Anthropology at University of South Carolina-Columbia

USC-Columbia's anthropology graduates start their careers earning about $4,000 less than the national median for the field, landing at just $23,785 in their first year—roughly $2,000 below what other South Carolina anthropology programs produce. While earnings do grow 20% over four years to reach $28,454, this still lags behind what graduates from College of Charleston achieve right out of the gate. The program ranks in the 22nd percentile nationally, meaning nearly 80% of anthropology programs produce better initial outcomes.

The debt burden of $23,687 equals the first year's salary, creating a challenging financial start. Anthropology is already among the lower-earning bachelor's degrees nationally, and this program underperforms within that context. For comparison, South Carolina's median starting salary across all bachelor's degrees is significantly higher, making the anthropology track particularly risky from a pure earnings standpoint.

If your child is passionate about anthropology and understands they'll need graduate school or a strategic career pivot to reach solid earnings, this path could work—but recognize you're signing up for several lean years after graduation. The moderate sample size suggests consistent outcomes, not outlier data. Consider whether College of Charleston's program might offer better value for similar tuition costs.