Marketing at University of South Carolina-Columbia

USC-Columbia's marketing program significantly outperforms both national and state expectations, with first-year graduates earning $52,374—well above the national median of $44,728 and substantially higher than South Carolina's median of $37,066. Among marketing programs in South Carolina, this ranks in the 80th percentile, making it the clear leader among major state universities and competitive with Clemson's strong showing.

The financial picture is compelling: graduates carry reasonable debt loads of $23,750 (slightly below national averages) while earning considerably more than their peers elsewhere. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.45 means students can realistically expect to manage their debt burden, and earnings grow a healthy 19% by the fourth year to $62,400. This combination of strong starting salaries and manageable debt creates genuine financial advantage over other in-state options.

For anxious parents weighing USC's marketing program against alternatives, the data tells a straightforward story of solid value. Your child would graduate with earnings potential that exceeds most marketing programs nationally while staying close to home with reasonable tuition costs. The robust sample size of 100+ graduates gives confidence these aren't outlier results—USC consistently delivers strong marketing career outcomes that justify the investment.