Match #1
Winthrop University
Rock Hill, SC
Profile closeness88/100
Admit rate79%
- 3,523 students
- Public
- City: Small
- Graduation rate 52%, close to 50%
- Enrollment 3,523 students, close to 3,397
The colleges most similar to Lander University are Winthrop University, University of South Carolina Aiken, and University of South Carolina Beaufort. Lander University admits 81% of applicants and has an average net price of $16,659 a year; 4 of its 10 alternatives cost less and 2 admit a larger share of applicants, in the CollegesRef 2026–27 edition.
Profile closeness (0–100) compares graduation rate, size, admit rate, net price, Carnegie class, and control with Lander University. The order also uses CollegesRef matching tiers, so a later match can score higher. Admit-rate bars use a 0–100% scale.
Top 10 alternatives to Lander University
Row-wise results ranked by similarity. No curated AI list exists for this school.
Match #2
University of South Carolina Aiken
Aiken, SC
Profile closeness86/100
Admit rate79%
- 2,962 students
- Public
- Suburb: Large
- Graduation rate 44%, close to 50%
- Enrollment 2,962 students, close to 3,397
Match #3
University of South Carolina Beaufort
Bluffton, SC
Profile closeness79/100
Admit rate73%
- 2,052 students
- Public
- Town: Fringe
- Acceptance rate 73%, close to 81%
- Same Carnegie classification
Match #4
South Carolina State University
Orangeburg, SC
Profile closeness78/100
Admit rate83%
- 2,934 students
- Public
- Town: Distant
- Enrollment 2,934 students, close to 3,397
- Acceptance rate 83%, close to 81%
Match #5
Francis Marion University
Florence, SC
Profile closeness73/100
Admit rate86%
- 2,628 students
- Public
- Suburb: Small
- Enrollment 2,628 students, close to 3,397
- Acceptance rate 86%, close to 81%
Match #6
Coastal Carolina University
Conway, SC
Profile closeness70/100
Admit rate75%
- 10,377 students
- Public
- City: Small
- Graduation rate 54%, close to 50%
- Average net price $15,287, close to $16,659
Match #7
College of Charleston
Charleston, SC
Profile closeness60/100
Admit rate60%
- 10,558 students
- Public
- City: Midsize
- Average net price $18,177, close to $16,659
- Same control type (public)
Match #8
Citadel Military College of South Carolina
Charleston, SC
Profile closeness45/100
Admit rate23%
- 2,705 students
- Public
- City: Midsize
- Enrollment 2,705 students, close to 3,397
- Same control type (public)
Match #9
University of South Carolina-Columbia Main Campus
Columbia, SC
Profile closeness32/100
Admit rate60%
- 29,820 students
- Public
- City: Midsize
- Same control type (public)
Match #10
Clemson University
Clemson, SC
Profile closeness21/100
Admit rate38%
- 23,300 students
- Public
- Suburb: Large
- Same control type (public)
Questions about Lander University alternatives
What colleges are similar to Lander University?
The closest matches to Lander University are Winthrop University, University of South Carolina Aiken, University of South Carolina Beaufort, South Carolina State University, and Francis Marion University. CollegesRef ranks them on admissions, cost, graduation rate, size, and campus profile using IPEDS and College Scorecard data.
Is Lander University hard to get into?
Lander University admitted 81% of its 4,795 applicants in the CollegesRef 2026–27 edition, so it is not very selective: it admits most applicants. 2 of its 10 closest alternatives admit a larger share of applicants.
Which Lander University alternatives cost less?
4 of the 10 closest alternatives have a lower average net price than Lander University ($16,659 a year), including Francis Marion University ($10,890), University of South Carolina Aiken ($14,565), and Coastal Carolina University ($15,287). Net price is what first-time, full-time students paid after grants; your own price depends on family income.
