Business Administration, Management and Operations at Converse University

Earning just over $31,000 one year after graduation puts Converse's business graduates roughly $10,000 below the South Carolina median and $14,000 below the national average—that's the 5th percentile nationally. Even accounting for the small sample size (under 30 graduates), this represents a significant earnings disadvantage compared to business programs at peer South Carolina schools like Anderson University ($49,754) or even the state median ($41,953).

The debt level itself isn't unusually high at $26,146, sitting near both state and national medians. The problem is what graduates earn relative to that debt. With a 0.83 debt-to-earnings ratio, the typical graduate owes nearly as much as they'll make in their entire first year—a challenging financial position that suggests extended repayment timelines. Among the 34 business programs in South Carolina, this ranks in just the 25th percentile for earnings, meaning three-quarters of in-state alternatives show stronger outcomes.

The small cohort size means individual circumstances could be skewing these results—a few graduates pursuing non-profit work or graduate school could dramatically affect the median. However, the gap is substantial enough that parents should seriously investigate why Converse graduates trail so far behind. For a business degree specifically, where ROI is typically strong, this program doesn't deliver the earnings boost most families expect from this major.