# University of South Carolina-Columbia: Communications (bachelor's)

Columbia, SC. IPEDS 218663, CIP 09.01. Page: https://educationguide.com/colleges/university-of-south-carolina-columbia/majors/communications

## Graduate outcomes
- Median earnings 1 year after graduating: $35,586
- Median earnings 4 years after graduating: $53,247 (U.S. median for this major: $54,283 across 639 colleges)
- Median federal loan debt: $25,500 (U.S. median $25,000)
- Rank in SC: 4 of 13 colleges by 4-year earnings
- Versus the SC median for this major (13 colleges, $49,545): +$3,702
- Versus the U.S. median: -$1,036

## Cost to finish and years to pay back (EducationGuide calculation)
School-wide net price x 4.13 years (average time graduates took). Earnings gain = $53,247 minus $33,516 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in SC (Census ACS 2020-2024).

| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0-30k | $12,634 | $52,178 | 2.6 years |
| 30-48k | $14,953 | $61,756 | 3.1 years |
| 48-75k | $19,859 | $82,018 | 4.2 years |
| 75-110k | $24,478 | $101,094 | 5.1 years |
| 110k+ | $28,125 | $116,156 | 5.9 years |

Method: https://educationguide.com/how-we-score#value

## Communications at SC colleges
| College | Earnings 4 yrs | Median debt | Avg. net price | Graduation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Furman University | $64,014 | $22,631 | $30,308 | 79% |
| College of Charleston | $58,371 | $23,250 | $18,960 | 66% |
| University of South Carolina Aiken | $58,203 | $28,000 | $11,641 | 40% |
| University of South Carolina-Columbia | $53,247 | $25,500 | $22,811 | 79% |
| Coastal Carolina University | $51,010 | $25,000 | $13,966 | 49% |
| Charleston Southern University | $50,824 | $27,000 | $21,666 | 47% |
| University of South Carolina Beaufort | $49,545 | $28,500 | $14,656 | 34% |
| Winthrop University | $48,303 | $27,000 | $15,343 | 57% |
| University of South Carolina-Upstate | $45,298 | $27,000 | $13,557 | 43% |
| Columbia College | $44,280 | $28,644 | $18,408 | 37% |
| Claflin University | $38,161 | $31,000 | $17,800 | 52% |
| Benedict College | $37,638 | not reported | $18,250 | 24% |
| South Carolina State University | $33,586 | $31,452 | $18,097 | 37% |

## Careers
- Public relations specialist (SOC 27-3030): median wage $61,610 Columbia, SC, $62,730 SC, $74,750 U.S.; U.S. jobs 1.8% by 2035
- Fundraisers (SOC 13-1131): median wage $62,720 Columbia, SC, $62,720 SC, $72,550 U.S.; U.S. jobs 5.5% by 2035
- Editors (SOC 27-3041): median wage $67,530 Columbia, SC, $62,000 SC, $77,920 U.S.; U.S. jobs -1.1% by 2035

## Sources and years
- Earnings (4 yr): Treasury AY2017-2018, AY2018-2019 pooled earnings cohort measured in CY2022, CY2023, inflation adjusted to 2024 dollars; debt: NSLDS pooled AY2018-19, AY2019-20 cohort

Free to reuse with attribution: cite "EducationGuide.com" with a link to the page URL. Most figures are U.S. government data (public domain); loan default rates and athletics come from the Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-By 1.0, attribution required) and founding years from Wikidata (CC0).