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University of South Carolina-Columbia

⌖ Columbia, SC · 88 reportable field-and-credential outcomes

MODELED SCENARIO · Negative payoff

−$95,604 over 10 years

Modeled from observed year-5 institution earnings and the institution-wide average net price over four years.

At these assumptions, the estimated earnings premium does not recover the modeled economic investment within ten years.

15.4 yrsModeled economic break-even
−35%Modeled 10-year ROI
$62,564Observed earnings · year 5
Economic ROI includes direct price and earnings forgone during study · $45,000 comparison earnings · values held flat · see the formula
ECONOMIC INVESTMENT → PAYBACK

Estimated payoff over ten years.

The scenario counts direct price and earnings forgone upfront, then applies the reported annual earnings premium.

10-YEAR PAYOFF CURVECumulative economic payoff after graduation
−$95,604at year 10
Net gainInvestment not yet recovered
NET GAIN$0UNRECOVERED
−$271,2440
2
4
6
8
−$95,60410
Years after graduationBreak-even: 15.4 years
FEDERAL COST DATA

Four ways to read college price.

Annual college-wide figures from the current College Scorecard release. Average net price covers full-time, first-time undergraduates receiving federal aid; public-college figures use in-state students. Program tuition and individual aid offers may differ.

Published in-state tuition$12,688
Sticker price
Published out-of-state tuition$35,972
Sticker price
Average net price$22,811
Title IV student average
Cost of attendance$31,638
Tuition + living budget
PRICE SOURCECollege reported · annual amount · federal dataset
OBSERVED FEDERAL MEASURES

Cost, completion and earnings context

$22,811Average net price / year
$31,638Cost of attendance
$62,564Median earnings · year 5 after completion
78.8%Completion rate
60.2%Admission rate
29,820Student size
NATIONAL CONTEXT

How this college compares

Percentiles compare this institution with currently operating colleges that report the same federal measure.

83thEarnings percentile
79thCompletion percentile
EARNINGS PATH

Reported earnings over time

$44,890Year 1
$67,741Year 4
$62,564Year 5

Separate federal cohorts may underlie different measurement years.

PROGRAM PAYOFF SPREAD

The college average is not the whole story.

Observed earnings vary substantially by field and credential at the same institution.

1Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing · Graduate/Professional Certificate$139,9192Business Administration, Management and Operations · Master's Degree$138,4453Human Resources Management and Services · Master's Degree$136,6054Medicine · First Professional Degree$130,6415Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration · First Professional Degree$128,7626Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing · Master's Degree$123,1017Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods · Master's Degree$121,7118Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing · Doctoral Degree$121,489

Observed year-4 earnings · compare like fields and credentials before deciding

BUILD A REAL SHORTLIST

Comparable colleges in SC

Currently operating public institutions with the closest combination of annual net price and observed year-5 earnings. Similarity is descriptive—not a quality ranking.

Clemson, SC

Clemson University

Annual net price
$22,253
Observed earnings · year 5
$72,263
Modeled 10-year ROI
+1%
Open college profile →Charleston, SC

College of Charleston

Annual net price
$18,960
Observed earnings · year 5
$54,011
Modeled 10-year ROI
-65%
Open college profile →Charleston, SC

Citadel Military College of South Carolina

Annual net price
$20,723
Observed earnings · year 5
$77,277
Modeled 10-year ROI
+23%
Open college profile →Spartanburg, SC

University of South Carolina-Upstate

Annual net price
$13,557
Observed earnings · year 5
$52,851
Modeled 10-year ROI
-66%
Open college profile →
ALL REPORTABLE PROGRAM CATEGORIES

