South Carolina vs Washington: Scholarship Climate 2026
Which climate fits best? Washington offers a more robust scholarship climate with higher average awards and a greater number of opportunities, making it suitable for applicants seeking substantial financial support. South Carolina, while having fewer opportunities, may appeal to those interested in specific local scholarships.
State A
South Carolina
State B
Washington
Quick comparison
| Metric | South Carolina | Washington |
|---|---|---|
| Active scholarships in catalog | 54 | 191 |
| Avg. award (where known) | $2,295 | $3,652 |
| Max indexed award | $18,000 | $25,000 |
Financial Aid Overview for 2026
In 2026, South Carolina presents a total of 38 scholarships with an average award size of approximately $2,242. The maximum award available is $18,000. The top universities in South Carolina include Midlands Technical College, which has the highest number of grants at 90.
Conversely, Washington boasts a more extensive scholarship landscape with 124 available grants and an average award size of around $3,739. The maximum award in Washington reaches $25,000. Notable institutions include Wenatchee Valley College Foundation, offering 27 grants.
Final verdict explanation
ScholarshipTop publishes this supplemental “Final verdict explanation” whenever the primary matchup body for 2026 skews thinner than editorial depth standards. The comparison table summarizes about 54 scholarships indexed today for listings commonly associated with South Carolina alongside about 191 scholarships indexed today for listings commonly associated with Washington using the same ingestion window, so deltas highlight catalog-wide signals rather than courthouse-grade guarantees. Residents, transfers, and commuter students weighing South Carolina campuses against Washington footprints should corroborate every figure with authoritative financial aid disclosures, state higher-ed portals, endowed scholarship riders, reciprocal tuition agreements, Honors supplements, or graduation timelines before staking savings plans.
After reviewing the matchup metrics above, continue with Matches-style browsing, internationally inclusive corridors when visas matter, streamlined application corridors when time is scarce, followed by essay hubs and evergreen resource articles covering drafting workflows, budgeting, appeals, parental contribution conversations, and scholarship renewals tied to academic performance. ScholarshipTop provides these cues as scaffolding; students still validate final award letters directly with campuses and adjust strategy whenever policies evolve during 2026 and afterward.
Top Scholarship Providers in South Carolina
Ranked by number of active scholarships
- 90 grants
- 2 grants
- 1 grant
- 1 grant
- 1 grant
Top Scholarship Providers in Washington
Ranked by number of active scholarships
- 27 grants
- 25 grants
- 17 grants
- 6 grants
- 2 grants
Match workspace
Find scholarships that fit your profile
Scholarship climate by state
South Carolina
South Carolina has a limited number of scholarships with lower average awards, making it a more niche market for applicants.
Washington
Washington's scholarship climate is vibrant and competitive, with a higher volume of opportunities and larger average awards available.
Public reference data
Cost of living & wages
State-level affordability context to complement scholarship climate above - not ScholarshipTop grant totals.
Visual comparison
Median household income
Census ACSFair market rent (2BR)
HUD monthly estimateLiving wage
Single adult, MIT modelBLS median wage
State occupational estimateSouth Carolina
Median household income
$67,568
Census ACS
Fair market rent (2BR)
$1,070
HUD monthly estimate
Living wage
20.92/hr
Single adult, MIT model
BLS median wage
$46,490
State occupational estimate
Reported violent crime rate (state aggregate): 42.50 per 100k population. Public safety context is based on aggregate state-level public data - not a safety rating.
Public planning context
Community indicators vary by county and are included only as public planning context. Use this alongside scholarship amount, school cost, and living expenses - not as an eligibility rule.
CDC SVI band
higher indicator band
ADI band
middle indicator band
SVI counties
46
ADI counties
46
- CDC SVI county data is available for 46 counties; county indicators vary and are best used as public planning context.
- ADI block-group data is available across 46 counties; local conditions can vary within the same state.
Washington
Median household income
$97,733
Census ACS
Fair market rent (2BR)
$1,418
HUD monthly estimate
Living wage
23.29/hr
Single adult, MIT model
BLS median wage
$62,990
State occupational estimate
Reported violent crime rate (state aggregate): 27.40 per 100k population. Public safety context is based on aggregate state-level public data - not a safety rating.
Public planning context
Community indicators vary by county and are included only as public planning context. Use this alongside scholarship amount, school cost, and living expenses - not as an eligibility rule.
CDC SVI band
middle indicator band
ADI band
lower indicator band
SVI counties
39
ADI counties
39
- CDC SVI county data is available for 39 counties; county indicators vary and are best used as public planning context.
- ADI block-group data is available across 39 counties; local conditions can vary within the same state.
Sources: Census ACS, HUD FMR, MIT Living Wage, BLS OEWS, and public reference datasets where available. Rent figures may reflect metro or state averages.
Public safety context uses aggregate public data and is included only as planning context.
Reference only - not ScholarshipTop eligibility rules or guarantees.
Data availability varies by school, city, state, and source year.
FAQ
What is the average scholarship amount in South Carolina?
How many scholarships are available in Washington?
Which state has the highest maximum scholarship amount?
What is the top university for scholarships in South Carolina?
Sources and official pages
Official and high-authority pages used to support this State vs State comparison.
- Federal Student Aid (U.S. Department of Education) - government reference
- College Scorecard (U.S. Department of Education) - government reference
- NCES College Navigator - government reference
- South Carolina and Washington scholarship search reference - high-authority reference
More guides around this State vs State comparison
Internal reading paths around scholarship search, application strategy, and essay preparation for students comparing South Carolina and Washington.
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