Best Philosophy Schools Near Sumter, SC (2026)

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

Sumter, South Carolina has 5 accredited schools offering philosophy 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 the Sumter, SC metro area, the top-earning philosophy-related role is Lawyers at a median $101,900 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest Philosophy Schools to Sumter

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

University of South Carolina-Columbia

Columbia, SC 36.5 miles from Sumter
  • 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

#2

Charleston Southern University

Charleston, SC 68.6 miles from Sumter
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
35.0 BOC Score
Graduation rate 46%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $45,898
Avg net price $21,666/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 63%
  • Programs offered: 66

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#3

Coastal Carolina University

Conway, SC 79.9 miles from Sumter
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
51.5 BOC Score
Graduation rate 53%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $47,258
Avg net price $13,966/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 77%
  • Programs offered: 61

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

College of Charleston

Charleston, SC 84.0 miles from Sumter
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
65.2 BOC Score
Graduation rate 64%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $56,416
Avg net price $18,960/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 82%
  • Programs offered: 77

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#5

Wofford College

Spartanburg, SC 112.6 miles from Sumter
  • 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

Furman University

Greenville, SC 135.1 miles from Sumter
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
74.1 BOC Score
Graduation rate 84%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $68,635
Avg net price $30,308/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 91%
  • Programs offered: 52

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#7

Clemson University

Clemson, SC 148.5 miles from Sumter
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
80.4 BOC Score
Graduation rate 84%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $71,513
Avg net price $22,253/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 93%
  • Programs offered: 136

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

Philosophy 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)
Philosophy and Religion Teachers, Postsecondary $77,230 SC statewide $87,761
Writers and Authors $51,920 SC statewide $59,000
Lawyers $101,900 Sumter, SC $115,795
Clergy $56,630 SC statewide $64,352
Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education $60,110 Sumter, SC $68,307
Editors $62,000 SC statewide $70,455
Management Analysts $95,150 Sumter, SC $108,125

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 Philosophy Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited philosophy schools are near Sumter, SC?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering philosophy programs near Sumter. The closest is University of South Carolina-Columbia in Columbia, SC (36.5 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is University of North Carolina at Charlotte (96.4 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying philosophy roles near Sumter?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying philosophy-related roles near Sumter are: Lawyers ($101,900), Management Analysts ($95,150), Philosophy and Religion Teachers, Postsecondary ($77,230). 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 philosophy 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 philosophy?

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 Philosophy 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.

Back to Best Philosophy Schools in South Carolina (2026)