TCL vs. CCTC

Deciding between Technical College of the Lowcountry and Central Carolina Technical College? The table below shows tuition, aid, admissions, and outcomes side by side. Data comes from public sources across more than 3,000 U.S. colleges and universities. No account is required.

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

  • Overview

  • Location
  • TCL Beaufort, SC
  • CCTC Sumter, SC
  • Setting
  • TCL Remote Town
  • CCTC Small City
  • Total enrollment
  • TCL 2,461
  • CCTC 2,825
  • Type
  • TCL Public 2 Year
  • CCTC Public 2 Year
  • National Ranking
  • TCL
  • CCTC
  • Religious Affiliation
  • TCL -
  • CCTC -
  • Status
  • TCL Non-profit
  • CCTC Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • TCL
  • CCTC

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • TCL $6,156
  • CCTC $5,715
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • TCL $11,916
  • CCTC $9,016
  • Room & Board
  • TCL $23,382
  • CCTC $7,676
  • Average Net Price
  • TCL $15,776
  • CCTC $5,685
  • Average Grant Aid
  • TCL $5,033
  • CCTC $7,757
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • TCL 94%
  • CCTC 95%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • TCL -
  • CCTC -
  • Admitted
  • TCL -
  • CCTC -
  • Acceptance Rate
  • TCL Open
  • CCTC Open
  • Enrolled
  • TCL Open
  • CCTC Open
  • Typical SAT score
  • TCL
  • CCTC
  • Typical ACT score
  • TCL
  • CCTC
  • Average High School GPA
  • TCL -
  • CCTC -
  • Typical High School Grades
  • TCL -
  • CCTC -
  • Admissions Standards
  • TCL Unavailable
  • CCTC Unavailable
  • Applicant Competition
  • TCL
  • CCTC
  • ACT Range
  • TCL
  • CCTC
  • SAT Range
  • TCL
  • CCTC
  • Submit Test Scores
  • TCL Open admission
  • CCTC Open admission
  • Application Deadline
  • TCL
  • CCTC

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • TCL 14:1
  • CCTC 16:1
  • Popular Majors
  • TCL
    • Health Professions (25%)
    • Engineering Technology (23%)
    • Mechanic and Repair Technologies (15%)
    • Business (10%)
    • Liberal Arts and Humanities (7%)
  • CCTC
    • Health Professions (31%)
    • Liberal Arts and Humanities (30%)
    • Business (10%)
    • Work and Family Studies (6%)
    • Precision Production Trades (5%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • TCL -
  • CCTC -
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • TCL $29,600
  • CCTC $28,400
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • TCL 35%
  • CCTC 24%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • TCL $7,500
  • CCTC $8,540
  • Median Loan Payment
  • TCL $77
  • CCTC $88

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • TCL 34%
  • CCTC 32%
  • % Women
  • TCL 66%
  • CCTC 68%
  • Racial Diversity
  • TCL High
  • CCTC Medium
  • HBCU
  • TCL No
  • CCTC No
  • % White
  • TCL 49%
  • CCTC 47%
  • % Asian
  • TCL 1%
  • CCTC 1%
  • % Black
  • TCL 35%
  • CCTC 45%
  • % Hispanic
  • TCL 11%
  • CCTC 3%
  • % Native American
  • TCL 0%
  • CCTC 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • TCL 0%
  • CCTC 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • TCL 2%
  • CCTC 1%
  • % International
  • TCL 0%
  • CCTC 0%
  • % Unknown Race
  • TCL 2%
  • CCTC 3%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • TCL 94%
  • CCTC 99%
  • % Out-of-State
  • TCL 6%
  • CCTC 1%

  • Campus

  • Campus Housing
  • TCL No
  • CCTC No
  • Freshman Dorm Required
  • TCL No
  • CCTC No
  • Meal Plan
  • TCL No
  • CCTC No
  • Weekend/Evening Classes
  • TCL Yes
  • CCTC Yes
  • Daycare Facility
  • TCL No
  • CCTC No

Comparable Facts

Compare Technical College of the Lowcountry in Beaufort, SC with Central Carolina Technical College in Sumter, SC on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Central Carolina Technical College is larger than TCL based on total student enrollment (2,825 students vs. 2,461 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Technical College of the Lowcountry is located in Beaufort, SC (Remote Town setting); Central Carolina Technical College is in Sumter, SC (Small City setting).
  • Technical College of the Lowcountry is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Central Carolina Technical College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Technical College of the Lowcountry 14:1; Central Carolina Technical College 16:1.

TCL vs. CCTC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, TCL or CCTC? 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 Central Carolina Technical College than TCL ($5,685 vs. $15,776).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Central Carolina Technical College are 67.2% lower than at Technical College of the Lowcountry ($7,676 vs. $23,382).
  • Technical College of the Lowcountry is 2.5% more expensive for in-state tuition than CCTC (about $162 more per year; $6,756.00 vs. $6,594.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 32.2% higher at TCL than at Central Carolina Technical College (about $2,900 more per year; $11,916.00 vs. $9,016.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Central Carolina Technical College than at Technical College of the Lowcountry (95% vs. 94%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Central Carolina Technical College students is 54.1% larger than aid received by Technical College of the Lowcountry students ($7,757 vs. $5,033).

TCL vs. CCTC Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, TCL or CCTC? 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 CCTC and TCL.

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

TCL vs. CCTC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for TCL and CCTC? 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 Technical College of the Lowcountry earn a median of about $1,200 more per year than CCTC graduates about ten years after starting college ($29,600 vs. $28,400), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, Technical College of the Lowcountry graduates have a $1,040 lower median loan debt than CCTC graduates ($7,500 vs. $8,540).
  • Among borrowers, TCL graduates have an estimated $11 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than CCTC graduates ($77 vs. $88).
  • More TCL graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former CCTC students, three years after graduation. (35% 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.