Solid graduate outcomes with earnings above the peer average.
What graduates earn 10 years after enrollment.
Annual salary at 10 years
Lower quartile earnings
Upper quartile earnings
How graduate earnings grow in the decade after enrollment.
Clemson University graduates experience steady earnings growth throughout their early career progression. Median earnings increase from $58,311 at six years to $65,822 at eight years and $71,513 at ten years after enrollment, representing 22.6% total growth from the six-year baseline.
How outcomes compare to similar institutions.
Graduate earnings exceed the peer average, indicating above-typical outcomes for this institution type.
Financial justification for the investment.
Healthy debt burden. Most graduates can manage $21,500 in debt with typical earnings.
Clemson University graduates carry median debt of $21,500, slightly above the peer median of $20,000 but within reasonable ranges for public university graduates. Debt levels span from $8,740 at the 25th percentile to $27,000 at the 75th percentile, indicating controlled borrowing across most students.
Clemson University demonstrates well above average return performance, ranking at the 75.0th percentile on Azimuth's return index. Graduates earn $71,513 median income ten years after enrollment, placing Clemson at the 87.0th percentile nationally and $10,970 above the peer median of $60,543.
Approximately 25.4% of Clemson University graduates continue to graduate or professional study, based on program mix analysis with high confidence. T...
Program mix explains much of the earnings story.
Clemson University's strongest return outcomes concentrate in engineering and computer science programs, with Artificial Intelligence graduates earning $100,006 and Industrial Engineering graduates earning $83,583. These programs drive institutional performance above peer levels and justify premium pricing for students entering high-demand technical fields.
Business programs contribute solid outcomes, with Banking and Financial Support Services producing $71,621 earnings and Accounting generating $69,904. Lower-earning programs including Psychology ($46,792) and Agricultural Animal Breeding ($42,978) reflect different career pathways and graduate school preparation rather than poor outcomes.
See which programs drive the strongest earnings and career trajectories
Earnings distribution at Clemson University spans from $46,322 at the 25th percentile to $100,350 at the 75th percentile, creating a 2.2:1 ratio between top and bottom quartile outcomes. This variation reflects program choice impact, with engineering graduates significantly outearning liberal arts graduates.
