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Subject-Area Teaching at University of South Carolina-Upstate

Spartanburg, SC · Public · Bachelor's Degree · Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas

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

Optimistic

Base Case

Pessimistic

Earnings $39,511/yr (-5% vs median)

AI Risk High (43% exposed)

Job Market Very Large (444,600 openings/yr)

ROI 10.0x earnings multiple (5.2x out-of-state)

Ranked #228 of 348 Teacher Education programs

How AI Changes the Outlook

Three scenarios based on how aggressively AI disrupts the career paths available to Subject-Area Teaching graduates.

	Optimistic No Disruption	Base Case Gradual AI	Pessimistic Aggressive AI
10-Year Earnings	$462K	$465K	$451K
Earnings Multiple (In-State)	10.0x	10.0x	9.7x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State)	5.1x	5.2x	5.0x
Probability of Field Employment	78%	70%	55%
DegreeOutlook Score	52	51	58

10-Year Earnings Projection

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

4-Year Tuition, In-State (Sticker)

$46,332

Out-of-state: $90,180 (5.2x ROI)

4-Year Net Price (After Aid)

$54,900

-18% less than sticker · See by income

Median Debt at Graduation

$26,000

7.9 months of Year 1 earnings

Program Analysis

First-year earnings of $39,511 track close to the $41,690 national median for Subject-Area Teaching programs. This is a middle-of-the-road outcome on salary alone.

The earnings-to-cost ratio of 10.0x signals a solid financial return — projected decade earnings comfortably exceed the tuition investment.

Some AI exposure exists in Subject-Area Teaching's typical career paths, with 43% of job tasks potentially affected. The pessimistic scenario still projects solid returns, with a 2% gap from the optimistic case.

Median debt of $26,000 represents roughly 8 months of the $39,511 starting salary — a manageable burden by most borrower standards.

Ranked #228 of 348 Subject-Area Teaching programs, University of South Carolina-Upstate falls below the median. Stronger options exist, though cost and location may compensate.

About University of South Carolina-Upstate

With a 70% acceptance rate, University of South Carolina-Upstate is moderately selective, with a smaller student body of 4,008 in Spartanburg, SC. Pell Grant recipients make up 45% of the student body — a marker of economic diversity.

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

Top Career Paths

Health specialties teachers, postsecondary $105,620/yr

Atmospheric, earth, marine, and space sciences teachers, postsecondary $101,390/yr

Forestry and conservation science teachers, postsecondary $100,830/yr

View all 30 career paths with salary ranges and AI risk →

Compare & Explore

Subject-Area Teaching at Other Schools

Other Majors at University of South Carolina-Upstate

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

What is the DegreeOutlook Score for Subject-Area Teaching at University of South Carolina-Upstate?

This program scores 51/100 — a respectable number in isolation, but it ranks in the bottom half of Subject-Area Teaching programs nationally. The field is competitive, and stronger options exist.

Will AI replace Subject-Area Teaching careers?

With 43% of typical job tasks exposed to AI, this is one of the higher-risk fields. Our pessimistic scenario projects $450,596 in decade earnings vs $461,716 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.

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