University of South Carolina-Lancaster — ROI, Cost & Payback
University of South Carolina-Lancaster charges a net price of $9,801/yr after aid — a 2-year total of $19,602. Median earnings ten years after entry are $39,426, 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, University of South Carolina-Lancaster does not clear its cost — it ranks #25 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) | $9,801/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (2 yrs) | $19,602 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $39,426 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$8,934/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $9,616 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$198,282 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on University of South Carolina-Lancaster's own numbers. Net price $9,801 × 2 years = $19,602 total. Median earnings $39,426 fall $8,934 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 $19,602 bill in about 2.0 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do University of South Carolina-Lancaster students graduate with?
A median $9,616 in federal loans among completers, or 24% of the $39,426 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of University of South Carolina-Lancaster students graduate?
25% finish their degree — 75% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $19,602 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $78,408 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is University of South Carolina-Lancaster expensive compared with other South Carolina colleges?
Its $9,801 net price runs $6,194 below the $15,995 median across the 60 South Carolina colleges we profile, and $12,387 less across the full degree.