South University-Columbia
Columbia, South Carolina · Private For-Profit
ROI Score: 8/100 · Poor Value
South University-Columbia, a private for-profit branch in South Carolina, scores 8 (Poor Value) - among the worst aggregate scores in our entire database. The data tells a brutal story: $18,145 tuition, but $27,693 net price (52% higher than sticker, indicating fees and non-tuition costs dominate), $26,123 median debt, and ten-year median earnings of just $34,421. The earnings premium is essentially zero (-0.5%, meaning graduates earn no more on average than typical high-school workers). The 999-year payback period is the system's way of saying earnings never recoup cost. Completion is 23.3% - roughly one in four students who enroll actually graduate. The repayment rate of 45.3% is similarly weak. 58% Pell rate confirms predatory targeting of low-income students. With only 450 students enrolled and avgFacultySalary of $7,075, the institution is small and resource-constrained. As of 2024-2025 Scorecard data, this is one of the strongest signals of for-profit higher education's structural failures - prospective students should look at virtually any alternative (community college, public university, even online publics) before considering enrollment here.
The data raises concerns about South University-Columbia
These metrics fall below the thresholds most financial advisors recommend for a sound college investment. Review them carefully before committing.
- ROI Score8/100 - Poor Value tier (below 45). Most 4-year schools we track score 60 or higher.
- 6-year graduation rate23.3% - Well below the 60% national average. Non-completion is the fastest route to negative ROI.
- Payback period>50 years - Graduates earn at or near the level of high school completers — the cost may not recoup within a working career.
South University-Columbia
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $18,145/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $18,145/yr |
| Average net price | $27,693/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $110,772 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $34,421 |
| Median earnings (6yr post-entry) | $32,500 |
| Median debt at graduation | $26,123 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $277 |
| Estimated payback period | >50 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 23.3% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 450 |
Data as of 2024-2025. Source: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education).
The Full Financial Picture
The sticker price at South University-Columbia is $18,145/year. But sticker price isn't what most students pay. After grants, scholarships, and financial aid, the average student pays a net price of $27,693/year, or roughly $110,772 over four years.
That net price varies significantly by family income. The lowest-income families (under $30,000/year) pay an average of $26,588/year, while families earning over $110,000 pay N/A/year.
The median graduate leaves with $26,123 in federal loan debt, translating to an estimated monthly payment of $277 on a standard 10-year repayment plan. Against median earnings of $34,421 ten years out, the debt-to-earnings ratio is 0.80 - 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 | $26,588 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $30,474 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $32,022 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $29,386 |
| $110,001+ | N/A |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families earning under $30K pay $26,588 net per year. The $30K-$48K band actually pays MORE at $30,474 - a clear inverted bracket showing how need-based aid effectively disappears. Pell-eligible students take on $106K+ over four years against $34K median earnings - one of the most extreme cost-to-earnings mismatches in the entire database.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
The $48K-$75K band pays $32,022 - the highest reported bracket - and the $75K-$110K band drops to $29,386. The middle-income brackets are essentially being charged the maximum the institution can extract. There is no major mix that justifies $128K in four-year out-of-pocket cost against $34K earnings.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Net-price data for families above $110K is not reported, likely because the institution enrolls very few such families. The implied message: this is not where higher-income families send their children. The cost-to-earnings dynamics make sense only as a federally-subsidized extraction system targeting borrowers without strong alternatives.
Earnings by Major
Top 9 most popular majors at South University-Columbia with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Registered Nursing | $91,363 | C+ |
| Public Health | $45,993 | F |
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $53,445 | F |
| Health and Medical Administrative Services | $46,885 | F |
| Psychology | $39,694 | F |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | $46,322 | F |
| Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General | $47,390 | F |
| Information Science | $58,915 | F |
| Legal Support Services | $49,335 | 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.
Registered Nursing
Nursing produces 37 graduates with $77,635 first-year earnings - genuinely strong - but against $41,815 of debt (a 0.539 D/E ratio, C+ grade). Of all programs here, nursing is the only one where the regulated license can rescue the debt math. Even so, the debt load is dramatically higher than nursing programs at public alternatives (USC or community-college-to-RN pathways). Prospective nurses should look first at public options.
