Students at Coastal Carolina University benefit from exceptional affordability, with low-income families paying well below national averages for a comprehensive university experience.
The university's strength lies in accessible education combined with solid graduation support and manageable debt levels for students from diverse backgrounds.
Coastal Carolina University ranks as an "Opportunity Builder" institution, serving students who benefit from accessible education while working toward steady career outcomes. Located in Conway, South Carolina, CCU enrolls a meaningful share of Pell-eligible students (27%) and first-generation college students (27%), providing broad access to higher education in the region. The university maintains reasonable affordability with net prices well below national averages, particularly for low-income families who pay around $9,222 annually.
While CCU's long-term earnings outcomes rank in the lower portion of public universities nationally, with graduates earning a median of $47,258 ten years after enrollment, the institution delivers value through its combination of accessible admission, solid graduation rates, and manageable debt levels. Students typically graduate with about $23,750 in federal loan debt, which remains serviceable given the earnings trajectory.
As a medium-sized public university, CCU offers a comprehensive range of programs with particular strength in business, exercise science, and marine sciences. The university serves students who want a traditional college experience at reasonable cost, though families should calibrate expectations around post-graduation earning potential compared with more selective or research-intensive institutions.
Coastal Carolina University's program portfolio reflects its mission as a comprehensive regional university serving diverse career interests. Business Administration stands out as both popular and financially rewarding, with 181 graduates earning median salaries around $36,423 early in their careers. This program represents CCU's strongest combination of scale and economic return, preparing students for management and entrepreneurship roles throughout the Southeast.
Exercise Science and Kinesiology enrolls the largest number of students with 189 graduates, though early earnings around $26,662 reflect the field's emphasis on service and education rather than maximum financial returns. Accounting provides the strongest early-career earnings at $38,597, demonstrating CCU's ability to prepare students for professional roles in finance and business services.
The university's coastal location influences its academic strengths, with marine and aquatic biology programs producing 132 graduates who earn around $23,694 in early career years. While these earnings appear modest, they reflect entry into specialized environmental and research fields that often provide long-term career satisfaction and growth potential in coastal management, conservation, and marine sciences.
Coastal Carolina University graduates earn a median of $47,258 ten years after enrollment, placing the institution in the lower portion of public universities nationally for long-term earnings outcomes. While this represents solid middle-class earning potential, it falls somewhat below what similar students achieve at peer institutions, reflecting CCU's focus on accessible education rather than maximum financial returns.
Program choice significantly affects outcomes at CCU. Business Administration, the university's largest high-return program with 181 graduates, leads to median earnings of $36,423 early in careers. Accounting majors see the strongest financial outcomes with early earnings around $38,597, while Exercise Science and Kinesiology—the most popular major with 189 graduates—typically leads to more modest early earnings of $26,662. Marine and aquatic biology programs, reflecting CCU's coastal location, show earnings around $23,694 in the early career years.
The university's program mix emphasizes practical, career-focused fields that prepare students for regional employment opportunities. While earnings growth may be more gradual compared with research-intensive universities, CCU graduates enter stable career paths in business, education, health services, and coastal management fields that provide steady employment in South Carolina's economy.
Coastal Carolina University delivers strong affordability across income levels, making it accessible to families throughout South Carolina and beyond. Low-income students pay approximately $9,222 annually in net price, well below national averages and ranking in the top 30% nationally for affordability. Middle-income families see net costs around $13,209, while higher-income families pay about $18,612—all representing reasonable value for a comprehensive university experience.
Debt levels remain manageable for most CCU students. Typical graduates leave with about $23,750 in federal student loan debt, a moderate amount that aligns with the university's accessible mission. Parent PLUS borrowing averages $25,780 for families who choose this option, reflecting the university's appeal to middle-class families seeking affordable higher education. With a 0% federal loan default rate, CCU demonstrates that its graduates can successfully manage their educational investments.
The combination of reasonable net prices and manageable debt levels makes CCU particularly attractive to cost-conscious families. While long-term earnings may be more modest than at research universities, the university's affordability structure ensures that students can pursue their education without taking on excessive financial risk, creating a sustainable path to degree completion and career entry.
Coastal Carolina University Hub Overview
Executive summary with admissions, cost, outcomes, and program analysis
