Technical College of the Lowcountry
Beaufort, SC 29901-1288
About Technical College of the Lowcountry
Technical College of the Lowcountry is a public certificate and vocational school in Beaufort, South Carolina, enrolling about 1,679 students. Programs focus on certificates and workforce credentials that prepare students for skilled trades and technical careers. Typical net price after grant aid is about $14,724 for students who receive it, compared with published tuition near $6,156. Median earnings about ten years after entry reach about $35,090 among students who received federal aid.
Key findings
- Technical College of the Lowcountry charges 12% above the national public median tuition ($6,156).
- Versus the South Carolina median, sticker tuition is about 0.5×.
- Completion within 150% of normal time is 17.65%.
- Median earnings 10 years after entry are $35,090.
Research findings
Finding
Modeled return on investment at Technical College of the Lowcountry is strong.
Estimated ROI reaches about 496% using Scorecard cost and 10-year earnings fields in this extract.
Interpretation: On this institution-wide model, typical graduate earnings over a decade substantially exceed estimated net education cost.
Limitation: ROI is institution-wide and not program-specific; individual outcomes vary by major, aid package, and labor market.
Cost benchmarks
| Benchmark | Median Tuition | Median Net Price | Count |
|---|---|---|---|
| Technical College of the Lowcountry | $6,156 | $14,724 | 1 |
| Public (national median) | $5,512 | — | 1,688 |
| South Carolina (state median) | $12,978 | $11,376 | 63 |
| Town (locale median) | $9,600 | $14,971 | 1,517 |
| United States (national median) | $11,900 | $17,156 | — |
Compares this campus to school-type, state, and locale medians plus a U.S. national median (College Scorecard–derived). Locale groups campuses by NCES locale type; state tuition is the median published tuition among campuses in that state.
How expensive is Technical College of the Lowcountry really?
Key findings
- Technical College of the Lowcountry charges 12% above the national public median tuition ($6,156).
- Versus the South Carolina median, sticker tuition is about 0.5×.
Technical College of the Lowcountry tuition
Published undergraduate tuition $6,156
Finding Technical College of the Lowcountry charges 12% above the national public median tuition.
Evidence Published tuition is $6,156. That is 12% above the national public median ($5,512). Versus the South Carolina median ($12,978), sticker tuition is about 0.5×. Versus the U.S. median ($11,900), sticker is about 0.5×.
Method Sticker tuition compared with Scorecard-derived medians by ownership, state, locale, and national rollups when available.
Interpretation Published tuition measures sticker price relative to public and geographic peers; it does not equal what undergraduates typically pay after aid.
Limitation Sticker comparisons omit room, board, and institutional aid; average net price and income-band net prices are the stronger signals of typical family cost.
Evidence: published tuition at Technical College of the Lowcountry versus school-type, state, locale, and U.S. medians.
Evidence: average net price at Technical College of the Lowcountry versus state, locale, and U.S. medians.
What undergraduates typically pay
Finding Average net price at Technical College of the Lowcountry is $14,724.
Evidence College Scorecard average net price is $14,724 (cost of attendance minus average grant aid for aided undergraduates). That is about $3,348 above the South Carolina median net price. Versus town campuses, net price runs $247 below the locale median.
Method Average net price from College Scorecard; compared with state, locale, and U.S. medians from EDsmart aggregates.
Interpretation Average net price is a stronger institutional cost signal than published tuition because it incorporates grant aid.
Limitation The campus average masks large differences by household income; income-band net prices can diverge sharply from the overall average.
Key takeaway At Technical College of the Lowcountry, average net price exceeds published tuition alone because net price uses a fuller cost-of-attendance base.
Technical College of the Lowcountry: research record
Canonical EDsmart Data findings for Technical College of the Lowcountry—costs, outcomes, admissions, and programs—with evidence and methodology notes.
Research findings
Interpretation
The combination of completion and 10-year earnings is a multidimensional outcomes signal; it does not measure educational quality by itself.
