Coker University
Hartsville, South Carolina · Private Nonprofit · 94.0% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 13/100 · Below Benchmark
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Coker University scores 13 (Below Benchmark). The Hartsville, South Carolina private liberal-arts college charges a high sticker tuition of $33,416 and discounts heavily; net price after aid is $20,286, with four-year cost still landing at $81,144. The earnings premium is 6.3% over high-school-only workers, the payback period is 43.2 years, and the 0.89 debt-to-earnings ratio against $26,000 in median federal debt produces a sub-score of 9. Average earnings six years after entry are $29,300 and reach a median $40,117 by year ten. Every reported major-level program at Coker carries a D or F ROI grade. The school's reported data does not present a defensible borrowing case for most students, even after the substantial discount off sticker tuition. Coker is a small Division II athletic destination and serves a meaningful share of student-athletes; the school's value proposition is strongest for those who attend on athletic scholarship rather than borrow.
How Coker University scores under our methodology
These are the College Scorecard measures that pull this school's CampusROI score down. They describe the published figures, not the quality of the education, and they are our reading of the data. Check them against your own aid offer and intended major.
- ROI Score13/100 - Below Benchmark tier of our scale (below 45). For context, 38% of the schools we score reach 60 or higher.
- 6-year graduation rate39.5% - The national average for four-year schools is 64% (NCES, 2022). Completion is 15% of our score, since a degree that is not finished rarely pays back.
- Payback period43.2 years - The median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
Coker University
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $33,416/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $33,416/yr |
| Average net price | $20,286/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $81,144 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $40,117 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $29,300 |
| Median debt at graduation | $26,000 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $276 |
| Estimated payback period | 43.2 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 39.5% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 840 |
Data as of 2024-2025. Source: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education).
The Full Financial Picture
The first number you'll see is the sticker price: $33,416/year, which covers tuition and fees only. After grants, scholarships, and aid, the average student here pays a net price of $20,286/year, or roughly $81,144 over four years. That's the number to plan around.
What you actually pay depends a lot on what your family earns. Families making under $30,000/year pay an average of $16,789/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $24,160/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $26,000, which works out to about $276 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($29,300) and comes to 0.89, under 1.0, meaning median debt is less than a full year of those earnings.
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 | $16,789 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $15,138 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $18,227 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $24,421 |
| $110,001+ | $24,160 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families earning under $30,000 face an average net price of $16,789 per year, totaling roughly $67,200 across four years. With ten-year median earnings of $40,117, this requires significant borrowing to close the gap and the math does not pencil out without strong scholarship support.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
The $30,001 to $48,000 bracket actually pays slightly less at $15,138 per year, the lowest cost on the page, suggesting institutional aid is concentrated at this lower-middle income tier. The $48,001 to $75,000 bracket steps up to $18,227 and the $75,001 to $110,000 bracket jumps to $24,421. Four-year totals for upper-middle brackets approach $97,700.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Families above $110,000 pay $24,160 per year, slightly less than the $75K-$110K bracket above them, a mild inversion. Four-year cost is roughly $96,600.
Earnings by Major
Top 6 most popular majors at Coker University with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $47,785 | D |
| Kinesiology and Exercise Science | $44,706 | D |
| Psychology | $46,921 | F |
| Business Administration and Management | $60,372 | D |
| Political Science and Government | $41,738 | F |
| Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, General | $21,574 | F |
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.
Business Administration, Management, and Operations
Business is the largest reported program with 29 graduates per cohort. Year-one earnings of $39,118 climb to $47,785 by year four. With $31,646 in median debt (notably higher than the school average), the 0.81 debt-to-earnings ratio earns a D ROI grade.
Kinesiology and Exercise Science
Kinesiology graduates 25 students per cohort, making it the second-largest program. Year-one earnings of $28,319 rise to $44,706 by year four. With $26,475 in debt, the 0.94 ratio earns a D ROI grade. As at most schools, kinesiology only delivers durable earnings when paired with PT, OT, or athletic-training graduate study.
Psychology
Psychology graduates 18 students per cohort with year-one earnings of $25,870 climbing to $46,921 by year four. Median debt is $31,933, producing a 1.23 debt-to-earnings ratio and an F ROI grade. The four-year earnings trajectory is reasonable, but the high debt load combined with weak year-one earnings creates serious early-career repayment strain.
