Head-to-head comparison
Benedict College vs Southeastern College-Columbia: which has better ROI?
Option A Columbia, SC
Benedict College
- Net price / year
- $18,250
- Earnings, 10 years
- $31,902
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Columbia, SC
Southeastern College-Columbia
- Net price / year
- $31,941
- Earnings, 10 years
- $31,156
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Benedict College comes closer — median earnings $31,902 against a $73,000 total, vs $31,156 at Southeastern College-Columbia. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Benedict College | Southeastern College-Columbia |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $18,250 | $31,941 |
| Total net cost | $73,000 | $127,764 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $31,902 | $31,156 |
| Median debt | $32,500 | $9,500 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$402,160 | -$471,844 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Benedict College or Southeastern College-Columbia?
Benedict College, at $18,250 a year after aid versus $31,941 — a gap of $13,691 a year, or $54,764 across the full degree. These are net prices after grants and scholarships, not sticker prices, so they reflect what an aided student pays.
The short answer
Do Benedict College or Southeastern College-Columbia graduates earn more?
Benedict College graduates report a median $31,902 ten years after entry, $746 more than the $31,156 at Southeastern College-Columbia. Both are institution-wide medians from federal tax records, so a high-paying major at the lower school can beat the average at the higher one.
The short answer
Which leaves students with less debt, Benedict College or Southeastern College-Columbia?
Southeastern College-Columbia: its completers carry a median $9,500 in federal loans versus $32,500 at Benedict College, a difference of $23,000. The figure counts students who finished; it excludes private loans and anyone who left before graduating.
The short answer
Which graduates more of its students?
67% of students finish at Southeastern College-Columbia, against 24% at Benedict College. Completion matters to the ROI arithmetic because a degree that is never finished still carries its cost and its debt, but earns none of the graduate premium above the $48,360 high-school baseline.