Historic Preservation and Conservation at College of Charleston

College of Charleston is one of just 11 schools nationwide offering a bachelor's in Historic Preservation, making this a rare specialization with limited comparison data. While the starting salary of $35,326 sits right at the national median for this field, what matters here is the trajectory: graduates see 27% earnings growth by year four, reaching nearly $45,000. The debt load of $22,375 is manageable, with a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.63—meaning graduates owe less than eight months of their first-year salary.

The big caveat is sample size. With fewer than 30 recent graduates tracked, these numbers could swing dramatically year to year. Historic preservation is inherently a niche field that typically requires graduate education for advancement into museum curation, preservation planning, or restoration architecture roles. The 72% admission rate and moderate SAT average suggest this isn't an ultra-selective program, which may be appropriate given the specialized nature of the major.

If your child is genuinely passionate about built heritage and historic sites—not just "interested in history"—this program provides solid foundational training at a reasonable cost in one of America's most historic cities. But understand this is likely a stepping stone to grad school rather than a terminal degree, and career paths will be specialized. For students planning to work immediately after college without further education, a broader humanities or business degree might offer more flexibility.