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Best Associate Degree Trade Schools in South Carolina

2023 Best Associate Degree Trade Schools in South Carolina

10 Schools Ranked
$5,623 Avg Tuition & Fees*
$17,331 Avg Student Debt

There are so many trade school programs in today's world that it can tough to figure out which one is the right one for you. You can choose a traditional brick and mortar school, or with the growth of online education, you can attend a school half-way across the country without even leaving your house.

To help you arm yourself with the information you need to make your decision, Trade College Search has developed this Best Associate Degree Trade Schools in South Carolina ranking. Our analysis looked at 10 schools in South Carolina to see which associate degree programs offered the best educational experiences for trade school students.

View our full ranking methodology.

Top Trade Associate Degree Schools in South Carolina

Learn more about these excellent schools below:

#1

Trident Technical College

Charleston, South Carolina
1,438 Total Awards
$5,059 Average Tuition & Fees
$19,444 Avg Student Debt

Our analysis found Trident Technical College to be the best school for trade school students who want to pursue a associate degree in South Carolina. Charleston, South Carolina is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associate degrees to 1,438 students in 2021-2022.

The average in-state tuition and fees for students at Trident Technical College is $5,059. If you are from out of state, expect to pay an average of $8,606. Associate Degree recipients from Trident Technical College accumulate an average of $19,444 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.

If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since Trident Technical College does offer online classes for certain majors. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 75% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2020-2021.

Read full report on Trident Technical College

#2

Spartanburg Community College

Spartanburg, South Carolina
617 Total Awards
$6,030 Average Tuition & Fees
$9,430 Avg Student Debt

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around you if you attend Spartanburg Community College. The school came in at #2 on this year’s Best Associate Degree Trade Schools in South Carolina list. Spartanburg Community College is a medium-sized public school situated in Spartanburg, South Carolina. It awarded 617 associate degrees in 2021-2022.

Students from South Carolina who attend Spartanburg Community College full time pay an average of $6,030 in tuition and fees. If you are from out of state, expect to pay an average of $9,822. Associate Degree recipients from Spartanburg Community College accumulate an average of $9,430 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.

Online courses are available at Spartanburg Community College, but you will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your field of interest. In 2020-2021 about 57% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.

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#3

Greenville Technical College

Greenville, South Carolina
1,217 Total Awards
$5,882 Average Tuition & Fees
$19,101 Avg Student Debt

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around you if you attend Greenville Technical College. The school came in at #3 on this year’s Best Associate Degree Trade Schools in South Carolina list. GTC is a public institution located in Greenville, South Carolina. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 1,217 associate degrees in 2021-2022.

Full-time students from South Carolina pay an average of $5,882 in tuition and fees if they choose to attend GTC. Out-of-state students pay an average of $10,202. Associate Degree recipients from GTC accumulate an average of $19,101 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.

GTC does have options available for those who want to take online classes. You will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your specific major. In 2020-2021 about 82% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.

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#4

Orangeburg Calhoun Technical College

Orangeburg, South Carolina
258 Total Awards
$5,954 Average Tuition & Fees
$10,798 Avg Student Debt

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Orangeburg Calhoun Technical College. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Best Associate Degree Trade Schools in South Carolina list. OCtech is located in Orangeburg, South Carolina and has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 258 associate degrees to qualified students.

In-state students pay an average of $5,954 in tuition and fees if they attend OCtech full time. Those students who come from outside the state pay an average of $7,970. Associate Degree recipients from OCtech accumulate an average of $10,798 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.

You may have the opportunity to take online classes at OCtech. During the 2020-2021 year, about 84% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.

Read More…

#5

Florence-Darlington Technical College

Florence, South Carolina
315 Total Awards
$4,900 Average Tuition & Fees

The excellent associate degree programs at Florence-Darlington Technical College helped the school earn the #5 place on this year’s ranking of the best trade school schools in South Carolina. This small public school is located in Florence, South Carolina, and it awarded 315 associate degrees in 2021-2022.

Students from South Carolina who attend Florence-Darlington Technical College full time pay an average of $4,900 in tuition and fees. Those students who come from outside the state pay an average of $6,772.

