HEAD-TO-HEAD · 30-YEAR ROI

Clemson University vs University of South Carolina-Columbia

Clemson University clears +$2.05M in 30-year net value, University of South Carolina-Columbia +$1.66M — both pay off, Clemson University by +$390K.

Two SC public flagships, priced the way an in-state student actually pays. Same state, same residency — so the only thing moving the number is the school.

IPEDS 2023 tuition · FREOPP 2021 earnings · BEA 2023 cost-of-living · resident (in-state) pricing · same model as /worth-it · both schools NPV-positive.

Clemson University · Clemson, SC

clears more

30-year net value
+$2.05M
Total cost of attendance
$113,704
Median earnings · 10 yrs out
$63,739
Breaks even by age
36

University of South Carolina-Columbia · Columbia, SC

30-year net value
+$1.66M
Total cost of attendance
$100,984
Median earnings · 10 yrs out
$58,467
Breaks even by age
40
How this is computed (and what it isn’t)

Each school runs through the /worth-it model at its resident tuition rate, with the same loan assumptions, the same 30-year horizon, and each state’s own cost-of-living. The “30-year net value” is the projected accumulated value of the degree over that horizon, in real dollars — the same figure the calculator headlines.

We only publish pairs where both schools clear positive net value, so the comparison is “both pay off, one clears more,” never “this school is a bad bet.” Earnings are rolled up from at least three FREOPP programs per school (ADR-0032), so a single high-earning major can’t distort the number.

Cite this:

LE TEEN (2026). “Clemson University vs University of South Carolina-Columbia: 30-year ROI head-to-head.” Data: IPEDS 2023 · FREOPP 2021 · BEA 2023. https://le-teen.com/compare/clemson-vs-south-carolina

Keep comparing

Questions

Is Clemson University or University of South Carolina-Columbia a better return on investment?
On a 30-year net-value basis at resident (in-state) pricing, Clemson University clears +$2.05M and University of South Carolina-Columbia +$1.66M — both are solidly positive, so neither is a bad bet; Clemson University comes out ahead by +$390K. Figures from IPEDS 2023 tuition, FREOPP 2021 earnings, and BEA 2023 cost-of-living, run through the same model as the LE TEEN calculator.
How much more does Clemson University pay off than University of South Carolina-Columbia?
About +$390K over a 30-year horizon (+$2.05M vs +$1.66M in projected net value). That gap reflects each school's net price and its graduates' median earnings — not a judgment that either degree fails to pay off, since both clear positive.
What is the 30-year net value of a degree from Clemson University?
+$2.05M at resident (in-state) pricing — total cost of attendance $113,704, median earnings ten years out $63,739, breaking even around age 36. Run your own assumptions on the /worth-it calculator.