Best Online Engineering Programs in Gaffney, SC (2026)

Gaffney, South Carolina has 5 accredited schools offering engineering programs, with tuition ranging from $2,602 to $24,565 per year for indexed programs. Gaffney has a population of about 12,612. Median household income is $41,214 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 21.8% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In South Carolina, the top-earning engineering-related role is Architectural and Engineering Manager at a median $169,040 annually (BLS, May 2025).


Closest Engineering Schools to Gaffney

The 5 accredited institutions below are the closest among the 5 schools in our directory that offer engineering programs near Gaffney. Distances are calculated from Gaffney city center.

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 Gaffney. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

#1

Cleveland Community College

Shelby, NC 17.0 miles from Gaffney BOC Score46.6
Published tuition$2,602 - $8,746
Online programsYes

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#2

University of South Carolina-Upstate

Spartanburg, SC 18.5 miles from Gaffney BOC Score53.4
Published tuition$11,583 - $24,565
Online programsYes

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#3

Spartanburg Community College

Spartanburg, SC 20.0 miles from Gaffney BOC Score51.3
Published tuition$5,046 - $15,031
Online programsYes

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#4

Isothermal Community College

Spindale, NC 23.3 miles from Gaffney BOC Score48.5
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes

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#5

Gaston College

Dallas, NC 30.8 miles from Gaffney BOC Score51.1
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes

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


Engineering Wages Near Gaffney

OccupationMedian Annual Wage (South Carolina, statewide)
Civil Engineer$101,600
Electrical Engineer$98,440
Mechanical Engineer$104,580
Chemical Engineer$101,570
Aerospace Engineer$137,030
Biomedical Engineer$99,130
Environmental Engineer$96,140
Architectural and Engineering Manager$169,040

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.


Gaffney at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population12,612Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$41,214Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+21.8%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Engineering-related employment in Cherokee County44 workers, 8 establishmentsBLS QCEW 2024 annual

Other Gaffney-Area Cities With Engineering Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited engineering schools are near Gaffney, SC?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering engineering programs near Gaffney. The closest is Cleveland Community College in Shelby, NC (17.0 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Gaston College (30.8 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying engineering roles in South Carolina?

Based on BLS May 2025 state wage data, the top-paying engineering-related roles in South Carolina are: Architectural and Engineering Manager ($169,040), Aerospace Engineer ($137,030), Mechanical Engineer ($104,580). Wages for Gaffney workers will track these statewide medians, adjusted for local cost of living.

Should I look at programs in Shelby instead of Gaffney?

Shelby, NC is 16.2 miles from Gaffney and has its own set of local engineering programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.

Is Gaffney an affordable place to study engineering?

Gaffney’s median household income of $41,214 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Gaffney 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 Engineering Programs

Other Programs Available in Gaffney

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

Data verified: June 11, 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.