Business Administration, Management and Operations at Lander University

Lander's business program starts graduates nearly $8,500 below the South Carolina median and a concerning $8,500 below the national average—landing in just the 15th percentile nationally. While the 40th percentile state ranking suggests it's not the worst option in South Carolina, that's cold comfort when the state's top programs like Charleston Southern ($64,920) and Southern Wesleyan ($52,070) are placing graduates at substantially higher starting salaries.

The trajectory shows some improvement, with earnings climbing 20% to $44,556 by year four, but that still leaves graduates earning less than what peers from other programs make right out of the gate. The $27,000 debt load is precisely average, which actually works against the program here—you're paying typical debt for below-typical outcomes. With 40% of students on Pell grants, many families here may be counting on strong post-graduation earnings to justify the investment.

For families considering Lander's business program, understand that you're looking at roughly $37,000 in first-year earnings when the typical South Carolina business graduate starts at $42,000. Unless Lander offers significant cost advantages through scholarships or you have strong personal reasons to attend, exploring other South Carolina business programs—particularly those in the $48,000-52,000 starting range—would likely deliver better return on investment.