Aiken Technical College vs. TCTC

Comparable Facts

Compare Aiken Technical College in Graniteville, SC with Tri County Technical College in Pendleton, SC on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Tri County Technical College is larger than Aiken Technical College based on total student enrollment (5,890 students vs. 2,307 students).

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Aiken Technical College is located in Graniteville, SC (Rural Fringe setting); Tri County Technical College is in Pendleton, SC (Rural Fringe setting).
• Aiken Technical College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Tri County Technical College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Aiken Technical College 15:1; Tri County Technical College 20:1.

Aiken Technical College vs. TCTC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Aiken Technical College or TCTC? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

• The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Aiken Technical College than TCTC ($5,442 vs. $16,927).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Aiken Technical College are 54% lower than at Tri County Technical College ($10,800 vs. $23,472).
• Aiken Technical College is 2.3% more expensive for in-state tuition than TCTC (about $141 more per year; $6,172.00 vs. $6,031.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 49.1% higher at TCTC than at Aiken Technical College (about $3,891 more per year; $11,815.00 vs. $7,924.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Aiken Technical College than at Tri County Technical College (93% vs. 91%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Tri County Technical College students is 14.9% larger than aid received by Aiken Technical College students ($8,105 vs. $7,053).

Aiken Technical College vs. TCTC Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Aiken Technical College or TCTC? Typical SAT and ACT scores (midpoint estimates from the mid-50% ranges in the table above), enrolled-tester score ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between TCTC and Aiken Technical College.

• Both colleges report an open admissions policy; selectivity can still vary by program or major.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Aiken Technical College - Open admission; TCTC - Open admission.

Aiken Technical College vs. TCTC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Aiken Technical College and TCTC? Where federal data is available for both schools, the bullets below compare graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt using the same College Scorecard / IPEDS fields as the comparison table. If a metric is missing for one school, that school is noted separately.

• Graduates from Tri County Technical College earn a median of about $900 more per year than Aiken Technical College graduates about ten years after starting college ($30,400 vs. $29,500), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Tri County Technical College graduates have a $820 lower median loan debt than Aiken Technical College graduates ($7,625 vs. $8,445).
• Among borrowers, TCTC graduates have an estimated $9 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Aiken Technical College graduates ($78 vs. $87).
• More TCTC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Aiken Technical College students, three years after graduation. (43% vs. 38%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.