South University-Columbia — ROI, Cost & Payback
South University-Columbia charges a net price of $27,693/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $110,772. Median earnings ten years after entry are $34,421, 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, South University-Columbia does not clear its cost — it ranks #51 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) | $27,693/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $110,772 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $34,421 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$13,939/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $26,123 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$389,552 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on South University-Columbia's own numbers. Net price $27,693 × 4 years = $110,772 total. Median earnings $34,421 fall $13,939 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 $110,772 bill in about 11.1 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do South University-Columbia students graduate with?
A median $26,123 in federal loans among completers, or 76% of the $34,421 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of South University-Columbia students graduate?
23% finish their degree — 77% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $110,772 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $481,617 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is South University-Columbia expensive compared with other South Carolina colleges?
Its $27,693 net price runs $11,699 above the $15,995 median across the 60 South Carolina colleges we profile, or $46,794 more across the full degree.