Best Sociology Schools Near Beaufort, SC (2026)

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

Beaufort, South Carolina has 5 accredited schools offering sociology programs. Beaufort has a population of about 13,660. Median household income is $59,454 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 38.1% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal, SC metro area, the top-earning sociology-related role is Social and Community Service Managers at a median $84,470 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest Sociology Schools to Beaufort

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

Bluffton, SC 18.4 miles from Beaufort
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
40.4 BOC Score
Graduation rate 40%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $48,088
Avg net price $14,656/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 61%
  • Programs offered: 19

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

College of Charleston

Charleston, SC 50.5 miles from Beaufort
  • 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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#3

Charleston Southern University

Charleston, SC 52.3 miles from Beaufort
  • 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

#4

Voorhees University

Denmark, SC 64.1 miles from Beaufort
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
32.6 BOC Score
Graduation rate 32%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $35,339
Avg net price $13,335/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 60%
  • Programs offered: 15

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#5

South Carolina State University

Orangeburg, SC 72.9 miles from Beaufort
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
29.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 36%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $38,262
Avg net price $18,097/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 57%
  • Programs offered: 42

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Claflin University

Orangeburg, SC 73.0 miles from Beaufort
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
44.6 BOC Score
Graduation rate 53%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $40,304
Avg net price $17,800/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 77%
  • Programs offered: 36

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#7

University of South Carolina Aiken

Aiken, SC 98.9 miles from Beaufort
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
44.1 BOC Score
Graduation rate 46%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $45,603
Avg net price $11,641/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 66%
  • Programs offered: 32

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Morris College

Sumter, SC 105.1 miles from Beaufort
  • 4 year
12.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 29%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $30,614
Avg net price $20,555/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 44%
  • Programs offered: 13

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

Sociology Wages Near Beaufort

Beaufort is part of the Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal, SC metro area (BLS area code 25940). 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)
Sociologists N/A SC statewide –
Sociology Teachers, Postsecondary $78,410 SC statewide $80,010
Social and Human Service Assistants $43,480 Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal, SC $44,367
Survey Researchers N/A SC statewide –
Child, Family, and School Social Workers $52,280 Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal, SC $53,347
Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists $71,330 Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal, SC $72,786
Social Science Research Assistants $64,490 SC statewide $65,806
Social and Community Service Managers $84,470 Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal, SC $86,194

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.

Beaufort at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 13,660 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $59,454 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 38.1% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100) 98.0 (below U.S. average) BEA RPP 2024

Other Beaufort-Area Cities With Sociology Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited sociology schools are near Beaufort, SC?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering sociology programs near Beaufort. The closest is University of South Carolina Beaufort in Bluffton, SC (18.4 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Georgia Southern University (62.6 miles). 4 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying sociology roles near Beaufort?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying sociology-related roles near Beaufort are: Social and Community Service Managers ($84,470), Sociology Teachers, Postsecondary ($78,410), Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists ($71,330). 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 Hilton Head Island instead of Beaufort?

Hilton Head Island, SC is 18.1 miles from Beaufort and has its own set of local sociology programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.

Is Beaufort an affordable place to study sociology?

Beaufort’s median household income of $59,454 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Beaufort 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 Sociology Programs

Other Programs Available in Beaufort

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

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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