Best Online Psychology Programs in Sumter, SC (2026)

Sumter, South Carolina has 5 accredited schools offering psychology 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 psychology-related role is Clinical and Counseling Psychologist at a median $92,700 annually (BLS, May 2025).


Closest Psychology Schools to Sumter

The 5 accredited institutions below are the closest among the 5 schools in our directory that offer psychology programs near Sumter. Distances are calculated from Sumter 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 Sumter. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

#1

Coker University

Hartsville, SC 35.6 miles from Sumter BOC Score36.3
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes

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#2

Benedict College

Columbia, SC 36.4 miles from Sumter BOC Score16.1
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programs--

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#3

University of South Carolina-Columbia

Columbia, SC 36.5 miles from Sumter BOC Score74.1
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes

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#4

South University-Columbia

Columbia, SC 36.5 miles from Sumter BOC Score18.3
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes

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#5

Columbia College

Columbia, SC 37.4 miles from Sumter BOC Score37.5
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 psychology page.


Psychology 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.

OccupationMedian WageSourceCOL-Adjusted (US=100)
Clinical and Counseling Psychologist$92,700SC statewide$105,341
Industrial-Organizational PsychologistN/ASC statewide
School Psychologist$76,720SC statewide$87,182
Educational and Career Counselor$59,270Sumter, SC$67,352
Marriage and Family Therapist$55,430SC statewide$62,989
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Counselor$49,030Sumter, SC$55,716
Healthcare Social Worker$65,850Sumter, SC$74,830
Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Worker$39,930SC statewide$45,375

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

MetricValueSource
Population43,065Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$53,071Census 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
Psychology-related employment in Sumter County1,814 workers, 264 establishmentsBLS QCEW 2024 annual

Other Sumter-Area Cities With Psychology Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited psychology schools are near Sumter, SC?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering psychology programs near Sumter. The closest is Coker University in Hartsville, SC (35.6 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Columbia College (37.4 miles). 4 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying psychology roles near Sumter?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying psychology-related roles near Sumter are: Clinical and Counseling Psychologist ($92,700), School Psychologist ($76,720), Healthcare Social Worker ($65,850). 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 psychology 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 psychology?

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 Psychology Programs

Other Programs Available in Sumter

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

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.