Financial profile
In-state tuition
$6,156
Out-of-state tuition
$11,916
Avg. net price
$14,724
Net price by family income
| Income bracket | Avg. annual net price |
|---|---|
| $0–$30,000 | $14,531 |
| $30,001–$48,000 | $15,726 |
| $48,001–$75,000 | $20,323 |
Sticker tuition × four years (estimate, no room/board): $24,624. See cost investigation.
Student outcomes
Share of first-year students returning the following fall.
Graduation rate and 10-year earnings are in the hero strip above; see Graduates for more.
What Technical College of the Lowcountry is known for
Top program completions
- Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies81
- General Studies44
- Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse43
- Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician25
- Business/Commerce, General23
See earnings & programs for more.
Is Technical College of the Lowcountry a good school?
Data-framed fit—not a prestige rating.
Technical College of the Lowcountry is a good school for those looking for strong completion alongside solid mid-career earnings.
EDsmart Data does not assign an opinion score; this framing summarizes the strongest Scorecard signals for this campus.
More from the data
Location, control, enrollment, and aid context for Technical College of the Lowcountry.
Campus
Location
Beaufort, SC
City / state
- ZIP
- 29901-1288
- NCES locale
- Town
Compared with Town campuses nationally, net price is 2% below the median for Town campuses ($14,971 median).
Control
Institution type
Public
Control
- Region
- Southeast
- Carnegie
- Associate's Colleges: High Vocational & Technical-High Traditional
Size
Enrollment
1,679
Total enrollment
- Undergraduate
- 3,431
- Full-time share
- 30%
Student aid
Debt & aid
$10,000
Median federal loan debt
- Pell grant share
- 32.99%
Total Cost, Aid & Default
Total Cost of Attendance
Tuition vs average net price after aid for Technical College of the Lowcountry.
Financial Aid by Income Level
Financial aid distribution by income level.
Student Loan Default Rate
The published 3-year cohort default rate for borrowers at Technical College of the Lowcountry was 0.00%.
Cohort default rates account for borrowers who default in the first three years.
Tuition tracker
Published tuition and average net price by reporting year come from the College Scorecard institution file. Values are not adjusted for inflation; missing cells mean the field was not reported or was suppressed for Technical College of the Lowcountry in that year.
Reporting years in the table below: 2013–2023 (Scorecard labels refer to the institutional submission cycle).
| Year | In-state tuition & fees | Out-of-state tuition & fees | Average net price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | $3,940 | $8,548 | $3,804 |
| 2014 | $4,060 | $8,812 | $3,906 |
| 2015 | $4,180 | $9,076 | $3,582 |
| 2016 | $4,276 | $9,268 | $5,005 |
| 2017 | $4,420 | $9,580 | $6,951 |
| 2018 | $4,684 | $10,036 | $7,054 |
| 2019 | $4,852 | $10,396 | $6,991 |
| 2020 | $5,140 | $11,020 | $6,779 |
| 2021 | $5,140 | $11,020 | $6,715 |
| 2022 | $5,476 | $11,020 | $4,985 |
| 2023 | $5,500 | $11,044 | $5,903 |
Sticker tuition and net price over time
Where the institution reported separate in-state and out-of-state tuition, both appear. Gaps mean the value was not reported for that year.
College Scorecard reporting-year fields (not inflation-adjusted).
Net price by family income
Brackets follow Scorecard definitions for the series shown (public vs private institution).
Latest income-band net prices available in the processed extract.
How difficult is it to get in?
Acceptance Rate
Acceptance rate data is not available for this institution.
Admissions funnel data is not available for this institution.
Test Scores
Test score data is not available for this institution.
Score distribution is not available for this institution.
Academic Requirements
GPA requirements are not published by this institution. Contact the admissions office for specific academic requirements.
Estimated GPA range is not available for this institution.
Enrollment & Student Demographics
Technical College of the Lowcountry reported total enrollment of about 1,679 students in the latest College Scorecard extract. The student body is about 33% male and 67% female. Enrollment by race and ethnicity includes White (39.0%), Black or African American (31.1%), and Hispanic or Latino (22.6%). About 32.99% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants. Roughly 44.7% of students are first-generation college students.
Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment
29.7% Full-Time Enrollment
The total enrollment at Technical College of the Lowcountry in 2024 is 1,679 students.
Undergraduate enrollment is about 3,431 students.
Full-time vs part-time enrollment comparison.
Retention Rate over Time
58.2%
2024 Retention Rate
Retention rate measures the number of first-time students who began their studies the previous fall and returned to school the following fall.
Retention rate over time compared to similar institutions.
Enrollment by Race & Ethnicity
Largest share of total enrollment in our College Scorecard extract.
College Scorecard student demographics (total enrollment shares).
Do students complete their programs?
Time to Complete
9.80% 100% Completion Time
17.65% 150% Completion Time
In 2024, 9.80% of students graduating from Technical College of the Lowcountry completed their program within 100% "normal time".
Completion rates over time compared to similar institutions.
Completions by Sex (Top Programs)
- Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies: 30% male / 70% female
- General Studies: 30% male / 70% female
- Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse: 5% male / 95% female
IPEDS completions by sex for the five largest programs (aggregate CIPs excluded).
Completions by Race & Ethnicity
Largest group by summed IPEDS award counts across reported programs.
Summed across program completion records in our extract.
Technical College of the Lowcountry graduates earn a median of $35,090 ten years after entry
Finding Earnings, debt, and program mix define the financial profile of Technical College of the Lowcountry.
Evidence Median earnings 10 years after entry: $35,090. Median federal loan debt: $10,000. Average net price used in cost models: $14,724.
Method College Scorecard median earnings (10-year), median debt, and EDsmart ROI / payback models using campus net price.
Interpretation Institution-wide ROI and debt ratios summarize campus averages; program choice still drives individual outcomes.
Limitation Salary reflects median earnings ten years after entry; ROI is not program-specific.
Key takeaway Technical College of the Lowcountry graduates report median earnings of $35,090 ten years after entry—an institution-wide outcomes signal, not a program guarantee.
Return on Investment
Debt and 4-year net cost vs. cumulative 10-year median earnings for Technical College of the Lowcountry.
Top Programs by Completions
Largest 10 programs by IPEDS completions (32 reported codes; aggregate/unknown CIP buckets excluded).
IPEDS award counts for the largest programs at Technical College of the Lowcountry.
Employment Outcomes
Median earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after entry for Technical College of the Lowcountry graduates.
How financially powerful is this institution?
Finding: federal finance and Scorecard instructional fields for Technical College of the Lowcountry—endowment assets (fiscal year 2023), instructional staffing and expenditure. Compared with state, regional, and U.S. medians from EDsmart Data institutional financials.
Institutional endowment
$683,385
End-of-year assets · Fiscal year 2023
- South Carolina median 0.05× the median ($12.8M)
- Southeast median 0.04× the median ($19.4M)
- U.S. median 0.03× the median ($26.4M)
- South Carolina median 0.07× the median ($7,041)
- Southeast median 0.05× the median ($9,308)
- U.S. median 0.04× the median ($12,100)
Instructional Resources
- Full-time faculty share: 38.2%
- South Carolina median 22.6 pp below median (60.7%)
- Southeast median 21.3 pp below median (59.4%)
- U.S. median 19.8 pp below median (58.0%)
- Average faculty salary (monthly): $6,701
- South Carolina median near the median ($6,831)
- Southeast median near the median ($6,825)
- U.S. median 0.88× the median ($7,615)
- Instructional expenditure per FTE: $8,286
- South Carolina median near the median ($8,125)
- Southeast median 1.3× the median ($6,602)
- U.S. median 1.1× the median ($7,288)
Instructional metrics from College Scorecard. Peer medians are campus-level; see the institutional financials deep dive. Detailed non-instructional staff counts are not included here.
Technical College of the Lowcountry at a glance
Technical College of the Lowcountry
Technical College of the Lowcountry is a public institution in Beaufort, SC, classified as Associate's Colleges: High Vocational & Technical-High Traditional.
