Southeastern College-Columbia — ROI, Cost & Payback
Southeastern College-Columbia charges a net price of $31,941/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $127,764. Median earnings ten years after entry are $31,156, 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, Southeastern College-Columbia does not clear its cost — it ranks #56 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) | $31,941/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $127,764 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $31,156 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$17,204/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $9,500 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$471,844 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Southeastern College-Columbia's own numbers. Net price $31,941 × 4 years = $127,764 total. Median earnings $31,156 fall $17,204 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 $127,764 bill in about 12.8 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Southeastern College-Columbia students graduate with?
A median $9,500 in federal loans among completers, or 30% of the $31,156 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Southeastern College-Columbia students graduate?
67% finish their degree — 33% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $127,764 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $190,693 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Southeastern College-Columbia expensive compared with other South Carolina colleges?
Its $31,941 net price runs $15,947 above the $15,995 median across the 60 South Carolina colleges we profile, or $63,786 more across the full degree.