Francis Marion University
Florence, South Carolina · Public · 86.4% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 26/100 · Below Benchmark
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Francis Marion University, a public regional in Florence, South Carolina, scores 26 out of 100 on CampusROI and sits in the Below Benchmark tier. Despite a moderate cost profile (in-state tuition $11,160, out-of-state $21,544, net price $11,386, four-year total $45,544), the outcomes drag the overall score down. Average earnings at six years are $32,100, climbing to a median $43,888 by year ten. Median debt of $27,000 against those earnings produces a 0.841 debt-to-earnings ratio and a 20.9-year payback. The bright spot is nursing, which posts a B ROI grade with $70,110 in first-year earnings. The rest of the program portfolio is concentrated in psychology, biology, business administration, and education, where four-year earnings cluster in the $37,000-$51,000 range against $27,000-$31,000 in median debt, producing C and D ROI grades. The Pee Dee region's labor market is structurally tight on wage growth, which is the binding constraint on Francis Marion's outcomes.
How Francis Marion 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 Score26/100 - Below Benchmark tier of our scale (below 45). For context, 38% of the schools we score reach 60 or higher.
- Payback period20.9 years - The median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
Francis Marion University
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $11,160/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $21,544/yr |
| Average net price | $11,386/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $45,544 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $43,888 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $32,100 |
| Median debt at graduation | $27,000 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $286 |
| Estimated payback period | 20.9 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 43.4% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 2,628 |
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: $11,160/year ($21,544/year out-of-state), which covers tuition and fees only. The net price counts books, supplies, and average living costs on top of tuition and fees, then subtracts grants and scholarships. For the average student here it comes to $11,386/year, or roughly $45,544 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 $9,723/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $17,435/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 ($32,100) and comes to 0.84, 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 | $9,723 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $9,449 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $11,582 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $13,788 |
| $110,001+ | $17,435 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families earning under $30,000 face a net price of $9,723 per year. With Pell, LIFE, and federal Direct Loans stacked, the math is workable for nursing and education graduates, tighter for liberal arts. Four years totals about $38,900 against $43,888 in ten-year median earnings.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
Middle-income brackets show a small inversion to flag: the $30,001-$48,000 bracket pays $9,449, which is actually less than the $0-$30,000 bracket at $9,723. The pattern likely reflects LIFE/Palmetto Fellows scholarship eligibility patterns at small sample sizes rather than systematic pricing. Above $48,000, brackets escalate cleanly to $11,582 and $13,788.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Households above $110,000 pay $17,435 a year, or roughly $69,700 over four years. That is still very affordable in absolute terms.
Earnings by Major
Top 10 most popular majors at Francis Marion University with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Registered Nursing | $72,580 | B |
| Health and Medical Administrative Services | $51,005 | D |
| Psychology | $37,288 | F |
| Biology | $51,447 | F |
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $51,522 | D |
| Teacher Education | $40,933 | D |
| Marketing | $41,125 | D |
| International Relations | $44,803 | F |
| Sociology | $36,995 | F |
| English Language and Literature | $40,098 | 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 the standout program with 82 graduates earning $70,110 in the first year and $72,580 by year four against $29,250 in median debt. The 0.417 debt-to-earnings ratio earns a B ROI grade. This is the most defensible four-year choice on campus by a wide margin.
Health and Medical Administrative Services
Health administration is the second-largest program with 68 graduates. First-year earnings of $31,583 rise to $51,005 by year four against $31,000 in median debt. The 0.982 debt-to-earnings ratio earns a D ROI grade and reflects the structural earnings ceiling in regional healthcare administration. Students should target hospital management or larger health systems (MUSC, Prisma) to outperform the median.
Psychology
Psychology is among the largest programs with 53 graduates. First-year earnings of $26,947 rise to just $37,288 by year four against $30,500 in median debt. The 1.132 debt-to-earnings ratio earns an F ROI grade. The credential is structurally weak at the bachelor's level and the Pee Dee region's modest wage base makes that worse. Students should commit to a graduate-school pathway in counseling or social work before enrolling.
Biology
Biology graduates 50 students with $27,223 in first-year earnings and $51,447 by year four against $28,952 in median debt. The 1.064 debt-to-earnings ratio earns an F ROI grade. The four-year earnings figure suggests many graduates move into clinical or pre-health graduate work, which is where biology pays back. Students stopping at the bachelor's face the worst early-career math.
Teacher Education
Teacher Education produces 32 graduates with $39,122 in first-year earnings and $40,933 by year four against $29,000 in median debt. The 0.741 debt-to-earnings ratio earns a D ROI grade. PSLF eligibility materially improves long-run outcomes for graduates in public-school employment.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 49.9% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 58.2% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 50.7% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 53.8% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How Francis Marion 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 | 86.4% |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 420-540 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 450-575 |
| ACT Composite (25th-75th) | 16-24 |
| Enrollment | 2,628 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 37.6% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $8,506 |
Francis Marion admits 86.4% of applicants and reports SAT mid-ranges of 420-540 Math and 450-575 Reading, with ACT Composite of 16-24. The 86.4% admit rate paired with a 43.4% completion rate is a fairly wide spread that signals many admitted students are not adequately prepared to persist.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Francis Marion University (this school) | 26 | $11,386 | $43,888 |
| Citadel Military College of South Carolina | 85 | $20,723 | $72,085 |
| College of Charleston | 57 | $18,960 | $56,416 |
| Missouri Western State University | 29 | $13,251 | $42,647 |
| Rogers State University | 28 | $15,314 | $43,166 |
| Auburn University at Montgomery | 25 | $13,224 | $44,391 |
Who Thrives Here
Francis Marion enrolls 2,628 students with a Pell rate of 37.6%, serving a predominantly Pee Dee region South Carolina student body. The right fit is a Florence, Darlington, or Pee Dee-area student targeting nursing (the standout pipeline), education, or business who can leverage in-state tuition and the South Carolina LIFE Scholarship. The 43.4% completion rate makes this a meaningful risk for students who are not sure they will persist; community-college transfer paths through Florence-Darlington Tech are worth comparing.
The Verdict: Below Benchmark Under Our Scoring
Under our methodology, Francis Marion University scores 26/100, which falls in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At a net price of $11,386 per year, with typical graduate earnings of $43,888 ten years after entry, we estimate the payback period at about 20.9 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 43.4% graduation rate, a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.84 (median across the schools we score: 0.61), a three-year loan repayment rate of 58.2% (median across the schools we score: 73.6%), a long payback period.
Median debt of $27,000 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $32,100 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.84. 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.
Francis Marion University: Common Questions
Is Francis Marion University worth it?
In our view, the financial case is a hard one to make on the numbers alone. Francis Marion University scores 26/100 on our ROI scale, in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At $11,386 a year after aid against $43,888 in typical earnings ten years out, we estimate the payback period at about 20.9 years. Your major and aid package can change the picture, so run your own numbers.
How much does Francis Marion 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 $11,386 a year, or roughly $45,544 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 Francis Marion University graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $43,888 ten years after enrolling, roughly $2,088 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 Francis Marion 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 20.9 years for Francis Marion University. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do Francis Marion University graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $27,000, against average earnings of $32,100 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.84. 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 Francis Marion University?
The six-year graduation rate is 43.4%. 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.