South University-Columbia
Columbia, South Carolina · Private For-Profit
ROI Score: 8/100 · Below Benchmark
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
South University-Columbia receives a CampusROI score of 8 (Below Benchmark tier) under our methodology, alongside a 23.3% completion rate. Published tuition is $18,145 and the average net price is $27,693 per year, or $110,772 over four years of attendance (a cost figure, not a debt figure). The net price is higher than published tuition because it measures the full cost of attendance after grant aid, not tuition alone. Median debt at graduation is $26,123 against average earnings of $32,500 six years after entry, a 0.804 debt-to-earnings ratio, and median earnings reach $34,421 ten years after entry. Our model does not produce a finite payback period here (it is shown as 999), which under our methodology means the earnings figures do not recover the cost of attendance. Three years after leaving, 45.3% of borrowers were making progress on repayment. Outcomes vary widely by program and by student, and these institution-level figures describe past cohorts rather than any individual result. Figures are from the 2024-2025 College Scorecard release.
How South University-Columbia 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 Score8/100 - Below Benchmark tier of our scale (below 45). For context, 38% of the schools we score reach 60 or higher.
- 6-year graduation rate23.3% - 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 period>50 years - In our estimate, the earnings premium over a high school completer is small next to the cost, so the cost may not be recouped 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 |
| Average 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 first number you'll see is the sticker price: $18,145/year, 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 $27,693/year, or roughly $110,772 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 $26,588/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay N/A/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $26,123, which works out to about $277 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($32,500) and comes to 0.80, 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 | $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 $30,000 report an average net price of $26,588 per year, about $106,400 over four years. Institutional and outside aid can change this figure significantly for individual students.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
Families earning $30,001-$48,000 report an average net price of $30,474 per year, families earning $48,001-$75,000 report $32,022, and families earning $75,001-$110,000 report $29,386.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Scorecard does not report a net price for families earning over $110,000 here, which can happen when too few students fall in that bracket to publish a figure.
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
Registered Nursing has 37 graduates in the Scorecard program cohort and a C+ grade under our methodology. Median earnings are $77,635 in the first year and $91,363 by year four, against median debt of $41,815 (a 0.539 debt-to-earnings ratio).
Public Health
Public Health has 9 graduates in the Scorecard program cohort and an F grade under our methodology. Median earnings are $34,789 in the first year and $45,993 by year four, against median debt of $56,262 (a 1.617 debt-to-earnings ratio). With so few graduates, these program figures rest on a small cohort and can move sharply from year to year.
Business Administration, Management, and Operations
Business Administration, Management, and Operations has 6 graduates in the Scorecard program cohort and an F grade under our methodology. Median earnings are $43,773 in the first year and $53,445 by year four, against median debt of $55,162 (a 1.26 debt-to-earnings ratio). With so few graduates, these program figures rest on a small cohort and can move sharply from year to year.
Psychology
Psychology has 6 graduates in the Scorecard program cohort and an F grade under our methodology. Median earnings are $28,684 in the first year and $39,694 by year four, against median debt of $54,702 (a 1.907 debt-to-earnings ratio). With so few graduates, these program figures rest on a small cohort and can move sharply from year to year.
Health and Medical Administrative Services
Health and Medical Administrative Services has 6 graduates in the Scorecard program cohort and an F grade under our methodology. Median earnings are $39,722 in the first year and $46,885 by year four, against median debt of $55,123 (a 1.388 debt-to-earnings ratio). With so few graduates, these program figures rest on a small cohort and can move sharply from year to year.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 38.7% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 45.3% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 27.4% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 33.9% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How South University-Columbia’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
| Enrollment | 450 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 58.0% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $7,075 |
South University-Columbia's admission rate is not reported in current Scorecard data, and SAT and ACT ranges are not reported either. The completion rate of 23.3% measures the share of first-time, full-time students who finish within 150% of normal time.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
| 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 |
Head-to-Head ROI Comparisons
See South University-Columbia side by side with similar schools on ROI, cost, earnings, and debt.
Who Thrives Here
Students relying heavily on loans should compare the net price for their income bracket using South University-Columbia's net price calculator.
The Verdict: Below Benchmark Under Our Scoring
Under our methodology, South University-Columbia scores 8/100, which falls in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At a net price of $27,693 per year, with typical graduate earnings of $34,421 ten years after entry, we estimate the payback period at more than 50 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 23.3% graduation rate, a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.80 (median across the schools we score: 0.61), a three-year loan repayment rate of 45.3% (median across the schools we score: 73.6%), a long payback period.
Median debt of $26,123 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $32,500 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.80. 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.
South University-Columbia: Common Questions
Is South University-Columbia worth it?
In our view, the financial case is a hard one to make on the numbers alone. South University-Columbia scores 8/100 on our ROI scale, in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At $27,693 a year after aid against $34,421 in typical earnings ten years out, we estimate the payback period at more than 50 years. Your major and aid package can change the picture, so run your own numbers.
How much does South University-Columbia 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 $27,693 a year, or roughly $110,772 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 South University-Columbia graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $34,421 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 South University-Columbia?
We estimate the payback period - the time it takes for the earnings bump over a high-school graduate to cover what you spent - at more than 50 years for South University-Columbia. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do South University-Columbia graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $26,123, against average earnings of $32,500 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.80. 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 South University-Columbia?
The six-year graduation rate is 23.3%. 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.