'Southern Living' Ranks Charleston No. 3 College Town

Charleston, South Carolina, home to the College of Charleston, is ranked No. 3 in Southern Living magazine’s list of Best College Towns 2026. 

“Every year new students choose Charleston because it’s an amazing institution that blends seamlessly into a city like no other. It’s got a vibe today’s students want – one that combines creative culture and real-world opportunity,” says Jimmie Foster Jr., the College of Charleston’s vice president for enrollment planning. “At the College of Charleston, students don’t just attend classes – they live and learn in a place that inspires imagination and offers opportunities for connection everywhere.”

Charleston and Boone, North Carolina, are the only non-Southeastern Conference or Atlantic Coast Conference cities to make the list. 

The guide helps visitors and those looking to make Charleston their new home by mapping out locations that are iconic to the Holy City – including the restaurant Chubby Fish (owned by James London ’07). In an interview with College of Charleston Magazine, London credited some of the success of Chubby Fish to Bob Frash, former associate professor of hospitality and tourism management at the College of Charleston.

Beyond its vibrant setting, the College’s national recognition continues to reinforce its academic strength and student-centered focus. 

For the 10th consecutive year, U.S. News & World Report recognized the College of Charleston as a top public regional university in the South. The 2026 edition of U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges rankings cited the College in four categories:

• No. 4 Top Public Schools – Regional Universities (South)
• No. 5 Best Colleges for Veterans – Regional Universities (South)
• No. 9 Regional Universities (South)
• No. 15 (tied) Most Innovative – Regional Universities (South)

Four of the College’s academic programs were also recognized in the rankings: 

• No. 4 Best Undergraduate Teaching – Regional Universities (South)
• No. 194 (tied) Best Undergraduate Business
• No. 235 (tied) Best Undergraduate Psychology
• No. 294 (tied) Best Undergraduate Computer Science

Other rankings of the College include:

• No. 19 Best College Town in the United States (WalletHub 2025)
• Best Business School for the full-time MBA program (Bloomberg Businessweek 2025-26)
• The Princeton Review Guide to Green Colleges: 2026 Edition
• In study abroad, No. 1 for short-term programs, No. 2 for overall participation and No. 5 for mid-length programs (Open Doors® 2025 Report on International Educational Exchange)