Special Education and Teaching at University of South Carolina-Upstate

USC Upstate's special education program sits right at South Carolina's median for earnings but trails the national average by about $4,000 annually—a meaningful gap when you're starting at $40,000. The debt load of $26,750 is typical for this field, creating a manageable debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.66, but the concerning piece is the national ranking: this program lands in just the 24th percentile compared to special education programs nationwide.

However, context matters here. The program performs at the 60th percentile within South Carolina, meaning it's actually above average for the state despite the weak national showing. This suggests the issue may be more about South Carolina's teacher compensation than the program itself. The school serves a largely middle-income student body (45% on Pell grants), and graduates enter a stable field with consistent demand, even if not high-paying.

The critical caveat: with fewer than 30 graduates in the dataset, these numbers could shift significantly year to year. A few graduates pursuing advanced degrees or taking time off before employment could skew the earnings data. For families committed to special education and staying in South Carolina, this represents a reasonable path—just know your child will likely earn less than peers who pursue the same career in higher-paying states. If geographic flexibility is an option, look at programs in states with stronger teacher compensation.