Liberal arts college
#3 Best colleges in South CarolinaFurman University
Greenville, SC · Private nonprofit · 4-year
Your real cost
Average price after aid $30,308 a year
Median debt at graduation: $23,250 (all students)
Estimate your own price · the college’s net price calculator
Rankings
Where this college places on our top lists. Lists are worked out from official data and our own research; places in the top quarter of each list are shown. See every list
In America
- Best colleges for exercise science and kinesiology in America#36 of 950
- Best colleges for accounting in America#47 of 1,132
- Best colleges for business in America#90 of 1,563
- Best colleges for communications and journalism in America#75 of 1,238
- Best colleges for education in America#82 of 1,318
- Best colleges in America#149 of 1,829
Show 19 more
- Best colleges for psychology in America#121 of 1,418
- Best test-optional colleges in America#131 of 1,481
- Best colleges for biology and pre-med in America#123 of 1,358
- Best colleges for English in America#121 of 1,283
- Best colleges for history in America#124 of 1,247
- Best colleges for art and design in America#120 of 1,187
- Best colleges for mathematics in America#126 of 1,215
- Best colleges for chemistry in America#125 of 1,162
- Best mid-size colleges in America#72 of 667
- Best colleges for political science and pre-law in America#124 of 1,116
- Best colleges for computer science in America#84 of 750
- Best colleges for music in America#120 of 1,063
- Colleges with the highest graduation rates in America#220 of 1,829
- Best colleges for engineering in America#95 of 749
- Colleges that spend the most on teaching in America#98 of 704
- Best colleges for economics in America#122 of 788
- Colleges with the biggest discount off the sticker price in America#109 of 690
- Best colleges for NCAA Division I athletes in America#69 of 367
- Most selective colleges in America#140 of 683
In South Carolina
- Best colleges for music in South Carolina#1 of 22
- Best colleges for art and design in South Carolina#2 of 25
- Best colleges for communications and journalism in South Carolina#2 of 25
- Best colleges for computer science in South Carolina#1 of 12
- Best colleges in South Carolina#3 of 35
- Best colleges for business in South Carolina#3 of 34
Show 20 more
- Best colleges for exercise science and kinesiology in South Carolina#2 of 22
- Best colleges for biology and pre-med in South Carolina#3 of 31
- Best colleges for English in South Carolina#3 of 31
- Colleges that spend the most on teaching in South Carolina#1 of 10
- Best colleges for education in South Carolina#3 of 30
- Best colleges for psychology in South Carolina#3 of 30
- Best test-optional colleges in South Carolina#3 of 30
- Best colleges for history in South Carolina#3 of 28
- Best colleges for mathematics in South Carolina#3 of 28
- Colleges with the highest graduation rates in South Carolina#4 of 35
- Best colleges for political science and pre-law in South Carolina#3 of 26
- Best colleges for chemistry in South Carolina#3 of 25
- Best colleges for accounting in South Carolina#3 of 24
- Best colleges for economics in South Carolina#2 of 12
- Best mid-size colleges in South Carolina#2 of 12
- Colleges with the biggest discount off the sticker price in South Carolina#2 of 10
- Colleges with the most faculty per student in South Carolina#2 of 10
- Best colleges for engineering in South Carolina#3 of 15
- Best colleges for NCAA Division I athletes in South Carolina#3 of 12
- Most selective colleges in South Carolina#3 of 9
Academic Excellence
Each measure counts for the share shown.
- Graduation rate 35% of scoreThis measure counts for 35% of the Academic Excellence score.79%
- First-year retention 20% of scoreThis measure counts for 20% of the Academic Excellence score.91%
- Entering students' test scores 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.SAT 1,371 · ACT 30
- Student-to-faculty ratio 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.10 to 1
- Instructional spending per student 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.$25,690
Bars show points on each measure’s scale. How Academic Excellence is computed.
Source: College Scorecard (College Scorecard, most recent cohorts (data release 06/10/2026))
What families pay, by income
Average yearly price after grants and scholarships, for students who receive federal aid.
| Family income | Price after aid |
|---|---|
| Up to $30,000 | |
| $30,001–$48,000 | |
| $48,001–$75,000 | |
| $75,001–$110,000 | |
| Over $110,000 |
Full cost of attendance before aid: $76,798 a year.
Use the college’s net price calculator for your own estimate.