Public Health
Public Health enrolls 9 graduates with $34,789 first-year earnings against $56,262 debt - a 1.617 D/E ratio (F grade). Graduates owe more than $1.61 for every dollar of annual earnings. This is one of the worst single-program outcomes in our database and represents straightforward financial harm to enrollees.
Business Administration, Management, and Operations
Business Admin produces 6 graduates with $43,773 first-year earnings against $55,162 debt - a 1.26 D/E ratio (F grade). For-profit business degrees with this debt-to-earnings ratio are an indefensible financial choice when public community-college-to-state-university transfer paths cost a fraction.
Psychology
Psychology enrolls 6 graduates with $28,684 first-year earnings against $54,702 debt - a 1.907 D/E ratio (F grade). Worst-in-batch financial outcome: graduates owe nearly two dollars for every dollar of annual income. This is the most punishing program-level result in this batch and a strong signal of consumer harm.
Health and Medical Administrative Services
Health Admin produces 6 graduates with $39,722 first-year earnings against $55,123 debt - a 1.388 D/E ratio (F grade). Healthcare admin roles at this earnings level are widely available without four-year debt; community college certificates feed the same labor market at fraction of the cost.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Nat'l Avg |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 38.7% | 52.0% |
| 3-year repayment | 45.3% | 62.0% |
| 5-year repayment | 27.4% | 68.0% |
| 7-year repayment | 33.9% | 72.0% |
Completion Rate
Admissions Snapshot
| Enrollment | 450 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 58.0% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $7,075 |
Admission rate is not reported in current Scorecard data. SAT and ACT mid-ranges are not reported either. For-profit institutions typically have effectively open enrollment - admission is granted to almost anyone who can secure federal loan funding. The 23.3% completion rate is one of the lowest in our database and is the most important data point for prospective students: nearly three of four students who enroll do not graduate, while still accruing debt.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
Among named peers, South University-Columbia sits at the bottom of an already-troubled cohort of for-profit institutions. Strayer University-South Carolina and South University-Tampa post similarly weak numbers. Eastern International College-Jersey City, California Aeronautical University, and Eagle Gate College-Murray all share the for-profit structural problems: high cost, low completion, weak earnings. The peer comparison confirms South University-Columbia's failures are typical of the for-profit higher education sector, not isolated. Public alternatives like USC-Columbia or Midlands Technical College deliver dramatically better outcomes at fraction of the cost.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| South University-Columbia (this school) | 8 | $27,693 | $34,421 |
| Strayer University-Georgia | 9 | $18,318 | $40,092 |
| Strayer University-South Carolina | 9 | $17,979 | $40,092 |
| South University-Tampa | 8 | $20,434 | $34,421 |
| University of Phoenix-Arizona | 8 | $13,520 | $37,752 |
| South University-Savannah Online | 7 | $28,049 | $34,421 |
Who Thrives Here
South University-Columbia is fit for essentially no one when comparable alternatives exist. The for-profit model targets working adults who need flexibility, but South Carolina's strong technical college system, online public university programs, and community college transfer pathways offer the same flexibility at far lower cost with materially better outcomes. With 58% Pell rate and 450 students, the school overwhelmingly serves low-income borrowers who are most harmed by the debt-to-earnings mismatch. Prospective students should be advised to exhaust all public and nonprofit options first.
The Verdict: The Numbers Don't Add Up
The financial data raises serious concerns about South University-Columbia. With a net cost of $27,693 per year and median graduate earnings of only $34,421 ten years out, the estimated payback period exceeds >50 years. For most students, the financial return does not justify the cost.
Areas of concern include weak earnings relative to cost and a 23.3% graduation rate and high debt relative to what graduates earn and concerning loan repayment rates and a long payback period.
Median debt of $26,123 against $34,421 in earnings is concerning. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.76 exceeds the commonly recommended threshold. Major choice is critical here.
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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.