Economics at Clemson University

Clemson's economics program produces graduates earning less than the national median for economics degrees—about $45,000 in year one versus $51,700 nationally—but the 22% earnings growth to $55,000 by year four shows solid career progression. With debt of $22,250, graduates owe roughly half their first-year salary, which is manageable though not exceptional. Among South Carolina's 13 economics programs, Clemson ranks around the 40th percentile, trailing both Furman ($55,600) and the University of South Carolina at launch.

The core tension here is that Clemson's selectivity (38% admission rate, 1341 SAT) suggests a more competitive program than these earnings reflect. For a flagship-caliber university, producing economics graduates who start $6,600 below the national median deserves scrutiny. The debt load is reasonable but unremarkable—basically average nationally—meaning there's no particular financial advantage to offset the lower starting salaries.

If your student is set on Clemson for other reasons (campus culture, engineering reputation, location), this economics program won't derail their financial future—the debt is manageable and earnings do improve. But families shopping primarily on ROI should know that peer institutions in South Carolina match or exceed these outcomes, and the national market suggests stronger economics programs exist at similar price points.