Piedmont Technical College vs. TCTC

Comparable Facts

Compare Piedmont Technical College in Greenwood, 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 Piedmont Technical College based on total student enrollment (5,890 students vs. 5,143 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Piedmont Technical College is located in Greenwood, SC (Distant Town setting); Tri County Technical College is in Pendleton, SC (Rural Fringe setting).
• Piedmont 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: Piedmont Technical College 18:1; Tri County Technical College 20:1.

Piedmont Technical College vs. TCTC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Piedmont 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 Piedmont Technical College than TCTC ($11,476 vs. $16,927).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Piedmont Technical College are 30.5% lower than at Tri County Technical College ($16,308 vs. $23,472).
• Tri County Technical College is 6.3% more expensive for in-state tuition than Piedmont Technical College (about $356 more per year; $6,031.00 vs. $5,675.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 70.7% higher at TCTC than at Piedmont Technical College (about $4,892 more per year; $11,815.00 vs. $6,923.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Piedmont Technical College than at Tri County Technical College (98% vs. 91%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Piedmont Technical College students is 14.2% larger than aid received by Tri County Technical College students ($9,254 vs. $8,105).

Piedmont Technical College vs. TCTC Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Piedmont Technical College or TCTC? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between TCTC and Piedmont Technical College.

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

Piedmont Technical College vs. TCTC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Piedmont Technical College and TCTC? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

• Graduates from Tri County Technical College earn a median of about $2,200 more per year than Piedmont Technical College graduates about ten years after starting college ($30,400 vs. $28,200), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Tri County Technical College graduates have a $2,555 lower median loan debt than Piedmont Technical College graduates ($7,625 vs. $10,180).
• Among borrowers, TCTC graduates have an estimated $27 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Piedmont Technical College graduates ($78 vs. $105).
• More TCTC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Piedmont Technical College students, three years after graduation. (43% vs. 24%)

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.