Business/Commerce at Charleston Southern University

Business degrees are everywhere in South Carolina, but outcomes vary dramatically—from just over $30,000 at one school to more than $55,000 at another. Charleston Southern's estimated numbers fall somewhere in the middle, with graduates of comparable programs nationally earning around $47,500 in their first year against roughly $27,000 in debt. That debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.57 suggests manageable repayment, though it's worth noting that South Carolina's median for business programs sits lower at $42,858 while typical debt runs considerably higher at $41,758.

The challenge here is that these figures come from peer institutions rather than Charleston Southern's actual graduates, making it harder to assess what this specific program delivers. The school's 35% Pell grant population and modest SAT averages suggest it serves students who may need solid career outcomes to justify the investment. If Charleston Southern's business program performs closer to the national benchmark than the state median, the debt load looks reasonable. If it tracks closer to South Carolina's lower earnings average while maintaining that $27,000 debt level, monthly payments could stretch tighter than expected. Without this school's actual data, you're betting on how well it prepares students relative to other business programs rather than knowing what past graduates have achieved.