Charleston Southern University — ROI, Cost & Payback
Charleston Southern University charges a net price of $21,666/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $86,664. Median earnings ten years after entry are $45,898, below the $48,360 high-school baseline, so on this institution-wide metric the degree does not clear its cost. Program choice is what changes that. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
On institution-wide earnings, Charleston Southern University does not clear its cost — it ranks #19 of 60 South Carolina colleges we track by ROI. The specific program you pick moves this more than the school average.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $21,666/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $86,664 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $45,898 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$2,462/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $26,471 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$135,904 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Charleston Southern University's own numbers. Net price $21,666 × 4 years = $86,664 total. Median earnings $45,898 fall $2,462 short of the $48,360 high-school baseline, so the premium this formula divides by is not positive and no break-even year exists on institution-wide pay. A programme here earning $58,360 would clear the $86,664 bill in about 8.7 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Charleston Southern University students graduate with?
A median $26,471 in federal loans among completers, or 58% of the $45,898 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Charleston Southern University students graduate?
47% finish their degree — 53% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $86,664 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $184,391 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Charleston Southern University expensive compared with other South Carolina colleges?
Its $21,666 net price runs $5,672 above the $15,995 median across the 60 South Carolina colleges we profile, or $22,686 more across the full degree.