Business Administration, Management and Operations at South University-Columbia

South University-Columbia's business program saddles graduates with debt that's more than double what most business majors nationally carry—$55,162 versus a $26,000 national median. This matters because while earnings grow steadily to $48,439 by year four, you're still looking at over a year's salary in debt for outcomes that lag roughly $4,000 behind the national average. The program does perform slightly better than South Carolina's median, ranking 60th percentile statewide, but that's cold comfort when top SC programs like Charleston Southern deliver nearly $65,000 in earnings with similar debt loads.

The 58% Pell Grant rate indicates this school serves many students from modest financial backgrounds, making the high debt burden especially concerning. That 1.26 debt-to-earnings ratio means your child would owe considerably more than their first year's salary—a tough starting position for any graduate, but particularly challenging for business majors who might need geographic flexibility or startup capital. The earnings growth of 11% over four years is solid, but it doesn't close the gap fast enough to justify the debt premium.

For families considering this program, the calculation is straightforward: you're paying private school debt levels for mid-tier outcomes. Unless there are compelling personal reasons to attend (location, specific faculty connections, or transfer credit situations), both your wallet and your child's career launch would likely benefit from exploring other South Carolina options with stronger earnings potential at similar or lower cost.