Explore exact field-and-credential outcomes

Federal fieldCredentialEarnings, year 4Federal debt
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical NursingGraduate/Professional Certificate$139,919Not available
Business Administration, Management and OperationsMaster's Degree$138,445Not available
Human Resources Management and ServicesMaster's Degree$136,605Not available
MedicineFirst Professional Degree$130,641Not available
Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and AdministrationFirst Professional Degree$128,762Not available
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical NursingMaster's Degree$123,101Not available
Management Sciences and Quantitative MethodsMaster's Degree$121,711Not available
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical NursingDoctoral Degree$121,489Not available
International BusinessMaster's Degree$115,551Not available
ChemistryDoctoral Degree$110,812Not available
Computer EngineeringBachelor's Degree$109,116$27,000
International BusinessBachelor's Degree$107,205$25,174
Management Information Systems and ServicesMaster's Degree$106,936Not available
Health and Medical Administrative ServicesMaster's Degree$105,165Not available
Electrical, Electronics, and Communications EngineeringBachelor's Degree$100,042$27,000
Chemical EngineeringBachelor's Degree$98,244$27,000
Management Sciences and Quantitative MethodsBachelor's Degree$98,020$22,922
Biomedical/Medical EngineeringBachelor's Degree$97,927$26,000
InsuranceBachelor's Degree$96,539$25,995
Business/Managerial EconomicsBachelor's Degree$94,547$25,000
LawFirst Professional Degree$93,806Not available
Finance and Financial Management ServicesBachelor's Degree$92,578$25,000
Mechanical EngineeringBachelor's Degree$91,296$25,000
Accounting and Related ServicesMaster's Degree$89,511Not available
Accounting and Related ServicesBachelor's Degree$86,507$25,826
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment ProfessionsMaster's Degree$85,620Not available
Computer and Information Sciences, GeneralBachelor's Degree$84,720$25,250
Real EstateBachelor's Degree$84,558$22,500
Civil EngineeringBachelor's Degree$84,148$27,000
MarketingBachelor's Degree$81,945$23,750
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical NursingBachelor's Degree$80,768$24,250
Curriculum and InstructionDoctoral Degree$80,374Not available
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic ProfessionsDoctoral Degree$77,621Not available
EconomicsBachelor's Degree$77,536$24,062
Public AdministrationMaster's Degree$73,895Not available
Public HealthMaster's Degree$70,866Not available
Business Administration, Management and OperationsBachelor's Degree$70,527$26,000
Geological and Earth Sciences/GeosciencesBachelor's Degree$70,284$26,500
Educational Administration and SupervisionMaster's Degree$68,215Not available
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/FitnessMaster's Degree$67,786Not available
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/FitnessBachelor's Degree$67,705$25,000
Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular BiologyBachelor's Degree$67,202$26,300
Political Science and GovernmentBachelor's Degree$65,464$25,000
Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied CommunicationBachelor's Degree$65,248$24,250
General Sales, Merchandising and Related Marketing OperationsBachelor's Degree$64,631$24,979
Physiology, Pathology and Related SciencesBachelor's Degree$63,534$25,000
Communication Disorders Sciences and ServicesMaster's Degree$63,439Not available
Mental and Social Health Services and Allied ProfessionsGraduate/Professional Certificate$62,547Not available
MathematicsBachelor's Degree$62,278$22,700
Radio, Television, and Digital CommunicationBachelor's Degree$62,214$21,500
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment ProfessionsBachelor's Degree$61,423$27,000
Geography and CartographyBachelor's Degree$59,472$23,250
Public HealthBachelor's Degree$58,715$24,958
Biology, GeneralBachelor's Degree$58,669$24,620
ChemistryBachelor's Degree$58,462$25,046
Student Counseling and Personnel ServicesMaster's Degree$57,024Not available
Social WorkMaster's Degree$56,741Not available
Hospitality Administration/ManagementBachelor's Degree$56,688$26,000
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject AreasMaster's Degree$56,196Not available
Education, GeneralMaster's Degree$55,759Not available
DanceBachelor's Degree$55,274Not available
Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population BiologyBachelor's Degree$55,093$18,896
International Relations and National Security StudiesBachelor's Degree$54,781$20,500
MusicMaster's Degree$54,634Not available
JournalismBachelor's Degree$53,294$26,000
SociologyBachelor's Degree$53,293$27,000
Communication and Media StudiesBachelor's Degree$53,247$25,500
Library Science and AdministrationMaster's Degree$52,842Not available
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and MethodsMaster's Degree$51,397Not available
Research and Experimental PsychologyBachelor's Degree$51,090$24,250
Criminal Justice and CorrectionsBachelor's Degree$50,847$25,000
Natural Resources Conservation and ResearchBachelor's Degree$50,447$25,500
Social WorkBachelor's Degree$49,401$24,000
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and HumanitiesBachelor's Degree$48,990$26,000
Psychology, GeneralBachelor's Degree$47,234Not available
MusicDoctoral Degree$46,203Not available
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject AreasBachelor's Degree$45,804$23,780
HistoryBachelor's Degree$45,595$22,550
English Language and Literature, GeneralBachelor's Degree$45,185$26,000
MusicBachelor's Degree$45,181$27,000
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and MethodsBachelor's Degree$43,687$26,000
AnthropologyBachelor's Degree$42,758$23,687
Film/Video and Photographic ArtsBachelor's Degree$40,962$25,750
Fine and Studio ArtsBachelor's Degree$39,517$27,000
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and HumanitiesAssociate's Degree$38,744$10,000
Area StudiesBachelor's DegreeNot available$20,125
Romance Languages, Literatures, and LinguisticsBachelor's DegreeNot available$23,189
PhilosophyBachelor's DegreeNot available$25,000

Earnings, price, completion and enrollment are observed federal measures. ROI, payoff and break-even are modeled scenarios built from those measures and fixed assumptions. College payoff is not the payoff of every degree at this school; use the program table for a more precise comparison.