University of South Carolina Aiken
Aiken, South Carolina · Public · 78.5% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 33/100 · Below Benchmark
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
University of South Carolina Aiken earns a CampusROI score of 33 (Below Benchmark tier). In-state tuition is $10,760 with a net price of $11,641 - net price slightly exceeds tuition, signaling minimal grant aid and meaningful fees. Earnings reach $34,200 at six years and $45,603 at ten years. The school's earnings premium subscore of 49 (raw 0.228) is moderate, but completion drag (39.9%, subscore 21) and debt-to-earnings (0.71, subscore 27) pull the overall score down. Median debt of $24,275 against $34,200 in early earnings yields a 17.6-year payback period. Three-year repayment is 64% (subscore 24). USCA enrolls 2,962 students with a 39.2% Pell rate, indicating a meaningfully lower-income population. The school's nursing program (109 graduates per year, year-one earnings of $72,714) is the clear ROI standout; outside nursing, the wage outcomes weaken substantially across most majors.
How University of South Carolina Aiken 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 Score33/100 - Below Benchmark tier of our scale (below 45). For context, 38% of the schools we score reach 60 or higher.
- 6-year graduation rate39.9% - 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 period17.6 years - The median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
University of South Carolina Aiken
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $10,760/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $21,218/yr |
| Average net price | $11,641/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $46,564 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $45,603 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $34,200 |
| Median debt at graduation | $24,275 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $257 |
| Estimated payback period | 17.6 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 39.9% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 2,962 |
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: $10,760/year ($21,218/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 $11,641/year, or roughly $46,564 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 $8,987/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $17,502/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $24,275, which works out to about $257 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($34,200) and comes to 0.71, 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 | $8,987 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $8,435 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $11,440 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $16,046 |
| $110,001+ | $17,502 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families earning $0-30,000 pay $8,987 per year, totaling about $35,948 over four years. The 30-48K bracket pays slightly less ($8,435) - a typical pattern with low-income students at slightly higher net cost. With $34,200 in early-career earnings, low-income students who complete (especially in nursing) see workable ROI. The 39.9% completion rate is the key risk.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
Middle-income families ($48,001-75,000) pay $11,440 per year, about $45,760 over four years. With $45,603 in ten-year median earnings, the math is workable in nursing and business tracks but tight elsewhere.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Families above $110,000 pay $17,502 per year - about $70,008 over four years. USCA's value proposition narrows substantially for full-pay families outside the nursing track.
Earnings by Major
Top 10 most popular majors at University of South Carolina Aiken with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $58,908 | C |
| Registered Nursing | $78,231 | B |
| Teacher Education | $43,728 | C |
| Psychology | $45,163 | D |
| Biology | $45,363 | D |
| Kinesiology and Exercise Science | $43,178 | F |
| Communication and Media Studies | $58,203 | D |
| Sociology | $49,530 | D |
| Fine and Studio Arts | $31,931 | F |
| English Language and Literature | $38,980 | 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 USCA's clear ROI standout with 109 graduates per year, year-one earnings of $72,714 climbing to $78,231 at year four, and median debt of $28,500 yielding a 0.392 debt-to-earnings ratio and a B ROI grade. This program alone drives much of USCA's overall ROI position.
Business Administration, Management, and Operations
Business is USCA's largest non-nursing program with 143 graduates per year. Year-one earnings of $44,816 climb to $58,908 at year four. Median debt of $28,725 yields a 0.641 debt-to-earnings ratio and a C ROI grade. Regional employer relationships in Aiken drive solid outcomes.
Teacher Education
Teacher Education produces 57 graduates per year with year-one earnings of $38,667 and four-year earnings of $43,728. Median debt of $24,776 yields a 0.641 debt-to-earnings ratio and a C ROI grade. South Carolina public-school starting salaries align with these wages. The relatively low debt load makes the program defensible for committed future teachers despite the flat wage trajectory.
Industrial Engineering
Industrial Engineering is a small program (8 graduates per year) with year-one earnings of $60,091 and median debt of $22,828, yielding a 0.38 debt-to-earnings ratio and a B ROI grade.
Psychology
Psychology produces 42 graduates per year with year-one earnings of $31,121 and four-year earnings of $45,163. Median debt of $27,000 yields a 0.868 debt-to-earnings ratio and a D ROI grade. Most psychology majors typically continue to graduate school, where lifetime outcomes improve; the early-career snapshot understates outcomes for graduate-school-bound students.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 55.9% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 64.0% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 60.5% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 65.4% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How University of South Carolina Aiken’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 | 78.5% |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 470-600 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 510-620 |
| ACT Composite (25th-75th) | 19-26 |
| Enrollment | 2,962 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 39.2% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $8,537 |
USCA admits 78.5% of applicants. SAT 25-75 mid-ranges are 470-600 math and 510-620 reading, with ACT 25-75 of 19-26 - modest-to-mid-range test scores reflecting a broad academic profile. The combination of moderate selectivity with 39.9% completion shows the typical regional-public pattern: open admission, weak retention. Prepared students who finish do see solid wage outcomes especially in nursing; the 60% of entering students who don't graduate are the school's structural problem.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of South Carolina Aiken (this school) | 33 | $11,641 | $45,603 |
| Citadel Military College of South Carolina | 85 | $20,723 | $72,085 |
| College of Charleston | 57 | $18,960 | $56,416 |
| Montana State University Billings | 34 | $16,524 | $44,296 |
| Fort Lewis College | 33 | $17,296 | $46,349 |
| SUNY at Purchase College | 33 | $18,913 | $45,092 |
Who Thrives Here
USCA fits South Carolina and southeastern students seeking a small regional public university in the Aiken/Augusta area at mid-sized scale (2,962 students). The 39.2% Pell rate signals a heavily lower-income population. Strong-fit students are those targeting nursing (the clear ROI standout) or business/teacher education tracks where wage outcomes hold reasonably well. For students in arts or humanities, the wage outcomes are weak, and the financing math gets tight.
The Verdict: Below Benchmark Under Our Scoring
Under our methodology, University of South Carolina Aiken scores 33/100, which falls in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At a net price of $11,641 per year, with typical graduate earnings of $45,603 ten years after entry, we estimate the payback period at about 17.6 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: its 39.9% graduation rate, a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.71 (median across the schools we score: 0.61), a three-year loan repayment rate of 64.0% (median across the schools we score: 73.6%), a long payback period.
Median debt of $24,275 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $34,200 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.71. 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.
University of South Carolina Aiken: Common Questions
Is University of South Carolina Aiken worth it?
In our view, the financial case is a hard one to make on the numbers alone. University of South Carolina Aiken scores 33/100 on our ROI scale, in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At $11,641 a year after aid against $45,603 in typical earnings ten years out, we estimate the payback period at about 17.6 years. Your major and aid package can change the picture, so run your own numbers.
How much does University of South Carolina Aiken 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 $11,641 a year, or roughly $46,564 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 University of South Carolina Aiken graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $45,603 ten years after enrolling, roughly $3,803 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 University of South Carolina Aiken?
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 17.6 years for University of South Carolina Aiken. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do University of South Carolina Aiken graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $24,275, against average earnings of $34,200 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.71. 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 University of South Carolina Aiken?
The six-year graduation rate is 39.9%. 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.