SCC Ranked Best Community College in South Carolina
January 28, 2022 by Colton Grace | SCC | 2022news
Spartanburg Community College is the top-ranked community college in South Carolina according to newly released rankings from Best Colleges, an organization that utilizes proprietary research and data from the National Center for Education Statistics to help prospective students find the school that best matches their needs.
“Spartanburg Community College is continuing to chase and drive a path forward for higher education innovation while at the same time enhancing the regional economy,” said Dr. Michael Mikota, President of Spartanburg Community College. “Securing the top ranking from Best Colleges is an achievement worthy of distinction. It also understates the care that each of our faculty and staff delivers to the many thousands of students that have chosen to be Chasers. These students know that their college is outstanding, but it is important to showcase to others the special opportunity that we have today to further chase after dreams in order to advance individual growth opportunities, economic prosperity and societal development through our unique higher education service. This recognition is just an initial indicator of what we will accomplish in partnership with the communities we serve.”
According to Best Colleges, the 2022 rankings “reflect the most recent provisional data available from the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) and College Navigator, both of which are hosted by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES).” Academic quality is determined by comparing admission rates to enrollment rates, then examining full-time retention. An affordability score is also generated for each school that considers the cost of the school’s programs, the average amount of students taking loans, and the average loan default rate.
SCC stands alone in this field due to the fact that all programs at the College are currently tuition-free.
Minimum requirements for ranking and Best College’s Ranking Factors are listed below:
Each school must be an accredited public or private, nonprofit institution.
Must primarily grant two-year associate degrees.
Must be located in the given state.
Must submit an annual report to the National Center for Education Statistics.
Ranking Factors
Academics - 60% of the total score
Full-Time Retention Rate
Part-Time Retention Rate
Graduation Rate + Transfer Rate
Affordability - 40% of the total score
Average Net Price
Learn more about Best Colleges' ranking methodology here: https://www.bestcolleges.com/subject-ranking-methodology/