University of South Carolina-Upstate
Spartanburg, South Carolina · Public · 67.3% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 42/100 · Below Benchmark
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
USC Upstate, a regional public university in Spartanburg, scores 42 (Below Benchmark tier). The earnings ramp is acceptable too: average 6-year earnings of $36,400 and median 10-year earnings of $48,587, with a moderate $22,310 in median federal debt. Where the score gets pulled into Below Benchmark territory: the 43% completion rate (sub-score 26) is the single biggest weight, and the 66.2% three-year repayment rate (sub-score 29) compounds the issue. The 14.3-year payback period is workable but slow. The honest read: USC Upstate is a low-cost public option whose flagship program - nursing, with 257 graduates per year and a B+ ROI grade - is genuinely excellent, but the school's broader portfolio of education, criminal justice, psychology, and biology majors graduates students into modest-wage southeastern careers with debt loads that take 14+ years to recoup. Students who pick the right major and finish do fine; the institutional issue is that too many students don't finish.
How University of South Carolina-Upstate 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 Score42/100 - Below Benchmark tier of our scale (below 45). For context, 38% of the schools we score reach 60 or higher.
University of South Carolina-Upstate
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $11,588/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $23,090/yr |
| Average net price | $13,557/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $54,228 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $48,587 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $36,400 |
| Median debt at graduation | $22,310 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $237 |
| Estimated payback period | 14.3 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 43.0% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 4,038 |
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: $11,588/year ($23,090/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 $13,557/year, or roughly $54,228 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 $11,618/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $19,325/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $22,310, which works out to about $237 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($36,400) and comes to 0.61, 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 | $11,618 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $11,537 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $13,394 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $17,356 |
| $110,001+ | $19,325 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families earning under $30,000 pay $11,618 net annually, totaling about $46,472 over four years. Note: this bracket pays slightly more than the $30,001-$48,000 bracket ($11,537), a mild inversion in the published net-price grid that suggests state aid distribution is non-monotonic at this income range.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
Middle-income families ($48,001-$75,000) pay $13,394 per year, about $53,576 over four years. The aid drop-off from the lower bracket is modest. Combined with strong nursing-program payoffs, this is USC Upstate's best ROI tier provided the student finishes and chooses a professional major.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
High-income families ($110,001+) pay $19,325 per year, totaling $77,300 across four years.
Earnings by Major
Top 10 most popular majors at University of South Carolina-Upstate with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Registered Nursing | $79,947 | B+ |
| Teacher Education | $42,119 | C |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | $48,209 | D |
| Psychology | $45,659 | D |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences | $46,121 | D |
| Physiology, Pathology and Related Sciences | $45,761 | D |
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $61,967 | C |
| Computer and Information Sciences | $67,286 | C |
| Communication and Media Studies | $45,298 | D |
| International Relations | $47,796 | 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 USC Upstate's standout program: 257 graduates per year with $75,849 in 1-year median earnings, $79,947 at 4 years, $26,250 in median debt, and a 0.35 debt-to-earnings ratio for a B+ grade.
Teacher Education
Teacher Education produces 95 graduates per year - the school's largest non-nursing cohort. Earnings ramp slowly: $40,081 starting, $42,119 at 4 years, $27,375 in median debt, and a 0.68 debt-to-earnings ratio for a C grade. South Carolina teacher salaries are constrained, and the small wage growth between years 1 and 4 reflects that. Mission-aligned students will accept the math.
Criminal Justice and Corrections
Criminal Justice produces 81 graduates with $34,447 starting, $48,209 at 4 years, $27,000 in median debt, and a 0.78 debt-to-earnings ratio for a D grade. SC law-enforcement and corrections wages are modest, and debt loads ramp the payback to 15+ years. The degree is a legitimate credential for federal-track careers but should be paired with clear career planning to justify the cost.
Computer and Information Sciences
Computer and Information Sciences graduates 42 per year with $49,999 starting, $67,286 at 4 years, $31,000 in median debt, and a 0.62 debt-to-earnings ratio for a C grade. The program is solid but constrained by geography.
Psychology
Psychology graduates 80 per year - a large cohort - with $29,720 starting, $45,659 at 4 years, $27,000 in median debt, and a 0.91 debt-to-earnings ratio for a D grade. Psychology requires graduate study to generate professional earnings. Students choosing this major as a terminal undergraduate degree face significant payback challenges; the program serves better as a graduate-school pipeline than as a direct-to-workforce credential.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 59.4% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 66.2% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 59.3% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 61.8% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How University of South Carolina-Upstate’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 | 67.3% |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 495-570 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 510-605 |
| ACT Composite (25th-75th) | 21-26 |
| Enrollment | 4,038 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 46.2% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $8,412 |
USC Upstate admits 67.3% of applicants. SAT mid-range (Math 495-570, Reading 510-605) and ACT composite of 21-26 reflect a moderately prepared student body. The 43% completion rate substantially trails the academic profile - this is a school where prepared students can underperform their predictions, often due to financial pressure (Pell rate is 46.2%) and life circumstances rather than academic underqualification. Selectivity here is not the issue; persistence support is.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of South Carolina-Upstate (this school) | 42 | $13,557 | $48,587 |
| Citadel Military College of South Carolina | 85 | $20,723 | $72,085 |
| College of Charleston | 57 | $18,960 | $56,416 |
| Clayton State University | 46 | $8,365 | $49,179 |
| Southwestern Oklahoma State University | 46 | $14,459 | $45,744 |
| Dalton State College | 41 | $5,012 | $40,251 |
Who Thrives Here
USC Upstate fits the South Carolina-resident student looking for a low-cost path to a bachelor's degree, particularly for nursing, business, or education. Pell rate of 46.2% reflects a working-class student body, and enrollment of 4,038 puts it in the mid-size regional range. The strongest fit is for students with a clear professional target. Students entering uncertain about major or career direction face material attrition risk; the 43% completion rate is the school's most pressing institutional issue.
The Verdict: Below Benchmark Under Our Scoring
Under our methodology, University of South Carolina-Upstate scores 42/100, which falls in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At a net price of $13,557 per year, with typical graduate earnings of $48,587 ten years after entry, we estimate the payback period at about 14.3 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 43.0% graduation rate, a three-year loan repayment rate of 66.2% (median across the schools we score: 73.6%), a long payback period.
Median debt of $22,310 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $36,400 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.61, under the 1.0 point at which debt would equal a full year of those earnings. Your major matters a lot here: graduates in higher-earning fields will see the better end of this.
University of South Carolina-Upstate: Common Questions
Is University of South Carolina-Upstate worth it?
In our view, the financial case is a hard one to make on the numbers alone. University of South Carolina-Upstate scores 42/100 on our ROI scale, in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At $13,557 a year after aid against $48,587 in typical earnings ten years out, we estimate the payback period at about 14.3 years. Your major and aid package can change the picture, so run your own numbers.
How much does University of South Carolina-Upstate 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 $13,557 a year, or roughly $54,228 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-Upstate graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $48,587 ten years after enrolling, roughly $6,787 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-Upstate?
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 14.3 years for University of South Carolina-Upstate. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do University of South Carolina-Upstate graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $22,310, against average earnings of $36,400 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.61. In our view that is reasonable, though your major matters: higher-earning fields will see the better end of it.
What is the graduation rate at University of South Carolina-Upstate?
The six-year graduation rate is 43.0%. 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.