Florence-Darlington Technical College does offer online classes for certain degree levels. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2020-2021 academic year, around 65% took at least some of their classes online.

Read full report on Florence-Darlington Technical College

#6

Piedmont Technical College

Greenwood, South Carolina
631 Total Awards
$5,315 Average Tuition & Fees
$18,799 Avg Student Debt

Piedmont Technical College ranked #6 on this year’s Best Associate Degree Trade Schools in South Carolina list. Piedmont Technical College is located in Greenwood, South Carolina and has a medium-sized student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 631 associate degrees to qualified students.

The average in-state tuition and fees for students at Piedmont Technical College is $5,315. If you are from out of state, expect to pay an average of $6,593. On average, associate degree students take out $18,799 in loans while pursuing their degree.

Some students may be able to take online classes at Piedmont Technical College. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2020-2021 academic year, around 68% took at least some of their classes online.

Full Piedmont Technical College Report

#7

Midlands Technical College

West Columbia, South Carolina
888 Total Awards
$5,916 Average Tuition & Fees
$15,672 Avg Student Debt

Midlands Technical College did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best places for trade school students to get an associate degree. It came in at #7 on the list. MTC is located in West Columbia, South Carolina and has a medium-sized student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 888 associate degrees to qualified students.

The average in-state tuition and fees for students at MTC is $5,916. If you are from out of state, expect to pay an average of $13,812. Associate Degree recipients from MTC accumulate an average of $15,672 in student debt by the time they complete their degree.

Online courses are available at MTC, but you will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your field of interest. During the 2020-2021 year, about 76% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.

Full Midlands Technical College Report

#8

Tri-County Technical College

Pendleton, South Carolina
820 Total Awards
$5,936 Average Tuition & Fees
$10,725 Avg Student Debt

Tri-County Technical College landed the #8 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best associate degree trade school programs. Located in Pendleton, South Carolina, the medium-sized public school handed out 820 associate degree awards in 2021-2022.

Students from South Carolina who attend TCTC full time pay an average of $5,936 in tuition and fees. Out-of-state students pay an average of $10,832. By the time they get their associate degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $10,725 in student loans.

Some students may be able to take online classes at TCTC. To give an idea of how popular online courses are at the school, 46% of undergraduates took at least one course online in 2020-2021.

Read More…

#9

Horry-Georgetown Technical College

Conway, South Carolina
925 Total Awards
$5,356 Average Tuition & Fees
$18,838 Avg Student Debt

Horry-Georgetown Technical College did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best places for trade school students to get an associate degree. It came in at #9 on the list. Horry-Georgetown Technical College is a medium-sized public school located in Conway, South Carolina that handed out 925 associate degrees in 2021-2022.

Full-time students from South Carolina pay an average of $5,356 in tuition and fees if they choose to attend Horry-Georgetown Technical College. If you are from out of state, expect to pay an average of $8,593. By the time they get their associate degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $18,838 in student loans.

Horry-Georgetown Technical College does have options available for those who want to take online classes. You will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your specific major. During the 2020-2021 year, about 72% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.

Read More…

#10

York Technical College

Rock Hill, South Carolina
673 Total Awards
$5,882 Average Tuition & Fees
$10,385 Avg Student Debt

York Technical College landed the #10 spot in the 2023 rankings for the best associate degree trade school programs. Rock Hill, South Carolina is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out associate degrees to 673 students in 2021-2022.

In-state students pay an average of $5,882 in tuition and fees if they attend York Technical College full time. If you are from out of state, expect to pay an average of $10,824. By the time they get their associate degree, students from this school have racked up an average of $10,385 in student loans.

Online courses are available at York Technical College, but you will need to check with the school to see if they are available for your field of interest. In 2020-2021 about 80% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.

Read full report on York Technical College

View Best Trade Associate Degree Schools Nationwide >

Notes and References

Footnotes

*These averages are for the top 10 schools only.

References

  • Read more about our ranking methodology.
  • The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) serves as the core of our data about colleges.
  • Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
  • Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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