Coastal Carolina University
Conway, South Carolina · Public · 75.3% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 36/100 · Poor Value
Coastal Carolina University sits in Conway, South Carolina, about 10 miles from Myrtle Beach. It enrolls just over 10,000 students and operates as a mid-size regional public university, drawing heavily from the Southeast and from students who want a beach-adjacent college experience. On ROI, it scores 36 out of 100 -- Poor Value -- and that score reflects several compounding problems. Only 48.5% of students who start finish within six years, which is well below the national median for regional publics. Median earnings six years out land at $33,500, which is modest even by regional standards. The debt-to-earnings ratio sits at 0.709 -- above 0.5 and climbing toward ranges that signal meaningful financial strain. Net price of roughly $14,000 per year is low for the region, and income-qualified students can attend for well under $10,000 per year, so cost is not the culprit. The problem is outcomes: too many students leave without a degree, and those who graduate in the most popular programs earn wages that don't recover debt quickly. Coastal's strongest programs by first-year earnings -- nursing at $84,000, finance at $47,000 -- are real differentiators, but they represent a small share of graduates. The university's largest programs by headcount include kinesiology, business administration, marketing, and communications -- all of which carry D or F ROI grades and produce median first-year earnings in the $28,000-$36,000 range. For students in those programs, the financial math is hard to make work.
The data raises concerns about Coastal Carolina University
These metrics fall below the thresholds most financial advisors recommend for a sound college investment. Review them carefully before committing.
- ROI Score36/100 - Poor Value tier (below 45). Most 4-year schools we track score 60 or higher.
- Payback period16 years - Most 4-year schools we track have payback periods of 4-10 years.
Coastal Carolina University
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $11,640/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $29,628/yr |
| Average net price | $13,966/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $55,864 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $47,258 |
| Median earnings (6yr post-entry) | $33,500 |
| Median debt at graduation | $23,750 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $252 |
| Estimated payback period | 16 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 48.5% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 10,377 |
Data as of 2024-2025. Source: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education).
The Full Financial Picture
The sticker price at Coastal Carolina University is $11,640/year ($29,628/year out-of-state). But sticker price isn't what most students pay. After grants, scholarships, and financial aid, the average student pays a net price of $13,966/year, or roughly $55,864 over four years.
That net price varies significantly by family income. The lowest-income families (under $30,000/year) pay an average of $9,563/year, while families earning over $110,000 pay $20,219/year.
The median graduate leaves with $23,750 in federal loan debt, translating to an estimated monthly payment of $252 on a standard 10-year repayment plan. Against median earnings of $47,258 ten years out, the debt-to-earnings ratio is 0.71 - within the recommended range but worth monitoring.
Net Price by Family Income
What families actually pay after grants and scholarships, by income bracket.
| Family Income | Avg Net Price/Year |
|---|---|
| $0 - $30,000 | $9,563 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $10,292 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $12,938 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $16,350 |
| $110,001+ | $20,219 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
At roughly $9,600 per year, Coastal Carolina is affordable for low-income students. Four years of tuition at that rate totals around $38,000 -- a meaningful but manageable number if the student completes. The problem is the 48.5% completion rate. For students in this income bracket, not finishing carries a particularly sharp consequence: leaving with debt and no credential, which is the worst financial outcome in higher education. Students at this income level who can manage the application process should strongly consider nursing or finance, where earnings justify the investment, and should have a concrete plan for staying enrolled.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
Middle-income families pay roughly $12,900 per year at Coastal Carolina, totaling about $51,800 over four years. Against median six-year earnings of $33,500, that's a slow recovery -- particularly in the university's most popular programs. Families in this bracket comparing Coastal against a South Carolina community college plus a transfer pathway will often find the two-year route reaches the same credential at lower total cost.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Higher-income families pay around $20,200 per year. At that price, the case for Coastal Carolina depends almost entirely on the program. Nursing and finance can justify it. Kinesiology, communications, theater, and most of the liberal arts programs cannot -- the earnings simply don't support the outlay at that cost point. Families in this bracket with students interested in those programs would get more for their money at an in-state public school with stronger program-specific outcomes.
Earnings by Major
Top 10 most popular majors at Coastal Carolina University with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Kinesiology and Exercise Science | $50,228 | D |
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $59,946 | C |
| Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology | $45,323 | D |
| Psychology | $45,469 | F |
| Marketing | $62,373 | D |
| Communication and Media Studies | $51,010 | D |
| Intelligence, Command Control and Information Operations | $56,863 | D |
| Teacher Education | $46,581 | C |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences | $38,460 | F |
| Public Health | $48,238 | D |
Earnings reflect median 4-year post-completion (or 1-year where 4-year unavailable). Grades based on debt-to-earnings ratio.
Program Analysis
Why these programs deliver their earnings outcomes.
Registered Nursing
Nursing is Coastal Carolina's clearest high-earnings option, with nine graduates reporting median first-year earnings of $84,021. That number is the strongest in the institution by a wide margin. Debt runs higher than average at $39,750, but a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.473 puts nursing graduates in a manageable position. The small cohort size -- nine graduates -- means these numbers can shift substantially year to year, and CCU's nursing program competes against larger, better-resourced programs in the region. If nursing is the goal, it is worth comparing CCU's clinical placement record, NCLEX pass rates, and program size against the Medical University of South Carolina and larger state programs before committing.
