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Coker University — ROI, Cost & Payback

Private nonprofit · Hartsville, SC · 840 students

The verdict

Coker University charges a net price of $20,286/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $81,144. Median earnings ten years after entry are $40,117, 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.)

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On institution-wide earnings, Coker University does not clear its cost — it ranks #37 of 60 South Carolina colleges we track by ROI. The specific program you pick moves this more than the school average.

$20,286
Net price / yr
Scorecard, 2026
$40,117
Median earnings, 10 yrs
Scorecard, 2026
Payback
Our math, 2026
94%
Admission rate
Scorecard, 2026
Coker University: cost, earnings and payback
MeasureValueSource
Net price (after aid)$20,286/yrScorecard, 2026
Total net cost (4 yrs)$81,144our math
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry$40,117Scorecard, 2026
Earnings premium over HS baseline-$8,243/yrour math
Median debt (completers)$26,000Scorecard, 2026
Paybackdoes not clearour math
20-year net return-$246,004our math

College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.

The arithmetic, on Coker University's own numbers. Net price $20,286 × 4 years = $81,144 total. Median earnings $40,117 fall $8,243 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 $81,144 bill in about 8.1 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.

How much debt do Coker University students graduate with?

A median $26,000 in federal loans among completers, or 65% of the $40,117 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.

What share of Coker University students graduate?

40% finish their degree — 60% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $81,144 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $202,860 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.

Is Coker University expensive compared with other South Carolina colleges?

Its $20,286 net price runs $4,292 above the $15,995 median across the 60 South Carolina colleges we profile, or $17,166 more across the full degree.

Coker University: frequently asked questions

Is Coker University worth the cost?
On institution-wide earnings, the degree does not clear its cost: graduates earn a median $40,117, at or below the $48,360 high-school baseline. The field you study matters far more here than the school average — a high-paying major can flip the math.
How long does a Coker University degree take to pay off?
On institution-wide earnings it does not pay back, because median earnings sit at or below the $48,360 high-school baseline. A specific high-ROI program can still pay off.
How much does Coker University cost after financial aid?
The median net price is $20,286/yr — about $81,144 over 4 years. That is what the typical aided student actually pays after grants and scholarships, not the published sticker price.
How does Coker University compare to other South Carolina colleges?
It ranks #37 of 60 South Carolina colleges we track by payback. Its $40,117 median earnings trail the national median of $43,549, and its $20,286 net price is above the national median of $16,902.