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Best Value Trade School Basic Certificate Schools in South Carolina

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2023 Best Value Trade School Basic Certificate Schools in South Carolina

Highlighting Quality Schools With More Affordable Prices

11 Schools Ranked
$9,211 Avg Tuition & Fees*

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.

The Best Value Trade School Basic Certificate Schools in South Carolina ranking is one of many tools that Trade College Search has developed to help you make your educational decision. Our analysis looked at 11 schools in South Carolina to see which basic certificate programs offered the best value experiences for trade school students with the aim of identifying those quality schools that are more affordable than some of their counterparts.

This ranking is not just a list of inexpensive schools. We also consider each school's quality, since we believe a low-quality school may not be a 'bargain' at any price. Specifically, our score for quality is discounted by the published tuition and fees charged by the given college. This gives the cost per unit of quality for each college. The more quality your dollar buys, the better the value.

For nationwide and regional rankings, we use out-of-state tuition and fees in our calculations. For statewide rankings, we use average in-state tuition and fees.

Top Value Trade Basic Certificate Schools in South Carolina

Learn more about these excellent schools below:

#1

Piedmont Technical College

Greenwood, South Carolina
918 Total Awards
$6,593 Average Tuition & Fees

Our 2023 rankings named Piedmont Technical College the best value school in South Carolina for trade school students working on their basic certificate. Piedmont Technical College is a public institution located in Greenwood, South Carolina. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 918 basic certificates in 2021-2022.

Piedmont Technical College undergraduate students pay an average of $6,593 in tuition and fees each year.

If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since Piedmont Technical College does offer online classes for certain majors. During the 2020-2021 year, about 68% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.

In addition to its best value ranking, and one of the reasons why the school is on the list, Piedmont Technical College is ranked #2 for overall quality in South Carolina.

Read full report on Piedmont Technical College

#2

Greenville Technical College

Greenville, South Carolina
574 Total Awards
$10,202 Average Tuition & Fees

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Greenville Technical College. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Best Value Trade School Basic Certificate Schools in South Carolina list. GTC is a fairly large public school situated in Greenville, South Carolina. It awarded 574 basic certificates in 2021-2022.

Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at GTC are $10,202 per year.

One thing to take note of is that GTC does offer online classes in some areas. During the 2020-2021 year, about 82% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.

GTC also made our Best Basic Certificate Trade Schools in South Carolina list, coming in at #3.

Read full report on Greenville Technical College

#3

Spartanburg Community College

Spartanburg, South Carolina
362 Total Awards
$9,822 Average Tuition & Fees

The excellent basic certificate programs at Spartanburg Community College helped the school earn the #3 place on this year’s ranking of the best value trade school schools in South Carolina. Spartanburg Community College is a medium-sized public school situated in Spartanburg, South Carolina. It awarded 362 basic certificates in 2021-2022.

The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at Spartanburg Community College are $9,822 a year.

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 fact, around 57% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.

Spartanburg Community College did well in our overall quality rankings, too. It placed #1 on our Best Basic Certificate Trade Schools in South Carolina list.

Read More…

#4

Florence-Darlington Technical College

Florence, South Carolina
255 Total Awards
$6,772 Average Tuition & Fees

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Florence-Darlington Technical College. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Best Value Trade School Basic Certificate Schools in South Carolina list. Florence-Darlington Technical College is located in Florence, South Carolina and has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 255 basic certificates to qualified students.

The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at Florence-Darlington Technical College are $6,772 a year.

If you are interested in distance education, be sure to check with the school since Florence-Darlington Technical College does offer online classes for certain majors. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2020-2021 academic year, around 65% took at least some of their classes online.

Full Florence-Darlington Technical College Report

#5

Tri-County Technical College

Pendleton, South Carolina
1,520 Total Awards
$10,832 Average Tuition & Fees

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around you if you attend Tri-County Technical College. The school came in at #5 on this year’s Best Value Trade School Basic Certificate Schools in South Carolina list. TCTC is a medium-sized public school situated in Pendleton, South Carolina. It awarded 1,520 basic certificates in 2021-2022.

