Presbyterian College
Clinton, South Carolina · Private Nonprofit · 68.4% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 60/100 · Fair Value
Presbyterian College earns a Fair Value score of 60 out of 100, a middle-of-the-pack result that captures both real strengths and meaningful trade-offs. Sticker tuition is steep at $44,910, but institutional aid drops the average net price to $20,528 a year - roughly $82,112 over four years. Graduates post median earnings of $42,400 six years out and $60,194 at the ten-year mark, generating a 30.7% earnings premium over the high-school baseline and an 8.8-year payback period. Both numbers are solid for a small Southern liberal arts college. The repayment rate is healthy at 79.3% one year out, climbing to 86.8% at seven years, indicating most borrowers are servicing their loans on schedule. Where the picture gets weaker: median debt is $26,000, producing a 0.613 debt-to-earnings ratio that limits financial flexibility in the years right after graduation, and the six-year completion rate is only 51.5% - low for a private nonprofit and a real risk factor for prospective families. The score essentially reflects a school where students who finish do reasonably well, but the finishing rate is the swing variable that decides whether the math works for any individual student.
Presbyterian College
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $44,910/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $44,910/yr |
| Average net price | $20,528/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $82,112 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $60,194 |
| Median earnings (6yr post-entry) | $42,400 |
| Median debt at graduation | $26,000 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $276 |
| Estimated payback period | 8.8 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 51.5% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 852 |
Data as of 2024-2025. Source: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education).
The Full Financial Picture
The sticker price at Presbyterian College is $44,910/year. But sticker price isn't what most students pay. After grants, scholarships, and financial aid, the average student pays a net price of $20,528/year, or roughly $82,112 over four years.
That net price varies significantly by family income. The lowest-income families (under $30,000/year) pay an average of $18,277/year, while families earning over $110,000 pay $27,032/year.
The median graduate leaves with $26,000 in federal loan debt, translating to an estimated monthly payment of $276 on a standard 10-year repayment plan. Against median earnings of $60,194 ten years out, the debt-to-earnings ratio is 0.61 - 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 | $18,277 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $15,985 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $19,366 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $19,901 |
| $110,001+ | $27,032 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families earning $0-30,000 see a net price of $18,277. The $30,001-48,000 bracket actually pays less - $15,985 - which is a typical pattern at need-aware privates where the very lowest-income students are sometimes capped by family-contribution formulas. Even at the best-aid bracket, $63,940 over four years against $42,400 in early-career earnings is a tight margin that depends entirely on whether the student graduates.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
Middle-income brackets pay $19,366 ($48,001-75,000) and $19,901 ($75,001-110,000). Both bands cluster within $500 of each other, which means meaningful institutional aid extends well into the middle class but tapers gradually. At roughly $77,000-80,000 across four years versus $60,194 in ten-year median earnings, the return is acceptable but unspectacular.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Families above $110,000 pay $27,032 per year - about $108,000 over four years. For households at that income, the question is less affordability and more whether Presbyterian's small-college experience and merit-aid offer justifies the premium over a strong in-state public flagship like Clemson or USC, where flagship earnings outcomes are higher and net costs lower.
Earnings by Major
Top 5 most popular majors at Presbyterian College with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Psychology | $48,208 | F |
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $67,278 | C |
| Biology | $30,034 | D |
| History | $45,470 | D |
| International Relations | $57,154 | 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
The headline major with 43 graduates, the highest one-year earnings at $41,228, and a strong $67,278 four-year median. Median debt is $25,000 - roughly typical for the school - producing a 0.606 debt-to-earnings ratio and a C ROI grade. That C is conservative; the four-year earnings figure is genuinely competitive with much larger business programs. For students confident they will finish and head into management, finance, or sales after graduation, this is Presbyterian's most reliable financial play.
Psychology
Largest program by graduates (47) but the weakest ROI - an F grade driven by a 1.136 debt-to-earnings ratio one year out. Median debt is $26,717 against just $23,510 first-year earnings. Four-year earnings recover to $48,208, but borrowers carry the full debt load through the early years. Psychology majors here who plan to go into clinical work via graduate school can rationalize the math; those entering the workforce directly with a bachelor's face real cash-flow pressure.