- Largest programs (IPEDS awards)
- Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal StudiesGeneral StudiesRegistered Nursing/Registered Nurse
- Largest enrollment groups
- White or Caucasian39.0%Black or African American31.1%Hispanic or Latino22.6%
Schools near Technical College of the Lowcountry
Other campuses in Beaufort, SC when available, plus nearby institutions in South Carolina.
Similar schools
Peers matched by the same EDsmart outcomes grade (Grade F) within South Carolina, then by similar ownership and admissions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Technical College of the Lowcountry located?
Technical College of the Lowcountry is located in Beaufort, SC.
What is Technical College of the Lowcountry's tuition?
Technical College of the Lowcountry tuition (published undergraduate sticker price) is $6,156 in the latest College Scorecard data. Average net price after grant aid is $14,724 for undergraduates receiving Title IV aid.
How much does Technical College of the Lowcountry cost?
Reported tuition is $6,156 and average net price is $14,724 in the latest College Scorecard data. On-campus room and board is estimated at $23,382 annually.
What explains Technical College of the Lowcountry's return on investment in EDsmart Data?
EDsmart Data models ROI using campus average net price ($14,724), completion (17.6% within 150% of normal time where reported), and median earnings ten years after entry ($35,090). High completion and strong mid-career earnings relative to net cost raise modeled ROI; the estimate is institution-wide and not program-specific. Debt-to-earnings ratios, when available, further contextualize borrowing pressure. Limitations include suppressed fields, program mix, and labor-market variation over time.
What is the student body demographics at Technical College of the Lowcountry?
Technical College of the Lowcountry reports undergraduate enrollment of about 3,431 students, White (39.0%), Black or African American (31.1%) in federal College Scorecard data.
How many first-generation students attend Technical College of the Lowcountry?
About 44.7% of students at Technical College of the Lowcountry are first-generation college students.
What do graduates of Technical College of the Lowcountry earn?
Median earnings are $34,001 six years after entry and $35,090 ten years after entry.
What is the graduation rate at Technical College of the Lowcountry?
The 150%-time completion rate is 17.6% for the cohort reported to the College Scorecard.
How much debt do Technical College of the Lowcountry students have?
Median federal loan debt among completers is $10,000.
Is Technical College of the Lowcountry public or private?
Technical College of the Lowcountry is a public institution located in Beaufort, SC.
Is Technical College of the Lowcountry an HBCU?
No. Technical College of the Lowcountry is not flagged as an HBCU in the IPEDS institutional directory.
Is Technical College of the Lowcountry a tribal college?
No. Technical College of the Lowcountry is not flagged as a tribal college in IPEDS.
Data Sources
This page uses data from the following sources:
- College Scorecard - U.S. Department of Education
- Institutional characteristics, costs, completion rates, and earnings data
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: collegescorecard.ed.gov
- Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)
- Employment and wage data by occupation
- Latest data: May 2024
- Source: bls.gov/oes
- O*NET Online - U.S. Department of Labor
- Occupational skills, knowledge, abilities, and work activities
- Database version: 28.0 (August 2023)
- Source: onetcenter.org
- IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) - National Center for Education Statistics
- Institutional data, completions, enrollment, and financial aid
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: nces.ed.gov/ipeds
- Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS)
- Demographic and workforce data
- Latest data: 2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates
- Source: census.gov/acs
- Related geography & profiles
Data Processing: All data has been processed, cleaned, and aggregated for presentation. Where specific data points are unavailable, estimates are based on available data and clearly marked.
Last Updated: Data reflects the most recent available information as of January 2025.
Methodology & Data Scope
This profile uses institution-level fields from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, merged with IPEDS directory attributes where needed for locale, ownership, and program completions.
Benchmark rows compare this campus to NCES locale-type medians (for example Suburban) from our processed location extract. Implied U.S. medians are derived from locale-vs-national percentage fields in that extract—not a separate national Scorecard table.