SMC Repeats as Post & Courier’s Best College in Spartanburg

Spartanburg Methodist College continued its run as the city’s Best College/University in 2026 as voted by the readers of the Spartanburg Post & Courier.

“We’re really happy about this,” said SMC President Scott Cochran. “There are a lot of great colleges in Spartanburg, so being chosen by the public means a lot. It tells us people are seeing the good things happening at SMC.”

The annual readers’ poll recognizes local institutions and businesses in a variety of categories. SMC topped the vote in the higher education category, which included Wofford, USC Upstate, and more. This is the second consecutive year that SMC has topped the voting.

SMC continues to expand its academic offerings, after adding bachelor’s degrees in 2019. Since adding that initial four-year degree, the College has added nine more bachelor’s degrees.

They have also launched SMC Online, offering four associate and six bachelor’s degrees completely online. The effort has paid off as SMC has achieved record enrollment each of the past three years.

One program that has helped SMC stand out is the Camak Core, a professional development curriculum built into every bachelor’s degree program. The Camak Core requires students to complete a series of courses focused on workplace readiness, communication, and problem-solving, giving them the necessary skills and confidence to pursue their careers.

“We absolutely appreciate the recognition from the community. An even bigger honor is to see our graduates thrive and succeed,” Cochran said. “We are committed to making sure all of our students are academically, professionally, and mentally prepared to enter the workforce, which is the way college should be.”