Strayer University-South Carolina
Greenville, South Carolina · Private For-Profit
ROI Score: 9/100 · Poor Value
Strayer University-South Carolina posts an ROI score of 9 out of 100, one of the lowest readings on the site and a clear Poor Value designation. Every sub-score is in the red zone: a 16.7% completion rate (only one in six entering students finishes), a 41.6-year payback period, a debt-to-earnings ratio of 1.058 (graduates owe more than a full year of gross income), and a 42.4% three-year repayment rate. Median earnings 10 years after entry sit at $40,092, just $1,692 above earnings six years out, signaling almost no career-progression premium for completing the credential. Tuition is $13,920 in-state and out-of-state, but the net price climbs to $17,979 and the four-year total runs $71,916. Median federal debt of $40,621 against early-career earnings under $40,000 puts most borrowers into income-driven repayment from day one. The Greenville campus serves a heavily Pell-eligible adult population (82% Pell rate) but is not delivering the earnings outcomes those students are paying for. The numbers here are honest about a fundamental mismatch between price and result.
The data raises concerns about Strayer University-South Carolina
These metrics fall below the thresholds most financial advisors recommend for a sound college investment. Review them carefully before committing.
- ROI Score9/100 - Poor Value tier (below 45). Most 4-year schools we track score 60 or higher.
- Debt-to-earnings1.06 - Advisors recommend total student debt stay below one year of salary (ratio under 1.0).
- 6-year graduation rate16.7% - Well below the 60% national average. Non-completion is the fastest route to negative ROI.
- Payback period41.6 years - Most 4-year schools we track have payback periods of 4-10 years.
Strayer University-South Carolina
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $13,920/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $13,920/yr |
| Average net price | $17,979/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $71,916 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $40,092 |
| Median earnings (6yr post-entry) | $38,400 |
| Median debt at graduation | $40,621 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $431 |
| Estimated payback period | 41.6 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 16.7% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 1,868 |
Data as of 2024-2025. Source: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education).
The Full Financial Picture
The sticker price at Strayer University-South Carolina is $13,920/year. But sticker price isn't what most students pay. After grants, scholarships, and financial aid, the average student pays a net price of $17,979/year, or roughly $71,916 over four years.
That net price varies significantly by family income. The lowest-income families (under $30,000/year) pay an average of N/A/year, while families earning over $110,000 pay N/A/year.
The median graduate leaves with $40,621 in federal loan debt, translating to an estimated monthly payment of $431 on a standard 10-year repayment plan. Against median earnings of $40,092 ten years out, the debt-to-earnings ratio is 1.06 - above the recommended threshold where total debt should not exceed first-year salary.
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 | N/A |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $17,979 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | N/A |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | N/A |
| $110,001+ | N/A |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
The $0-$30,000 bracket is not reported, which is unusual given the 82% Pell rate. Treat the published $17,979 net price as a likely floor for low-income students. With median 10-year earnings of $40,092 and $40,621 in median debt, the math does not pencil out: students will leave with debt roughly equal to one year of pre-tax earnings, and most will not finish the degree to earn that.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
The $30,001-$48,000 bracket pays a reported $17,979 net price. The remaining brackets ($48,001-$75,000, $75,001-$110,000, $110,001+) are not reported. At the lower end of middle income, paying nearly $18,000 a year for a credential with 41.6-year payback and one-in-six odds of completion is a hard recommendation against. South Carolina's technical college system offers the same working-adult flexibility at a fraction of the cost.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Net price for higher-income brackets is not reported, but at a for-profit with limited merit aid expect close to the $17,979 figure or higher. High-income families are unlikely to choose this campus, but if they do, the absolute dollars lost to a 16.7% completion rate matter more than the marginal aid difference. A regional public alternative will deliver dramatically better outcomes.
Earnings by Major
Top 5 most popular majors at Strayer University-South Carolina with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Business Administration and Management | $64,016 | F |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | $53,916 | F |
| Computer and Information Sciences | $82,304 | D |
| Accounting | $66,108 | F |
| Information Science | $87,413 | 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 and Management
By far the largest program with 144 graduates, this BBA earns an F grade. Median first-year earnings of $55,431 climb only modestly to $64,016 by year four, while median debt of $56,517 produces a 1.02 debt-to-earnings ratio. Borrowers leave owing more than they make in their first year, on a flat earnings curve. The same job market is served by USC-Upstate and Greenville Technical College transfer paths at materially lower cost.
