Business, Management, Marketing, at Claflin University

At $32,000 in debt—the median for business programs in South Carolina—this bachelor's degree presents a puzzling picture when earnings drop from an estimated $50,740 in year one to just $30,059 by year four. That backward trajectory is unusual and concerning. While the estimated first-year figure comes from national peers and suggests a reasonable 0.63 debt-to-earnings ratio, the reported fourth-year number tells a different story. Either graduates are shifting into lower-paying roles, experiencing regional wage constraints in South Carolina's market, or the career paths aren't building momentum as expected.

The institution serves a predominantly low-income student body (73% receive Pell grants), and while that mission is valuable, it doesn't change the financial reality: borrowing $32,000 for a business degree that yields $30,000 four years out creates tight margins for loan repayment and living expenses. The national median for business bachelor's programs is $50,740, which suggests that either the year-four data captures an atypical cohort or there's something specific about outcomes here that diverges from typical business program trajectories. Without more granular data on where graduates land—whether in nonprofit roles, corporate positions, or entrepreneurial ventures—it's hard to pinpoint why earnings decline rather than grow.

For families weighing this investment, the debt load is manageable if first-year earnings hold, but the reported fourth-year figure raises real questions about career progression that deserve direct answers from the school's career services office.