TCL vs. Piedmont Technical College

Comparable Facts

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

Piedmont Technical College is larger than TCL based on total student enrollment (5,143 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); Piedmont Technical College is in Greenwood, SC (Distant Town setting).
• Technical College of the Lowcountry is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Piedmont Technical College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Technical College of the Lowcountry 14:1; Piedmont Technical College 18:1.

TCL vs. Piedmont Technical College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, TCL or Piedmont 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 Piedmont Technical College than TCL ($11,476 vs. $15,776).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Piedmont Technical College are 30.3% lower than at Technical College of the Lowcountry ($16,308 vs. $23,382).
• Technical College of the Lowcountry is 19% more expensive for in-state tuition than Piedmont Technical College (about $1,081 more per year; $6,756.00 vs. $5,675.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 72.1% higher at TCL than at Piedmont Technical College (about $4,993 more per year; $11,916.00 vs. $6,923.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Piedmont Technical College than at Technical College of the Lowcountry (98% vs. 94%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Piedmont Technical College students is 83.9% larger than aid received by Technical College of the Lowcountry students ($9,254 vs. $5,033).

TCL vs. Piedmont Technical College Admissions comparison

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

TCL vs. Piedmont Technical College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for TCL and Piedmont 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 Technical College of the Lowcountry earn a median of about $1,400 more per year than Piedmont Technical College graduates about ten years after starting college ($29,600 vs. $28,200), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Technical College of the Lowcountry graduates have a $2,680 lower median loan debt than Piedmont Technical College graduates ($7,500 vs. $10,180).
• Among borrowers, TCL graduates have an estimated $28 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Piedmont Technical College graduates ($77 vs. $105).
• More TCL graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Piedmont Technical College 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.