Criminal Justice and Corrections
Thirty graduates earn an F grade with the worst ratio in the program mix. Median first-year earnings of $43,405 against $56,937 median debt produce a 1.312 debt-to-earnings ratio. South Carolina law enforcement, corrections, and security roles overwhelmingly hire from associate degree programs and academy training; this bachelor's credential adds debt without changing the entry-level salary band.
Computer and Information Sciences
Fourteen graduates earn a D grade, the best of the listed programs. First-year earnings of $67,315 and four-year earnings of $82,304 are genuinely competitive, but $50,737 in median debt against a 0.754 debt-to-earnings ratio still means a long payback. The earnings here suggest students who can complete this program land real tech jobs; the question is whether they could have landed the same role through a community college transfer plus certifications at a third the cost.
Accounting
Eight graduates earn an F grade with $52,373 first-year earnings and $54,989 in median debt for a 1.05 debt-to-earnings ratio. Accounting is a credentialed field where the CPA pathway dominates earnings outcomes; a bachelor's from a non-AACSB-accredited for-profit is a tougher path to the CPA than a regional public, and the debt load makes the certification climb harder.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Nat'l Avg |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 33.8% | 52.0% |
| 3-year repayment | 42.4% | 62.0% |
| 5-year repayment | 30.5% | 68.0% |
| 7-year repayment | 37.0% | 72.0% |
Completion Rate
Admissions Snapshot
| Enrollment | 1,868 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 82.0% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $8,381 |
Strayer-South Carolina does not report an admission rate, SAT, or ACT range in current Scorecard data, consistent with its open-enrollment for-profit model. The 16.7% completion rate is the more revealing selectivity signal: even with no admissions screen at the front door, the academic-financial fit fails for roughly five of every six entering students. Prospective students should treat that completion number as the de facto barrier and ask hard questions about persistence supports.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
Strayer-South Carolina sits in a peer set of for-profit business and tech campuses with similarly weak ROI. South University-Columbia and Berkeley College-Woodland Park serve the same working-adult demographic with comparable debt-to-earnings ratios above 1.0. Strayer-Tennessee and Strayer-Virginia, sister campuses on the same curriculum and pricing, post nearly identical Poor Value tier scores, suggesting the system-wide model is the issue rather than a single campus. Rocky Mountain College of Art and Design is a different specialty but lands in the same red tier on payback math.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Strayer University-South Carolina (this school) | 9 | $17,979 | $40,092 |
| Colorado Technical University-Colorado Springs | 9 | $16,745 | $37,180 |
| Baker College | 9 | $13,157 | $35,833 |
| Strayer University-Georgia | 9 | $18,318 | $40,092 |
| South University-Columbia | 8 | $27,693 | $34,421 |
| South University-Tampa | 8 | $20,434 | $34,421 |
Who Thrives Here
With 1,868 students enrolled and an 82% Pell grant rate, Strayer-South Carolina serves an almost entirely low-income, working-adult population in upstate South Carolina. Students who already have an employer paying full freight (the Capella Education / Strayer parent specifically markets to that segment) and who only need the credential to unlock a known internal promotion can sometimes make the math work. For students paying their own way without employer sponsorship, the 16.7% completion rate and 41.6-year payback combine into outcomes that rarely justify the debt.
The Verdict: The Numbers Don't Add Up
The financial data raises serious concerns about Strayer University-South Carolina. With a net cost of $17,979 per year and median graduate earnings of only $40,092 ten years out, the estimated payback period exceeds 41.6 years. For most students, the financial return does not justify the cost.
Areas of concern include weak earnings relative to cost and a 16.7% graduation rate and high debt relative to what graduates earn and concerning loan repayment rates and a long payback period.
Median debt of $40,621 against $40,092 in earnings is concerning. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 1.01 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.