Graduates of College of Charleston earn median 4-year earnings of $58,354, placing the institution in the 33.3 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $15,225 less than similar students at comparable institutions, placing College of Charleston in the 10.4 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions. Azimuth ranks College of Charleston #1030 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. The earnings pattern reflects strength across applied and professional fields anchored in business and hospitality. Business Administration is the largest program with 177 graduates earning median 4-year earnings of $71,360, performing at 1.0x the national benchmark for the field. The Communication and Media Studies program graduates 171 students earning $58,371, while Psychology, General and Biology, General round out the top programs with 168 and 162 graduates respectively. The concentration in Business — which represents a significant share of the institution's degree output — aligns with Charleston's regional labor market and hospitality-sector employer demand, contributing to the institution's above-average earnings outcomes for graduates entering professional and service-sector careers.
Graduates of College of Charleston earn median 4-year earnings of $58,354, placing the institution in the 33.3 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $15,225 less than similar students at comparable institutions, placing College of Charleston in the 10.4 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions. Azimuth ranks College of Charleston #1030 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. The earnings pattern reflects strength across applied and professional fields anchored in business and hospitality. Business Administration is the largest program with 177 graduates earning median 4-year earnings of $71,360, performing at 1.0x the national benchmark for the field. The Communication and Media Studies program graduates 171 students earning $58,371, while Psychology, General and Biology, General round out the top programs with 168 and 162 graduates respectively. The concentration in Business — which represents a significant share of the institution's degree output — aligns with Charleston's regional labor market and hospitality-sector employer demand, contributing to the institution's above-average earnings outcomes for graduates entering professional and service-sector careers.
Latest FE earnings field: 10-year
Lower quartile, 10-year field
How graduate earnings grow across the currently available FE horizons.
Financial justification for the investment.
Healthy debt burden. Most graduates can manage $23,250 in debt with typical earnings.
Graduates of College of Charleston earn median 4-year earnings of $58,354, placing the institution in the 33.3 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $15,225 less than similar students at comparable institutions, placing College of Charleston in the 10.4 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions. Azimuth ranks College of Charleston #1030 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. The earnings pattern reflects strength across applied and professional fields anchored in business and hospitality. Business Administration is the largest program with 177 graduates earning median 4-year earnings of $71,360, performing at 1.0x the national benchmark for the field. The Communication and Media Studies program graduates 171 students earning $58,371, while Psychology, General and Biology, General round out the top programs with 168 and 162 graduates respectively. The concentration in Business — which represents a significant share of the institution's degree output — aligns with Charleston's regional labor market and hospitality-sector employer demand, contributing to the institution's above-average earnings outcomes for graduates entering professional and service-sector careers.
Program mix and student pathways explain much of the earnings story.
College of Charleston's program mix is anchored in business, liberal arts, and professional fields—a portfolio shaped by the institution's historic liberal arts identity and its location in Charleston's growing professional services market. Business Administration is the largest program with 177 graduates, followed by Communication and Media Studies, Psychology, General, Biology, General, and Public Health. Across 49 programs serving roughly 2,130 students annually, 0 meet Azimuth's ranking threshold, with several delivering strong four-year earnings outcomes aligned with the institution's business-focused signature. The earnings leaders reflect the institution's strength in applied professional fields. Finance graduates earn median earnings of $84,187 four years after enrollment, with Business Administration delivering $71,360 and Digital Marketing reaching $68,348. Political Science and Communication and Media Studies round out the highest-earning cohorts with $58,955 and $58,371 respectively. These earnings patterns correspond to the institution's concentration in Business and related professional disciplines, where graduates enter the workforce directly into stable, in-demand roles. The program portfolio emphasizes high-mobility pathways where graduates move into the national labor market immediately after completion. Business Administration and Communication and Media Studies—the institution's largest programs—deliver earnings that reflect direct workforce entry and employer demand in their respective fields. The supply and demand for college graduates provides context for how College of Charleston's dominant program families align with regional and national labor-market trends, particularly in professional services and business-adjacent sectors where Charleston's economy shows sustained growth.
Upper quartile, 10-year field
Graduates of College of Charleston earn median 4-year earnings of $58,354, placing the institution in the 33.3 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $15,225 less than similar students at comparable institutions, placing College of Charleston in the 10.4 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions. Azimuth ranks College of Charleston #1030 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. The earnings pattern reflects strength across applied and professional fields anchored in business and hospitality. Business Administration is the largest program with 177 graduates earning median 4-year earnings of $71,360, performing at 1.0x the national benchmark for the field. The Communication and Media Studies program graduates 171 students earning $58,371, while Psychology, General and Biology, General round out the top programs with 168 and 162 graduates respectively. The concentration in Business — which represents a significant share of the institution's degree output — aligns with Charleston's regional labor market and hospitality-sector employer demand, contributing to the institution's above-average earnings outcomes for graduates entering professional and service-sector careers.
See which programs drive the strongest earnings and career trajectories
