Est. Earnings (1yr)
$48,149
Est. from SC median (3 programs)
Est. Median Debt
$24,102
Est. from national median (155 programs)

Analysis

South Carolina's economics programs cluster tightly around $48,000 in first-year earnings, and Converse appears positioned right in that range based on peer institutions. With estimated debt of $24,100—nearly identical to the state median—the 0.50 debt-to-earnings ratio suggests graduates could manage repayment within standard timelines. However, it's worth noting that this figure trails the national economics median by about $3,500, reflecting either regional salary differences or variations in program strength across the state.

The estimation here matters because Converse's actual outcomes remain unknown due to small graduate cohorts in this major. The three comparable South Carolina programs show a $10,000 spread between Furman's top performers and Clemson's lower earners, meaning your student could land anywhere in that range depending on the program's actual quality and their post-graduation plans. Economics degrees typically open doors to finance, consulting, and analytics roles, but at a 64% admission rate school serving 41% Pell-eligible students, career services strength and alumni networks become crucial differentiators that aren't captured in these estimates.

If your child is certain about economics and committed to Converse for other reasons—campus culture, financial aid package, or location—these numbers don't raise red flags. But given the uncertainty, you'd want concrete answers about internship placement rates, recruiting relationships with regional employers, and where recent graduates actually landed jobs before banking on outcomes matching the state average.

Where Converse University Stands

Earnings vs. debt across all economics bachelors's programs nationally

Compare to Similar Programs in South Carolina

Economics bachelors's programs at peer institutions in South Carolina (13 total in state)

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SchoolIn-State TuitionEarnings (1yr)*Earnings (4yr)Median Debt*Debt/Earnings
Converse UniversitySpartanburg$23,096$48,149*—$24,102*—
Furman UniversityGreenville$58,312$55,615*—$24,125*0.43
University of South Carolina-ColumbiaColumbia$12,688$48,149*$57,679$24,062*0.50
Clemson UniversityClemson$15,554$45,075*$55,077$22,250*0.49
National Median—$51,722*—$22,816*0.44
* Estimated from similar programs

Career Paths

Occupations commonly associated with economics graduates

Economists

Conduct research, prepare reports, or formulate plans to address economic problems related to the production and distribution of goods and services or monetary and fiscal policy. May collect and process economic and statistical data using sampling techniques and econometric methods.

$115,440/yrJobs growth:Master's degree

Environmental Economists

Conduct economic analysis related to environmental protection and use of the natural environment, such as water, air, land, and renewable energy resources. Evaluate and quantify benefits, costs, incentives, and impacts of alternative options using economic principles and statistical techniques.

$115,440/yrJobs growth:Master's degree

Data Scientists

Develop and implement a set of techniques or analytics applications to transform raw data into meaningful information using data-oriented programming languages and visualization software. Apply data mining, data modeling, natural language processing, and machine learning to extract and analyze information from large structured and unstructured datasets. Visualize, interpret, and report data findings. May create dynamic data reports.

$112,590/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Business Intelligence Analysts

Produce financial and market intelligence by querying data repositories and generating periodic reports. Devise methods for identifying data patterns and trends in available information sources.

$112,590/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Clinical Data Managers

Apply knowledge of health care and database management to analyze clinical data, and to identify and report trends.

$112,590/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Statisticians

Develop or apply mathematical or statistical theory and methods to collect, organize, interpret, and summarize numerical data to provide usable information. May specialize in fields such as biostatistics, agricultural statistics, business statistics, or economic statistics. Includes mathematical and survey statisticians.

$104,350/yrJobs growth:Master's degree

Biostatisticians

Develop and apply biostatistical theory and methods to the study of life sciences.

$104,350/yrJobs growth:Master's degree

Economics Teachers, Postsecondary

Teach courses in economics. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.

$83,980/yrJobs growth:

Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists

Research conditions in local, regional, national, or online markets. Gather information to determine potential sales of a product or service, or plan a marketing or advertising campaign. May gather information on competitors, prices, sales, and methods of marketing and distribution. May employ search marketing tactics, analyze web metrics, and develop recommendations to increase search engine ranking and visibility to target markets.

$76,950/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Search Marketing Strategists

Employ search marketing tactics to increase visibility and engagement with content, products, or services in Internet-enabled devices or interfaces. Examine search query behaviors on general or specialty search engines or other Internet-based content. Analyze research, data, or technology to understand user intent and measure outcomes for ongoing optimization.

$76,950/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education

Teach one or more subjects to students at the secondary school level.

$64,580/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Survey Researchers

Plan, develop, or conduct surveys. May analyze and interpret the meaning of survey data, determine survey objectives, or suggest or test question wording. Includes social scientists who primarily design questionnaires or supervise survey teams.

$63,380/yrJobs growth:Master's degree
About This Data

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (October 2025 release)

Population: Graduates who received federal financial aid (Title IV grants or loans). At Converse University, approximately 41% of students receive Pell grants. Students who did not receive federal aid are not included in these figures.

Earnings: Median earnings from IRS W-2 data for graduates who are employed and not enrolled in further education, measured 1 year after completion. Earnings are pre-tax and include wages, salaries, and self-employment income.

Debt: Median cumulative federal loan debt at graduation. Does not include private loans or Parent PLUS loans borrowed on behalf of students.

Estimated Earnings: Actual earnings data is not available for this program (typically due to privacy thresholds when fewer than 30 graduates reported earnings). The estimate shown is based on the median of 3 similar programs in SC. Actual outcomes may vary.