Southern Wesleyan University — ROI, Cost & Payback
Southern Wesleyan University charges a net price of $15,464/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $61,856. Median earnings ten years after entry are $47,756, 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, Southern Wesleyan University does not clear its cost — it ranks #12 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) | $15,464/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $61,856 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $47,756 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$604/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $26,000 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$73,936 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Southern Wesleyan University's own numbers. Net price $15,464 × 4 years = $61,856 total. Median earnings $47,756 fall $604 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 $61,856 bill in about 6.2 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Southern Wesleyan University students graduate with?
A median $26,000 in federal loans among completers, or 54% of the $47,756 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Southern Wesleyan University students graduate?
52% finish their degree — 48% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $61,856 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $118,954 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Southern Wesleyan University expensive compared with other South Carolina colleges?
Its $15,464 net price runs $531 below the $15,995 median across the 60 South Carolina colleges we profile, and $2,122 less across the full degree.