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

With just $9,250 in debt, USC-Union keeps borrowing well below state averages—but graduates earning $18,455 a year later face a difficult financial reality. That's less than half of what liberal arts graduates make at South Carolina's technical colleges, where earnings routinely exceed $27,000. Even within a state where this degree already underperforms, USC-Union ranks in just the 25th percentile.

The debt burden is manageable in absolute terms, but when your first-year earnings barely clear $18,000, even modest monthly loan payments strain a budget. Compare this to Midlands Technical College, where similar associate degree holders earn over $29,000—a difference of more than $11,000 annually. That gap compounds over time, making it harder to achieve basic financial milestones.

The caveat here matters: this data comes from fewer than 30 graduates, so individual outcomes vary widely. Still, the pattern is stark enough to warrant serious alternatives. If an associate degree is the goal, South Carolina's technical college system offers demonstrably better outcomes in this field. For families prioritizing immediate earnings potential, exploring those options—or considering whether a bachelor's degree might be the more viable path—makes financial sense.