Erskine College
Due West, South Carolina · Private Nonprofit · 62.7% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 45/100 · Below Average Value
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Erskine College is a small private nonprofit liberal arts college affiliated with the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church in Due West, South Carolina, enrolling approximately 766 students. It earns an overall ROI score of 45 - Below Average Value - reflecting a difficult financial profile. The completion rate is 45%, and average six-year earnings of $33,400 are modest for a net price of $16,525. The payback period is 11.2 years. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.81 is the sharpest financial concern, earning a subscore of 14 - graduates carry $27,000 in median debt against earnings that make that debt challenging to service in the early career years. The 74% three-year repayment rate suggests most graduates who borrow are making progress. Business Administration is the only tracked program with meaningful data, and its outcomes are weak on a financial basis.
Erskine College
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $36,710/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $36,710/yr |
| Average net price | $16,525/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $66,100 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $53,459 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $33,400 |
| Median debt at graduation | $27,000 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $286 |
| Estimated payback period | 11.2 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 45.2% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 766 |
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: $36,710/year, which covers tuition and fees only. After grants, scholarships, and aid, the average student here pays a net price of $16,525/year, or roughly $66,100 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 $14,555/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $18,942/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $27,000, which works out to about $286 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($33,400) and comes to 0.81, 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 | $14,555 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $12,666 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $18,652 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $16,405 |
| $110,001+ | $18,942 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Students from families earning under $30,000 face a net price of $14,555. At this level, the financial risk is concentrated in the completion rate: students who withdraw before earning a degree carry debt without the credential that would justify it.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
Middle-income students ($30,001 - $48,000) see Erskine's lowest net price bracket at $12,666 - a possible reflection of targeted institutional aid at this income tier. At this price, the 11.2-year payback period and D-grade business program require careful consideration. Students in this bracket who complete the degree and enter South Carolina's business market face a manageable if not exceptional financial outcome.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Higher-income students ($110,000-plus) pay approximately $18,942 in net price - one of the higher tiers, suggesting limited additional aid at this income level.
Earnings by Major
Top 1 most popular majors at Erskine College with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $54,921 | 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.
Business Administration, Management, and Operations
Business Administration is the only program at Erskine with sufficient graduates (58 annually) to generate reliable outcome data. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.76 earns a D grade - not the strongest financial return for a $66,000 four-year net cost. Students committed to Erskine's faith environment who plan for regional South Carolina employment in management or sales are the most realistic target for this program.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 71.1% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 74.4% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 76.1% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 82.7% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How Erskine College’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 | 62.7% |
| Enrollment | 766 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 46.8% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $5,645 |
Erskine admitted 63% of applicants, with no published standardized test score ranges. Financial aid is critical to the enrollment decision; the $36,710 list tuition drops to a net price of $16,525 on average, but individual aid packages vary significantly.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Erskine College (this school) | 45 | $16,525 | $53,459 |
| Maranatha Baptist University | 47 | $26,005 | $45,593 |
| Gordon College | 46 | $24,883 | $52,119 |
| Lubbock Christian University | 46 | $24,456 | $53,787 |
| Spring Arbor University | 45 | $19,353 | $51,732 |
| Union Adventist University | 43 | $23,716 | $55,045 |
Who Thrives Here
Erskine is designed for students seeking a tight-knit, faith-integrated liberal arts experience in a rural South Carolina setting. The admission rate is 63%. With 47% of students receiving Pell Grants, the institution serves a substantial share of lower-income students. Students who thrive here prioritize campus community, religious integration in academics, and close student-faculty relationships. The financial data demands honest engagement: students should enter with a clear career plan and financial support structure given the low completion rate.
The Verdict: Proceed With Caution
The money case for Erskine College is mixed, and worth a hard look before you commit. At $16,525 per year after aid, the typical graduate earns $53,459 ten years after entry, which means it takes about 11.2 years to earn the cost back. For context, the median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years. Whether it's worth it comes down to your major and your aid package.
What to keep an eye on: its 45.2% graduation rate, a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.81 (median across the schools we score: 0.61).
Median debt of $27,000 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $33,400 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.81. 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.
Erskine College: Common Questions
Is Erskine College worth it?
In our view, the money case is mixed and worth a hard look before you commit. Erskine College scores 45/100 on our ROI scale. At $16,525 a year after aid the typical graduate earns $53,459 ten years after entry, so it takes about 11.2 years to earn the cost back. For context, the median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
How much does Erskine College 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 $16,525 a year, or roughly $66,100 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 Erskine College graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $53,459 ten years after enrolling, roughly $11,659 a year more than the median high-school graduate ($41,800, per NCES, 2022). That earnings gap is what has to cover the cost of the degree.
How long does it take to pay off Erskine College?
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 11.2 years for Erskine College. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do Erskine College graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $27,000, against average earnings of $33,400 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.81. 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 Erskine College?
The six-year graduation rate is 45.2%. 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.