Best Economics Schools Near Lancaster, SC (2026)

Updated August 31, 2026 BLS data College Scorecard On this page

Lancaster, South Carolina has 5 accredited schools offering economics 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 economics-related role is Statistician at a median $126,350 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest Economics Schools to Lancaster

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer economics 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.

Ranked by BOC Score — U.S. Dept. of Education outcome data. Advertising never affects rankings.

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#1

Winthrop University

Rock Hill, SC 20.7 miles from Lancaster
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
53.8 BOC Score
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: 53

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

University of South Carolina-Columbia

Columbia, SC 52.2 miles from Lancaster
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
74.1 BOC Score
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: 165

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

Presbyterian College

Clinton, SC 64.8 miles from Lancaster
  • 4 year
52.6 BOC Score
Graduation rate 63%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $60,194
Avg net price $20,528/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 77%
  • Programs offered: 22

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Converse University

Spartanburg, SC 66.5 miles from Lancaster
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
42.1 BOC Score
Graduation rate 59%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $40,867
Avg net price $23,283/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 73%
  • Programs offered: 39

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#5

Wofford College

Spartanburg, SC 67.4 miles from Lancaster
  • 4 year
71.6 BOC Score
Graduation rate 81%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $68,964
Avg net price $18,732/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 90%
  • Programs offered: 25

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

University of South Carolina-Upstate

Spartanburg, SC 70.1 miles from Lancaster
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
53.4 BOC Score
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: 53

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#7

Francis Marion University

Florence, SC 74.1 miles from Lancaster
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
44.2 BOC Score
Graduation rate 45%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $43,888
Avg net price $11,386/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 70%
  • Programs offered: 40

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

South Carolina State University

Orangeburg, SC 84.9 miles from Lancaster
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
29.9 BOC Score
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: 42

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

Economics 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)
Economist$117,600Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC$120,863
Financial and Investment Analyst$106,510Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC$109,466
Statistician$126,350Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC$129,856
Management Analyst$102,920Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC$105,776

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

Other Lancaster-Area Cities With Economics Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited economics schools are near Lancaster, SC?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering economics programs near Lancaster. The closest is Winthrop University in Rock Hill, SC (20.7 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Davidson College (53.7 miles). 4 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying economics roles near Lancaster?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying economics-related roles near Lancaster are: Statistician ($126,350), Economist ($117,600), Financial and Investment Analyst ($106,510). 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 economics 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 economics?

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 Economics Programs

Other Programs Available in Lancaster

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

Data verified: August 31, 2026. Salary, employment, and tuition figures on this page are sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS May 2025; Employment Projections 2024–2034) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (2023 cohort). The source agency and data year are cited inline with every statistic.

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