The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at TCTC are $10,832 a year.

TCTC does offer online classes for certain degree levels. During the 2020-2021 year, about 46% of the undergraduates at the school took at least one online course.

In addition to its best value ranking, and one of the reasons why the school is on the list, TCTC is ranked #4 for overall quality in South Carolina.

Full Tri-County Technical College Report

#6

Orangeburg Calhoun Technical College

Orangeburg, South Carolina
378 Total Awards
$7,970 Average Tuition & Fees

Orangeburg Calhoun Technical College ranked #6 on this year’s Best Value Trade School Basic Certificate Schools in South Carolina list. OCtech is a small public school situated in Orangeburg, South Carolina. It awarded 378 basic certificates in 2021-2022.

The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at OCtech are $7,970 a year.

OCtech 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 fact, around 84% of the undergraduate population registered for at least one online class in 2020-2021.

OCtech also took the #5 spot in our Best Basic Certificate Trade Schools in South Carolina rankings.

Read full report on Orangeburg Calhoun Technical College

#7

York Technical College

Rock Hill, South Carolina
622 Total Awards
$10,824 Average Tuition & Fees

York Technical College did quite well in this year’s ranking of the best value places for trade school students to get a basic certificate. It came in at #7 on the list. York Technical College is located in Rock Hill, South Carolina and has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 622 basic certificates to qualified students.

The average tuition and fees for an out-of-state undergraduate students at York Technical College are $10,824 a year.

Depending on your major, you may be able to take online classes at York Technical College. Of all the undergraduates enrolled at the school during the 2020-2021 academic year, around 80% took at least some of their classes online.

Full York Technical College Report

#8

Horry-Georgetown Technical College

Conway, South Carolina
647 Total Awards
$8,593 Average Tuition & Fees

Horry-Georgetown Technical College ranked #8 on this year’s Best Value Trade School Basic Certificate Schools in South Carolina list. This medium-sized public school is located in Conway, South Carolina, and it awarded 647 basic certificates in 2021-2022.

Horry-Georgetown Technical College undergraduate students pay an average of $8,593 in tuition and fees each year.

One thing to take note of is that Horry-Georgetown Technical College does offer online classes in some areas. In 2020-2021 about 72% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.

Read full report on Horry-Georgetown Technical College

#9

Aiken Technical College

Graniteville, South Carolina
77 Total Awards
$6,880 Average Tuition & Fees

With a ranking of #9, Aiken Technical College did quite well on this year’s best value schools for trade school students working on their basic certificate. Aiken Technical College is located in Graniteville, South Carolina and has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 77 basic certificates to qualified students.

Aiken Technical College undergraduate students pay an average of $6,880 in tuition and fees each year.

Online courses are available at Aiken 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 75% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.

Full Aiken Technical College Report

#10

Midlands Technical College

West Columbia, South Carolina
597 Total Awards
$13,812 Average Tuition & Fees

Midlands Technical College ranked #10 on this year’s Best Value Trade School Basic Certificate Schools in South Carolina list. Midlands Technical College is a medium-sized public school located in West Columbia, South Carolina that handed out 597 basic certificates in 2021-2022.

Out-of-state tuition fees for undergraduate students at MTC are $13,812 per year.

MTC 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 76% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.

Read More…

#11

Central Carolina Technical College

Sumter, South Carolina
255 Total Awards
$9,016 Average Tuition & Fees

With a ranking of #11, Central Carolina Technical College did quite well on this year’s best value schools for trade school students working on their basic certificate. Central Carolina is located in Sumter, South Carolina and has a small student population. In 2021-2022, this school awarded 255 basic certificates to qualified students.

Central Carolina undergraduate students pay an average of $9,016 in tuition and fees each year.

Central Carolina 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 61% of the undergraduate students at the school chose to take one or more online courses.

Read full report on Central Carolina Technical College

View Best Value Trade Basic Certificate Schools Nationwide >

Notes and References

Footnotes

*These averages are for the top 11 schools only.

References

  • 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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