Best Higher Education Administration Schools Near Sumter, SC

Updated September 5, 2026 BLS data College Scorecard On this page

Sumter, South Carolina has 3 accredited schools offering higher education administration programs. Sumter has a population of about 43,065. Median household income is $53,071 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 28.6% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In South Carolina, the top-earning higher education administration-related role is Education Administrators, All Other at a median $97,240 annually (BLS, May 2025).

Closest Higher Education Administration Schools to Sumter

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer higher education administration programs near Sumter, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Sumter 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 Sumter. 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

Columbia College

Columbia, SC 37.2 miles from Sumter
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
37.5 BOC Score
Graduation rate 52%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $41,338
Avg net price $18,408/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 57%
  • Programs offered: 41

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Citadel Military College of South Carolina

Charleston, SC 82.8 miles from Sumter
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
77.1 BOC Score
Graduation rate 74%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $72,085
Avg net price $20,723/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 87%
  • Programs offered: 43

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#3

North Greenville University

Tigerville, SC 137.0 miles from Sumter
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
40.8 BOC Score
Graduation rate 55%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $43,035
Avg net price $21,063/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 71%
  • Programs offered: 45

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

Higher Education Administration Wages Near Sumter

Sumter is part of the Sumter, SC metro area (BLS area code 44940). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to South Carolina statewide.

Occupation Median Wage Source COL-Adjusted (US=100)
Education Administrators, Postsecondary $95,570 SC statewide $108,602
Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors $59,270 Sumter, SC $67,352
Instructional Coordinators $68,740 Sumter, SC $78,114
Training and Development Specialists $56,930 Sumter, SC $64,693
Education Administrators, All Other $97,240 SC statewide $110,500
Education Teachers, Postsecondary $66,690 SC statewide $75,784
Social and Community Service Managers $61,990 Sumter, SC $70,443
Human Resources Specialists $69,990 Sumter, SC $79,534

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.

Sumter at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 43,065 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $53,071 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 28.6% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100) 88.0 (below U.S. average) BEA RPP 2024

Other Sumter-Area Cities With Higher Education Administration Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited higher education administration schools are near Sumter, SC?

Our directory has 3 accredited schools offering higher education administration programs near Sumter. The closest is Columbia College in Columbia, SC (37.2 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Citadel Military College of South Carolina (82.8 miles). 3 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying higher education administration roles near Sumter?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying higher education administration-related roles near Sumter are: Education Administrators, All Other ($97,240), Education Administrators, Postsecondary ($95,570), Human Resources Specialists ($69,990). 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 Columbia instead of Sumter?

Columbia, SC is 30.1 miles from Sumter and has its own set of local higher education administration programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.

Is Sumter an affordable place to study higher education administration?

Sumter’s median household income of $53,071 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Sumter 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 Higher Education Administration Programs

Other Programs Available in Sumter

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

Data verified: September 5, 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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