Biology
Thirty-four graduates with one-year earnings of $30,034 and four-year earnings not reported. Median debt is $24,799 - a 0.826 debt-to-earnings ratio and a D grade. The pattern is familiar at small liberal-arts schools: biology serves as a pre-med/pre-PA pipeline, so reported earnings understate the lifetime payoff for students who continue to professional school. Students aiming straight at the workforce with a bachelor's only should think hard about the cost-benefit.
International Relations
Nineteen graduates with one-year earnings of $34,712 and four-year earnings of $57,154 - a respectable recovery curve. Median debt is the highest on the list at $27,000, producing a 0.778 debt-to-earnings ratio and a D grade. Many IR grads here pursue law school, federal service, or NGO careers, so the four-year earnings number better reflects the trajectory than the first-year figure. Cost-wise it is borderline; outcome-wise it depends on individual ambition.
History
Twenty-one graduates, one-year earnings $35,265, four-year earnings $45,470, median debt $25,500 - a 0.723 debt-to-earnings ratio and a D grade. Like history at most small liberal arts colleges, the major works best for students with a clear plan beyond the bachelor's (law, teaching certification, archives, museum studies). For students using it as a default major, the debt load relative to earnings is hard to justify.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Nat'l Avg |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 76.8% | 52.0% |
| 3-year repayment | 79.3% | 62.0% |
| 5-year repayment | 82.7% | 68.0% |
| 7-year repayment | 86.8% | 72.0% |
Completion Rate
Admissions Snapshot
| Acceptance rate | 68.4% |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 480-580 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 500-620 |
| ACT Composite (25th-75th) | 21-26 |
| Enrollment | 852 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 33.3% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $8,263 |
Presbyterian admits 68.4% of applicants, putting it firmly in the less-selective tier among Southern privates. SAT mid-ranges are 480-580 math and 500-620 reading; ACT composite mid-range is 21-26. Those bands describe a broad academic profile - strong students sit alongside meaningfully under-prepared peers, which helps explain the 51.5% six-year completion rate. Prepared students who scored in the upper half of those ranges should expect to land well above the institutional average.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
Federal peers include Allen University and Anderson University-SC (both South Carolina privates), Bryan College in Dayton, Tennessee, Walla Walla University in Washington, and Heritage University in Washington. Anderson University-SC tends to score higher on completion and earnings because it operates with larger enrollment and more pre-professional programs. Allen and Heritage serve much higher-Pell populations and typically post lower earnings outcomes. Bryan and Walla Walla are faith-affiliated privates with profiles broadly comparable to Presbyterian; Presbyterian's 8.8-year payback is competitive against this peer group.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Presbyterian College (this school) | 60 | $20,528 | $60,194 |
| Walla Walla University | 62 | $23,329 | $61,885 |
| Bryan College-Dayton | 54 | $20,614 | $54,434 |
| Heritage University | 51 | $14,598 | $49,416 |
| Anderson University | 24 | $23,544 | $42,101 |
| Allen University | 3 | $10,972 | $30,497 |
Who Thrives Here
Small-college experience for students who want it: enrollment is just 852, the Pell rate is 33.3%, and the campus sits in Clinton, South Carolina. This fits students who value tight cohorts, faculty access, and a Reformed-Presbyterian heritage, and who can either qualify for substantial merit/need aid or absorb the $20,528 annual net price. The strongest outcomes show up in Business Administration grads, whose $67,278 four-year median earnings clearly outpace the overall school median. Students intent on Biology or Psychology should weigh whether grad school is in the plan, since direct-to-work earnings in those majors are weak.
The Verdict: A Reasonable Bet - With Caveats
Presbyterian College offers fair financial value, though the ROI depends heavily on individual circumstances. The net cost of $20,528 per year leads to $82,112 over four years, while graduates earn a median of $60,194 a decade out. The payback period of 8.8 years is about average - not bad, but not a standout either.
Areas of concern include a 51.5% graduation rate.
Median debt of $26,000 against $60,194 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.