Best Public Policy Schools Near Gaffney, SC (2026)

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

Gaffney, South Carolina has 3 accredited schools offering public policy 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 public policy-related role is General and Operations Managers at a median $106,080 annually (BLS, May 2025).

Closest Public Policy Schools to Gaffney

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer public policy programs near Gaffney, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Gaffney 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 Gaffney. 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

Anderson University

Anderson, SC 67.9 miles from Gaffney
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
49.1 BOC Score
Graduation rate 62%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $42,101
Avg net price $23,544/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 82%
  • Programs offered: 55

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Clemson University

Clemson, SC 72.2 miles from Gaffney
  • 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

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

Public Policy Wages Near Gaffney

Occupation Median Annual Wage (South Carolina, statewide)
Political Scientists N/A
Management Analysts $100,660
Economists N/A
Social and Community Service Managers $73,410
Survey Researchers N/A
Compliance Officers $75,460
General and Operations Managers $106,080
Financial and Investment Analysts $93,670

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

Metric Value Source
Population 12,612 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $41,214 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 21.8% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)

Other Gaffney-Area Cities With Public Policy Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited public policy schools are near Gaffney, SC?

Our directory has 3 accredited schools offering public policy programs near Gaffney. The closest is University of North Carolina at Charlotte in Charlotte, NC (54.6 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Clemson University (72.2 miles). 3 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying public policy roles in South Carolina?

Based on BLS May 2025 state wage data, the top-paying public policy-related roles in South Carolina are: General and Operations Managers ($106,080), Management Analysts ($100,660), Financial and Investment Analysts ($93,670). 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 public policy 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 public policy?

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 Public Policy Programs

Other Programs Available in Gaffney

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

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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