Top Ranked Programs
University of South Carolina-Upstate's program mix is anchored in health and applied professional fields — a signature that reflects the institution's regional identity as a career-focused public university in the Upstate South Carolina market. Health programs form the core of degree output, complemented by business, education, and social-science fields that together serve the workforce needs of the surrounding region. Across 30 programs, 14 meet Azimuth's ranking threshold, collectively serving roughly 1,182 students annually. The highest aggregate-return program is Nursing, which combines meaningful cohort scale with strong four-year earnings — making it a key driver of the institution's overall financial outcomes. Among the most popular programs, Nursing program graduates 309 students with median earnings of $79,947 four years after enrollment, and Azimuth ranks it #141 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Criminal Justice and Psychology, General round out the high-enrollment tier, each channeling graduates into stable, in-demand career pathways consistent with the institution's health and applied-professional orientation. The strongest four-year earnings come from Nursing, where graduates earn $79,947 four years after enrollment — Azimuth ranks it #141 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Artificial Intelligence and Business Administration also post competitive early-career earnings, reflecting the direct-to-workforce nature of health and clinical programs where graduates enter licensed, credentialed roles with defined salary structures. These high-mobility pathways — where four-year earnings closely track labor-market outcomes — form the economic backbone of University of South Carolina-Upstate's degree portfolio. The [supply and demand for college graduates](/analysis/supply-demand-map-college-degrees/) provides context for how health and applied-professional fields align with regional and national labor-market demand.