Piedmont Technical College vs. Trident Technical College

Comparable Facts

Compare Piedmont Technical College in Greenwood, SC with Trident Technical College in Charleston, SC on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Trident Technical College is larger than Piedmont Technical College based on total student enrollment (13,552 students vs. 5,143 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Piedmont Technical College is located in Greenwood, SC (Distant Town setting); Trident Technical College is in Charleston, SC (Small City setting).
• Piedmont Technical College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Trident Technical College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Piedmont Technical College 18:1; Trident Technical College 21:1.

Piedmont Technical College vs. Trident Technical College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Piedmont Technical College or Trident Technical College? 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 Trident Technical College than Piedmont Technical College ($1,818 vs. $11,476).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Trident Technical College are 41.1% lower than at Piedmont Technical College ($9,600 vs. $16,308).
• Piedmont Technical College is 12.4% more expensive for in-state tuition than Trident Technical College (about $625 more per year; $5,675.00 vs. $5,050.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 24.5% higher at Trident Technical College than at Piedmont Technical College (about $1,697 more per year; $8,620.00 vs. $6,923.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Piedmont Technical College than at Trident Technical College (98% vs. 93%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Trident Technical College students is 17% larger than aid received by Piedmont Technical College students ($10,831 vs. $9,254).

Piedmont Technical College vs. Trident Technical College Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Piedmont Technical College or Trident Technical College? 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 Trident Technical College 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; Trident Technical College - Open admission.

Piedmont Technical College vs. Trident Technical College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Piedmont Technical College and Trident Technical College? 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 Trident Technical College earn a median of about $5,700 more per year than Piedmont Technical College graduates about ten years after starting college ($33,900 vs. $28,200), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Piedmont Technical College graduates have a $5,592 lower median loan debt than Trident Technical College graduates ($10,180 vs. $15,772).
• Among borrowers, Piedmont Technical College graduates have an estimated $58 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Trident Technical College graduates ($105 vs. $163).
• More Trident Technical College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Piedmont Technical College students, three years after graduation. (30% 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.