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

Columbia, SC. IPEDS 218663, CIP 45.06. Page: https://educationguide.com/colleges/university-of-south-carolina-columbia/majors/economics

## Graduate outcomes
- Median earnings 1 year after graduating: $48,149
- Median earnings 4 years after graduating: $77,536 (U.S. median for this major: $79,489 across 368 colleges)
- Median federal loan debt: $24,062 (U.S. median $22,907)
- Rank in SC: 2 of 2 colleges by 4-year earnings
- Versus the U.S. median: -$1,953

## Cost to finish and years to pay back (EducationGuide calculation)
School-wide net price x 4.13 years (average time graduates took). Earnings gain = $77,536 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 | 1.2 years |
| 30-48k | $14,953 | $61,756 | 1.4 years |
| 48-75k | $19,859 | $82,018 | 1.9 years |
| 75-110k | $24,478 | $101,094 | 2.3 years |
| 110k+ | $28,125 | $116,156 | 2.6 years |

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

## Economics at SC colleges
| College | Earnings 4 yrs | Median debt | Avg. net price | Graduation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clemson University | $79,468 | $22,250 | $22,253 | 87% |
| University of South Carolina-Columbia | $77,536 | $24,062 | $22,811 | 79% |

## Careers
- Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education (SOC 25-2031): median wage $60,280 Columbia, SC, $62,580 SC, $72,040 U.S.; U.S. jobs -0.2% by 2035
- Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists (SOC 13-1161): median wage $68,600 Columbia, SC, $69,440 SC, $78,760 U.S.; U.S. jobs 7% by 2035
- Data Scientists (SOC 15-2051): median wage $88,260 Columbia, SC, $91,990 SC, $120,230 U.S.; U.S. jobs 34.6% 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).