Cost and value
Federal data: what families pay after aid, what graduates earn, and what they owe.
| Undergraduate students Fall enrollment (IPEDS) | 2,327 |
|---|---|
| Men and women College Scorecard, fall 2023 | Men 42% · Women 58% |
| First-generation students College Scorecard | 12% |
| Total students | 2,505 |
| Average net price (per year) After grants and scholarships, for students receiving federal aid | $30,308 |
| Cost of attendance (per year) | $76,798 |
| Median federal debt at graduation | $23,250 |
| Graduation rate First-time, full-time students finishing within 150% of normal time | 79% |
| Graduation rate for Pell grant recipients College Scorecard, within 6 years | 77% |
| Graduation rate for first-generation students College Scorecard, within 6 years | 77% |
| Borrowers paying down their loans within 3 years College Scorecard, within 3 years | 83% |
| First-year retention | 91% |
| Median earnings 10 years after entry | $68,635 |
| Admission rate | 43% |
| Application fee IPEDS, 2023–24 | No application fee |
| Typical rent HUD fair market rent, FY2026 | About $1,221 a month for a one-bedroom |
| Students receiving Pell grants | 13% |
| Average SAT | 1371 |
|---|---|
| SAT reading & writing | 650–720 |
| SAT math | 610–710 |
| ACT composite | 28–32 |
| Test policy | Considered but not required |
Value: Good (how it’s computed)
Sources: College Scorecard · IPEDS College Navigator · Net price calculator
College Scorecard, most recent cohorts (data release 06/10/2026); IPEDS 2024-25 directory and institutional characteristics; fall 2023 enrollment.
Earnings by major
Median earnings of bachelor’s graduates a few years after finishing, by major (College Scorecard).
| Major | Median earnings |
|---|---|
| Political science | |
| Business administration | |
| Communication studies | |
| Other health professions and related clinical sciences | |
| Romance languages | |
| Psychology | |
| Music |
Also offered (no earnings published yet): Accounting, Anthropology, Applied mathematics, Area studies, Biology, Chemistry, Classical and Ancient Studies, Classics, Computer science, Computing and information science, Data Analytics, Economics, Education (general), English, Ethnic and gender studies, Film and video, Fine arts, Geology and earth science, German, History, Information science, Interdisciplinary studies, Kinesiology and exercise science, Liberal arts, Linguistics, Mathematics, Mathematics and Computer Science, Natural resources and conservation, Neuroscience, Other engineering, Philosophy, Physics, Public health, Religious studies, Secondary education, Sociology, Sustainability Studies, Teacher education, Theatre, Urban Studies/Affairs.
What students study most
Share of bachelor’s degrees by field, first majors in 2023–24 (IPEDS).
| Field | Share of degrees |
|---|---|
| Social sciences | |
| Parks, recreation and fitness | |
| Business | |
| Biology | |
| Communication |
Campus life
| School colors | |
|---|---|
| Setting | Suburb |
| Part-time undergraduates | 1% |
| Undergraduates aged 25 and older | 0% |
| On-campus room and board (per year) | $16,504 |
| Sports | NCAA Division I · Southern Conference |
| ROTC | Army |
| Study abroad | Offered |
| Students per faculty member | 10 to 1 |
| Undergraduates registered with the disability office | About 23%IPEDS, 2023–24 |
| Faculty who are full-time | 84%College Scorecard, fall 2023 |
| Endowment per student | $321,687IPEDS, 2023, per student |
| Nearest airport with airline service | Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport (GSP)About 13 miles away · about 35 minutes by car |
| Nearest major airport | Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT)About 87 miles away |
| Town population | 72,935Census, 2020–2024 |
| Nearest city of 250,000 people or more | CharlotteAbout 93 miles away · about 2 hours 20 minutes by car |
| Typical weather | 44°F in January · 81°F in JulyNOAA, 1991–2020, from Greenville Dwtn Airport, SC, about 8 miles away |
Federal data (IPEDS and College Scorecard), except school colors.
Campus safety reports
On-campus crimes reported in 2024, per 1,000 students.
| Category | This campus | U.S. rate |
|---|---|---|
| Rape | 2.35 | 0.07 |
| Robbery | 0.00 | 0.01 |
| Aggravated assault | 0.00 | 0.04 |
| Burglary | 1.17 | 0.08 |
| Motor vehicle theft | 0.39 | 0.15 |
Numbers reflect what each campus reported. They differ with campus size and how reporting is done, so compare with care. U.S. rate: total reported offenses divided by total students at every institution in the report.
Questions families ask
- What is Furman University’s Compass Score?
- Exceptional (grade A). It ranks in the top 9% of rated colleges. The grade comes from outcomes (40%: graduation, retention and earnings), entering students (40%: test scores and selectivity), cost (15%: debt and price after aid) and teaching (5%: class size), all from federal data.
- How much does Furman University cost after financial aid?
- The average net price is $30,308 a year for students who receive federal aid, after grants and scholarships. What your family pays depends on income; the college’s net price calculator gives your own estimate.
- How hard is it to get into Furman University?
- Furman University admitted 43% of applicants in the most recent federal data.
- How do Furman University’s graduates do?
- 79% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years; the median earnings of former students ten years after entry are $68,635; the median federal debt at graduation is $23,250.
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About this school’s data
- IPEDS unit ID 218070
- Carnegie classification: Baccalaureate college (arts & sciences)
- Accreditation: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges d.b.a. Commission on Colleges and Universities (U.S. Department of Education DAPIP)
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