Statistics at Coastal Carolina University

A Statistics degree puts graduates in a strong position financially, and while Coastal Carolina's actual outcomes aren't available, similar bachelor's programs nationally suggest promising prospects. The estimated $59,718 first-year earnings sits right at the national median for Statistics degrees, with manageable estimated debt of about $20,150—translating to a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.34. That's a healthy picture on paper, though it's worth noting that the only other Statistics program in South Carolina—at USC-Columbia—reports higher earnings of nearly $70,000.

The gap between Coastal's estimated outcomes and USC's reported results raises questions about whether location, employer connections, or curriculum differences might matter for landing higher-paying data science and analytics roles. Statistics graduates typically find work as data analysts, actuaries, or business intelligence specialists, fields where employer name recognition and internship pipelines can influence starting salaries. Coastal's 80% admission rate and regional setting may present different recruitment patterns than a flagship state university.

For families weighing this investment, the fundamentals look solid based on peer programs—a sub-0.5 debt ratio generally signals manageable loan payments relative to income. But if your child has the credentials for USC and cost differences aren't prohibitive, the $10,000 earnings advantage suggested by that program's actual data deserves consideration. The real question is whether Coastal's specific Statistics department delivers comparable career placement despite what appear to be different outcomes.