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Radio, Television, and Digital Communication at University of South Carolina-Columbia

Columbia, SC · Public · Bachelor's Degree

DegreeOutlook Score (Base Case) — assumes in-state tuition

Optimistic

Base Case

Pessimistic

Earnings $33,941/yr (9% vs median)

AI Risk High (48% exposed)

Job Market Very Large (144,300 openings/yr)

ROI 11.3x earnings multiple (4.1x out-of-state)

Ranked #16 of 140 Radio, Television, and Digital Communication programs Top 25%

How AI Changes the Outlook

Three scenarios based on how aggressively AI disrupts the career paths available to Radio, Television, and Digital Communication graduates.

	Optimistic No Disruption	Base Case Gradual AI	Pessimistic Aggressive AI
10-Year Earnings	$586K	$575K	$525K
Earnings Multiple (In-State)	11.5x	11.3x	10.3x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State)	4.2x	4.1x	3.8x
Probability of Field Employment	48%	42%	32%
DegreeOutlook Score	48	48	44

10-Year Earnings Projection

*Year 1 uses actual reported earnings. Scenarios diverge as AI impact compounds over time.

4-Year Tuition, In-State (Sticker)

$50,752

Out-of-state: $139,736 (4.1x ROI)

4-Year Net Price (After Aid)

$98,128

-93% less than sticker · See by income

Median Debt at Graduation

$21,500

7.6 months of Year 1 earnings

Reported Earnings (5 Year)

$59,326

75% growth from Year 1

Program Analysis

University of South Carolina-Columbia's Radio, Television, and Digital Communication graduates start at $33,941/yr — above the $31,253 national average, though not by a wide margin.

The 11.3x earnings multiple means ten-year projected earnings exceed tuition cost by an order of magnitude. By pure financial math, this is a standout.

AI risk is moderate — 48% task exposure — and the 10% scenario spread suggests disruption would dent but not destroy the earnings outlook.

The $21,500 debt-to-$33,941 income ratio translates to about 8 months of earnings. Standard loan terms should handle this comfortably.

Ranked #16 out of 140 programs, University of South Carolina-Columbia's Radio, Television, and Digital Communication program lands in the top 5% — a strong signal of graduate success.

Earnings growth from $33,941 to $59,326 over five years (75% increase) indicates that graduates in this field see meaningful salary progression.

About University of South Carolina-Columbia

University of South Carolina-Columbia's 61% acceptance rate reflects moderate selectivity, one of the larger campuses at 28,113 students in Columbia, SC.

See all programs and financial aid at University of South Carolina-Columbia →

Top Career Paths

Managers, all other $136,550/yr

Web and digital interface designers $98,090/yr

Producers and directors $83,480/yr

View all 8 career paths with salary ranges and AI risk →

Compare & Explore

Radio, Television, and Digital Communication at Other Schools

Compare Radio, Television, and Digital Communication

Other Majors at University of South Carolina-Columbia

Consider the Trade Route?

Trade programs often mean less time in school, lower student debt, and hands-on career paths that tend to be more resilient to AI disruption.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does University of South Carolina-Columbia's Radio, Television, and Digital Communication program score?

This program scores 48/100 — on the lower end for Radio, Television, and Digital Communication. Prospective students should carefully weigh costs against likely earnings.

How vulnerable is Radio, Television, and Digital Communication to AI automation?

AI won't 'replace' Radio, Television, and Digital Communication careers outright, but it is likely to reduce the number of job openings. We model 48% task exposure, which compresses field employment probability in our scenarios.

Why does University of South Carolina-Columbia rank so high for Radio, Television, and Digital Communication?

The #16 ranking out of 140 programs is driven by strong financial outcomes — graduates earn well, debt is manageable relative to income, and the job market supports the field.

Scores use College Scorecard earnings, BLS employment projections, and AI task-exposure research. See full methodology →