General Sales, Merchandising at Greenville Technical College

With earnings barely moving from $27,524 to $27,978 over four years, this program raises questions about career trajectory. While the debt load of $13,953 is manageable—translating to monthly payments around $150—graduates earn below the South Carolina median for this credential, landing in just the 40th percentile statewide. Nearby Midlands Technical College's similar program produces slightly better outcomes, though the differences are modest across the board.

The real concern isn't the numbers themselves but what they represent: sales careers don't typically require formal credentials, and an associate degree may not meaningfully improve your prospects over on-the-job training. The flat earnings growth suggests graduates aren't advancing into management roles or developing specialized expertise that commands premium pay. With fewer than 30 students in this dataset, individual circumstances heavily influence these figures, but the pattern aligns with broader workforce realities in retail and sales.

For families considering this investment, recognize you're paying for structure and a credential in a field where hustle and personality often matter more than degrees. If your child needs the framework of formal education to launch their career, the debt here won't be crushing. But if they're self-motivated, they could likely reach similar earnings faster by starting work immediately and learning the business from the inside.