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University of South Carolina-Upstate
Spartanburg, SC 4,038 Undergrads 58.2% Grad Rate
Total Cost
$25,124
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$13,557
After Aid
Median Earnings
$55,994
4yr Post-Grad
Vs. Peer Institutions
Net Price$13,557
Peer Midpoint: $20,081
Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$55,994Peer Midpoint: $60,428
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$48,587Peer Midpoint: $53,763
Graduation Rate58.2%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Average Starting Age23.2
Warning: High average starting age indicates non-traditional students with prior work experience, which may inflate the median earnings shown.
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients50.9%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time87.3%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS73.0%
Admissions Profile
Acceptance
67.3%
SAT Avg
1,099
SAT Reading
25th: 51053575th: 605
SAT Math
25th: 49551575th: 570
ACT Composite
25th: 212175th: 26
ROI Sensitivity AnalysisAssuming 4 Years to Graduation
This analysis tests three cost scenarios (Scholarship, Average Net Price, Full Sticker Price) to show how college costs impact your long-term return compared to the average student and a high school graduate.
Lifetime Value Added (NPV)⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.
Institution Lifetime NPV
Vs Median Peer
Vs HS Grad
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
+$503k
+$36k
+$19k
Median Cost$14k/yr
+$454k
-$12k
-$30k
Full Cost$25k/yr
+$413k
-$54k
-$72k
ROI Efficiency Metrics⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.
Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
47
∞
Median Cost$14k/yr
Never
-61%
Full Cost$25k/yr
Never
-79%
Analysis Assumptions:
- Starting Salary: Estimated from the 4-year post-graduation median earnings (assuming 2% annual growth from graduation).⚠️ Warning: The high average starting age or low completion rate may inflate the Median earnings and ROI shown.
- Comparisons: "Vs Median Peer" compares to the median student nationwide in a similar level program. "Vs HS Grad" compares to a median high school graduate.
- Break-Even: The age at which the college investment net income exceeds the median high school graduate's lifetime earnings.
- NPV: Net Present Value of all future earnings minus costs and taxes, discounted at 7.8%.
Social Impact ROINew⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.
Measures the societal return on a donor's investment. Calculated as the incremental pre-tax lifetime earnings vs. HS grad, divided by the tax-adjusted donation cost.
Donor Return-44%
Gov. Pell Grant ROINew⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.
Measures the government's return on Pell Grants via increased tax revenue. Calculated as the portion of incremental lifetime taxes (discounted at 5.4%) attributed to the Pell Grant investment.
Taxpayer Return-62%
Important Note: Your ROI with any major will depend on the cost you pay to attend the program, and your starting salary. Both vary significantly across institutions. We encourage you to explore the ROI of a specific program variant by selecting the Program title of the credential level you are interested in. You will then have a more detailed return analysis for programs at specific institutions. We also encourage you to use the ROI calculator, or for more sophisticated analysis, the Guided ROI Interview, with your specific estimates of cost and salary.
Program ROI Analysis⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.
⚠️ Caution: Underlying earnings data reflects graduates only. This institution flagged for high risk factors (low completion/older demographics) that may artificially inflate this ROI.