Business Administration and Management
A second business track shows year-one earnings of $30,285 climbing to $60,372 by year four. With $27,000 in debt, the 0.89 ratio earns a D ROI grade. The four-year trajectory is the strongest at the school and suggests this version of the business curriculum may serve students entering management-track roles in regional Carolinas employers.
Political Science and Government
Political Science graduates 11 students per cohort with year-one earnings of $25,862 rising to $41,738 by year four. Median debt of $30,000 produces a 1.16 debt-to-earnings ratio and an F ROI grade. The pre-law and government-career path requires graduate study to deliver returns; standalone, this credential at this debt level does not pencil out.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 41.5% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 47.1% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 50.8% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 52.8% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How Coker University’s cost and outcomes have moved across College Scorecard releases (2009-2024).
Average Net Price
Completion Rate
Median Earnings, 10 Years After Entry (as reported)
Earnings reflect borrowers measured 10 years after entry and publish on an irregular cadence with a multi-year reporting lag, so this series shows only the years the Department of Education reported - the data is never interpolated.
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, release years shown. Net price and completion are reported annually.
Admissions Snapshot
| Acceptance rate | 94.0% |
| Enrollment | 840 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 25.7% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $5,977 |
Coker admits 94.0% of applicants, an essentially open-admissions posture. The combination of near-universal admit rate and the 39.5% completion rate suggests many admitted students arrive without academic preparation or motivation to finish.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coker University (this school) | 13 | $20,286 | $40,117 |
| Anderson University | 24 | $23,544 | $42,101 |
| Brewton-Parker College | 13 | $26,054 | $42,009 |
| Maharishi International University | 12 | $14,956 | $27,981 |
| Philander Smith University | 10 | $14,224 | $38,427 |
| Allen University | 3 | $10,972 | $30,497 |
Who Thrives Here
The fit case is most concentrated for athletic-scholarship recipients and students drawn to the small-college academic environment who can fund attendance largely without borrowing. The repayment rate is 47.1%, which suggests typical borrowers struggle and prospective borrowers should weigh that risk.
The Verdict: Below Benchmark Under Our Scoring
Under our methodology, Coker University scores 13/100, which falls in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At a net price of $20,286 per year, with typical graduate earnings of $40,117 ten years after entry, we estimate the payback period at about 43.2 years. In our view that makes the financial case a hard one to make on the numbers alone, but those numbers are averages: your major, your aid package and what you want from a degree all change the picture, so run your own numbers before you commit.
What to keep an eye on: weak earnings relative to cost, its 39.5% graduation rate, a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.89 (median across the schools we score: 0.61), a three-year loan repayment rate of 47.1% (median across the schools we score: 73.6%), a long payback period.
Median debt of $26,000 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $29,300 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.89. That is under 1.0 (a full year of those earnings); the median across the schools we score is about 0.61. Your major - and how much you borrow - really matters.
Coker University: Common Questions
Is Coker University worth it?
In our view, the financial case is a hard one to make on the numbers alone. Coker University scores 13/100 on our ROI scale, in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At $20,286 a year after aid against $40,117 in typical earnings ten years out, we estimate the payback period at about 43.2 years. Your major and aid package can change the picture, so run your own numbers.
How much does Coker University cost after financial aid?
The average net price - the cost of attendance (tuition, fees, books, supplies and average living costs) minus grants and scholarships, for full-time, first-time students receiving federal aid - is about $20,286 a year, or roughly $81,144 over four years. Because it counts living costs, it can run above tuition alone. That is the number to plan around. Actual cost varies by family income, per the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard.
What do Coker University graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $40,117 ten years after enrolling, at or below the $41,800 median for high-school graduates (NCES, 2022). With little earnings gap to cover the cost, the financial return is hard to make.
How long does it take to pay off Coker University?
We estimate the payback period - the time it takes for the earnings bump over a high-school graduate to cover what you spent - at about 43.2 years for Coker University. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do Coker University graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $26,000, against average earnings of $29,300 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.89. That is under 1.0 (a full year of those earnings); the median across the schools we score is about 0.61. How much you borrow really matters.
What is the graduation rate at Coker University?
The six-year graduation rate is 39.5%. The national average for four-year schools is 64% (NCES, 2022). Completion is 15% of our ROI score, since a degree you don't finish rarely pays back.
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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.