South Carolina is home to a robust higher education system including 33 public institutions including 3 research universities, 10 comprehensive four-year universities, 4 two-year regional campuses of the University of South Carolina and 16 technical colleges. The State is also home to a number of independent and private colleges including: 23 independent senior colleges and universities, 2 independent two-year colleges, a private senior college, a private for-profit law school, and a private for-profit junior college. Together, these institutions with their varied missions and character are serving over 240,000 students. Other options for those seeking higher education opportunities within the State include at least 23 out-of-state degree granting institutions that are licensed by the South Carolina Commission on Higher Education to operate in the state. Apart from the public institutions, there are three state agencies tasked with specific responsibilities and duties relating to higher education in South Carolina. The South Carolina Commission on Higher Education is the agency in state government specializing in post-secondary education and responsible for quality, efficiency, accountability, accessibility, and studies and plans for higher education and recommending courses of action to ensure a coordinated system of higher education in the state. The State Board for Technical and Comprehensive Education has key responsibilities in regard to ensuring that the system of technical colleges is responsive to needs for industry and workforce development. A third state agency, the South Carolina Tuition Grants Commission, was established in 1970 with the responsibility of administering the tuition grants to independent college students. The purpose of this publication is to provide a brief overview of South Carolina's system of higher education and outline some of the opportunities and challenges facing higher education in South Carolina.