Associate's Degrees
Criminal Justice and Corrections
AssocCIP: 4301
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $46,706
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $44,125
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Bachelor's Degrees
Biology, General
BachCIP: 2601
Median Debt
$22,225
Earnings (4yr)
$48,139
Natl Median: $57,214
Lifetime Value Added
-$95k
Business Administration, Management and Operations
BachCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$22,325
Earnings (4yr)
$61,967
Natl Median: $68,257
Lifetime Value Added
+$18k
Chemistry
BachCIP: 4005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,120
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Communication and Media Studies
BachCIP: 0901
Median Debt
$25,200
Earnings (4yr)
$45,298
Natl Median: $56,359
Lifetime Value Added
-$119k
Computer and Information Sciences, General
BachCIP: 1101
Median Debt
$27,500
Earnings (4yr)
$67,286
Natl Median: $92,374
Lifetime Value Added
+$60k
Criminal Justice and Corrections
BachCIP: 4301
Median Debt
$23,655
Earnings (4yr)
$48,209
Natl Median: $55,378
Lifetime Value Added
-$95k
Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft
BachCIP: 5005
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $39,775
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Engineering-Related Fields
BachCIP: 1515
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$85,996
Natl Median: $89,619
Lifetime Value Added
+$190k
English Language and Literature, General
BachCIP: 2301
Median Debt
$18,671
Earnings (4yr)
$36,785
Natl Median: $48,590
Lifetime Value Added
-$192k
Fine and Studio Arts
BachCIP: 5007
Median Debt
$21,042
Earnings (4yr)
$35,612
Natl Median: $41,367
Lifetime Value Added
-$203k
History
BachCIP: 5401
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$45,045
Natl Median: $50,680
Lifetime Value Added
-$129k
Median Debt
$31,000
Earnings (4yr)
$36,368
Natl Median: $48,568
Lifetime Value Added
-$196k
Information Science/Studies
BachCIP: 1104
Median Debt
-
Earnings (5yr)
$76,204
Natl Median: $85,294
Lifetime Value Added
+$117k
Median Debt
$24,450
Earnings (4yr)
$46,121
Natl Median: $53,072
Lifetime Value Added
-$112k
Mathematics
BachCIP: 2701
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $69,562
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Medical Illustration and Informatics
BachCIP: 5127
Median Debt
$27,625
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $73,739
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Music
BachCIP: 5009
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $42,892
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Physiology, Pathology and Related Sciences
BachCIP: 2609
Median Debt
$23,000
Earnings (4yr)
$45,761
Natl Median: $62,172
Lifetime Value Added
-$115k
Political Science and Government
BachCIP: 4510
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$47,796
Natl Median: $63,293
Lifetime Value Added
-$98k
Psychology, General
BachCIP: 4201
Median Debt
$24,094
Earnings (4yr)
$45,659
Natl Median: $50,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$116k
Median Debt
$18,000
Earnings (4yr)
$79,947
Natl Median: $88,910
Lifetime Value Added
+$157k
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
BachCIP: 1609
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $55,000
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Sociology
BachCIP: 4511
Median Debt
$27,000
Earnings (4yr)
$43,745
Natl Median: $52,657
Lifetime Value Added
-$132k
Special Education and Teaching
BachCIP: 1310
Median Debt
$22,500
Earnings (2yr)
$29,685
Natl Median: $50,499
Lifetime Value Added
-$244k
Median Debt
$24,812
Earnings (4yr)
$42,119
Natl Median: $47,382
Lifetime Value Added
-$146k
Median Debt
$26,000
Earnings (2yr)
$32,711
Natl Median: $51,389
Lifetime Value Added
-$216k
Master's Degrees
Management Information Systems and Services
MastCIP: 5212
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $106,092
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $120,193
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Social Work
MastCIP: 4407
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $65,123
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Special Education and Teaching
MastCIP: 1310
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $64,397
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $59,916
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Note: Lifetime Value Added is the Net Present Value (NPV) of estimated career earnings relative to a median high school graduate (for undergraduate programs) or a median bachelor's degree holder (for graduate programs), accounting for this institution's average cost and taxes. Computed over a career to retirement age.
For graduate programs (Master's, Doctoral, etc.), the calculation assumes a starting age of 22 (after undergraduate completion) and does not include the sunk costs of prior degrees. It represents the value added of the graduate decision moving forward. Note that the institution's average undergraduate net price is used as a proxy for annual cost, which may differ from actual graduate tuition. These Lifetime Value Added results for graduate degrees should not be compared with those for Undergraduate Certificates, Associates or Bachelors.
Completers Only: Federal median earnings data strictly reflects outcomes for students who successfully graduated. Students who do not complete their degree typically earn significantly less and face higher risks of debt default.