20.5 miles from Lancaster BOC Score 53.8
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 60%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $47,185
Avg net price $15,343/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 73%
  • Programs offered: 33

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Columbia International University

Columbia, SC 47.4 miles from Lancaster BOC Score 44.9
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 75%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $38,951
Avg net price $26,036/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 61%
  • Programs offered: 20

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

University of South Carolina-Columbia

Columbia, SC 52.5 miles from Lancaster BOC Score 74.1
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 77%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $62,177
Avg net price $22,811/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 92%
  • Programs offered: 68

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Limestone University

Gaffney, SC 54.3 miles from Lancaster
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 24

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#5

Morris College

Sumter, SC 59.7 miles from Lancaster BOC Score 12.9
  • 4 year
Graduation rate 29%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $30,614
Avg net price $20,555/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 44%
  • Programs offered: 10

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

University of South Carolina-Upstate

Spartanburg, SC 70.1 miles from Lancaster BOC Score 53.4
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 58%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $48,587
Avg net price $13,557/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 70%
  • Programs offered: 28

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#7

South Carolina State University

Orangeburg, SC 84.8 miles from Lancaster BOC Score 29.9
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 36%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $38,262
Avg net price $18,097/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 57%
  • Programs offered: 28

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Lander University

Greenwood, SC 86.8 miles from Lancaster BOC Score 43.9
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 53%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $42,396
Avg net price $15,363/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 69%
  • Programs offered: 21

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all South Carolina schools on the South Carolina computer science page.


Computer Science Wages Near Lancaster

Lancaster is part of the Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC metro area (BLS area code 16740). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to South Carolina statewide.

OccupationMedian WageSourceCOL-Adjusted (US=100)
Software Developer$135,920Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC$139,692
Computer Systems Analyst$110,790Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC$113,864
Computer Network Architect$134,410Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC$138,140
Database Administrator$113,890Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC$117,050
Database Architect$138,870Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC$142,724
Information Security Analyst$131,440Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC$135,087
Computer Network Support Specialist$75,420Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC$77,513
Computer User Support Specialist$60,220Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC$61,891
Web Developer$101,980Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC$104,810
Web and Digital Interface Designer$94,290Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC$96,906
Computer and Information Systems Manager$176,840Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC$181,747

Source: BLS, May 2025 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes wage data at the metro (MSA) and state level – not by individual city.


Lancaster at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population8,738Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$43,234Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+17.3%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)97.3 (below U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024
Computer Science-related employment in Lancaster County224 workers, 106 establishmentsBLS QCEW 2024 annual

Other Lancaster-Area Cities With Computer Science Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited computer science schools are near Lancaster, SC?

Accredited schools offering computer science programs near Lancaster are listed on this page, ranked by BOC Score and distance from the city center. The list is rebuilt from federal IPEDS and College Scorecard data on every site update, so it stays current as programs open and close.

What are the highest-paying computer science roles near Lancaster?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying computer science-related roles near Lancaster are: Computer and Information Systems Manager ($176,840), Database Architect ($138,870), Software Developer ($135,920). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with South Carolina statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Rock Hill instead of Lancaster?

Rock Hill, SC is 20.5 miles from Lancaster and has its own set of local computer science programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.

Is Lancaster an affordable place to study computer science?

Lancaster’s median household income of $43,234 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Lancaster while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and South Carolina public universities often offer reduced in-state online tuition.

How do I verify a program is accredited?

Confirm institutional accreditation via the U.S. Department of Education database (U.S. Dept. of Education database), and check for any program-specific accreditation listed by the school.


Learn More About Computer Science Programs

Other Programs Available in Lancaster

Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for Lancaster:

Data verified: July 23, 2026. Salary, employment, and tuition figures on this page are sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS May 2025; Employment Projections 2024โ€“2034) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (2023 cohort). The source agency and data year are cited inline with every statistic.