Finance and Financial Management
Finance graduates -- 66 in the cohort -- report median first-year earnings of $46,911, rising to $70,181 by year four. That trajectory is one of the stronger arcs in the institution. Median debt of $26,000 with a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.554 is workable. Finance is a program where regional connections and internship proximity to Myrtle Beach's hospitality and real estate industries can matter. Students who build strong finance networks in coastal South Carolina can make this program pay; students who want to enter capital markets or corporate finance in Charlotte or Atlanta will be competing against graduates from stronger business programs.
Business Administration, Management, and Operations
Business administration is the university's largest single program by graduates, with 176 completers. First-year earnings average $41,953, rising to $59,946 at four years. The debt load of $25,187 and D2E of 0.600 are near average for this type of program nationally. The catch is that a generic business administration degree from a regional school with 48.5% institutional completion rates will face stiff competition on the job market. Students who use the major to build specific skills -- accounting, financial analysis, operations systems -- fare better than those who treat it as a general-purpose credential.
Kinesiology and Exercise Science
Kinesiology is the university's second-largest program by graduates, with 215 completers, and it carries a D grade. First-year earnings average $27,920, with a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.967 -- nearly dollar-for-dollar debt relative to annual earnings. Most kinesiology graduates end up in fitness training, physical therapy assistant roles, or return to school for graduate credentials. Students interested in physical therapy or athletic training should either plan explicitly for graduate school (with the cost implications) or choose a program with a documented DPT pipeline and strong clinical placement rates.
Marketing
Marketing sends 129 graduates per cohort into first-year earnings of $35,924 -- a D grade. Debt runs $26,000 with a D2E of 0.724, meaning graduates spend roughly eight-and-a-half months of gross income per year on student debt before interest. Marketing is a highly competitive field nationally, and employers increasingly expect demonstrable skills in digital analytics, paid media, or content production rather than a degree alone. Students set on marketing would benefit from programs with strong agency partnerships, certifications embedded in the curriculum, or strong alumni networks in their target market.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Nat'l Avg |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 57.6% | 52.0% |
| 3-year repayment | 62.5% | 62.0% |
| 5-year repayment | 62.4% | 68.0% |
| 7-year repayment | 68.1% | 72.0% |
Completion Rate
Admissions Snapshot
| Acceptance rate | 75.3% |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 520-600 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 530-620 |
| ACT Composite (25th-75th) | 21-26 |
| Enrollment | 10,377 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 26.2% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $9,103 |
Coastal Carolina admits about 75% of applicants, making it accessible to a wide range of students. There are no posted SAT or ACT ranges in the data, which reflects the university's test-flexible stance. Admission itself is not a meaningful filter here -- academic preparation and major selection matter far more to outcomes than getting in. Students who are academically borderline should focus energy on choosing a program with strong earnings data rather than worrying about the application process.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
The College of Charleston -- Coastal Carolina's closest regional peer in the data -- scores 57 ROI against Coastal's 36, with a 65.8% completion rate compared to Coastal's 48.5%. Both schools serve the coastal South Carolina market, but Charleston's stronger completion performance and slightly higher earnings ($36,400 vs. $33,500 at six years) produce a meaningfully different return. For South Carolina students, College of Charleston warrants serious comparison on both outcomes and campus culture before choosing Coastal. Out-of-state students comparing Coastal against regional peers nationally should note that several public universities with similar net prices produce higher completion rates and stronger median earnings.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coastal Carolina University (this school) | 36 | $13,966 | $47,258 |
| Citadel Military College of South Carolina | 85 | $20,723 | $72,085 |
| College of Charleston | 57 | $18,960 | $56,416 |
| Idaho State University | 38 | $12,193 | $45,608 |
| University of Central Oklahoma | 38 | $18,309 | $48,351 |
| University of South Alabama | 37 | $17,648 | $49,379 |
Who Thrives Here
Coastal Carolina makes the most sense for students with a clear path into nursing, accounting, or finance who are either South Carolina residents or otherwise eligible for low net-price attendance. Students who thrive here tend to want a lively social environment and proximity to the beach, and they value the low sticker price over national rankings. It is a poor fit for students undecided on a major or likely to drift toward kinesiology, communication, or theater -- programs where post-graduation earnings rarely recoup debt at a pace that supports financial stability. Students considering those fields would be better served at a community college, a school with strong placement infrastructure, or a program with a documented industry pipeline.
The Verdict: The Numbers Don't Add Up
The financial data raises serious concerns about Coastal Carolina University. With a net cost of $13,966 per year and median graduate earnings of only $47,258 ten years out, the estimated payback period exceeds 16 years. For most students, the financial return does not justify the cost.
Areas of concern include a 48.5% graduation rate and high debt relative to what graduates earn and concerning loan repayment rates and a long payback period.
Median debt of $23,750 against $47,258 in earnings is reasonable, though major choice matters significantly. Students in higher-earning programs will see better returns.
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Data: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education)
Vintage: 2024-2025 · Last updated: 2026-03-25
Earnings reflect median outcomes for all federal financial aid recipients. Individual results vary by major, effort, and career path.