Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities at University of South Carolina-Lancaster

With fewer than 30 graduates in this data, any conclusions come with uncertainty—but the numbers that do exist raise questions. First-year earnings of $22,995 trail both South Carolina's state median by nearly $3,000 and the national average by over $4,000. More telling is the comparison to other South Carolina community colleges: Technical schools like Midlands Tech and Greenville Tech report first-year earnings for similar degrees that run $5,000-$7,000 higher, suggesting this program struggles to connect graduates with entry-level opportunities.

The debt load itself isn't catastrophic at $11,480, roughly matching state and national norms. But paired with below-average earnings, it creates a debt-to-income ratio of 0.50—manageable but not comfortable for someone earning under $23,000. Ranking in just the 20th percentile nationally means 80% of comparable programs nationwide produce better early-career outcomes.

Given the small sample and Lancaster's role as a regional campus of USC, these numbers might not tell the full story—transfer students who complete bachelor's degrees elsewhere could fare much better. But for students planning to enter the workforce with this associate's degree, the technical colleges appear to offer stronger immediate returns. If your child is set on attending USC-Lancaster, understanding their post-graduation plan matters more than usual here.