TCL vs. SMC

Deciding between Technical College of the Lowcountry and Spartanburg Methodist 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
  • SMC Spartanburg, SC
  • Setting
  • TCL Remote Town
  • SMC Midsize Suburban
  • Total enrollment
  • TCL 2,461
  • SMC 1,119
  • Type
  • TCL Public 2 Year
  • SMC Private 2 Year
  • National Ranking
  • TCL
  • SMC
  • Religious Affiliation
  • TCL -
  • SMC United Methodist
  • Status
  • TCL Non-profit
  • SMC Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • TCL
  • SMC

  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • TCL $6,156
  • SMC $20,650
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • TCL $11,916
  • SMC $20,650
  • Room & Board
  • TCL $23,382
  • SMC $11,160
  • Average Net Price
  • TCL $15,776
  • SMC $14,799
  • Average Grant Aid
  • TCL $5,033
  • SMC $17,334
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • TCL 94%
  • SMC 100%

  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • TCL -
  • SMC 2,212
  • Admitted
  • TCL -
  • SMC 1,729
  • Acceptance Rate
  • TCL Open
  • SMC 78.2%
  • Enrolled
  • TCL Open
  • SMC 28%
  • Typical SAT score
  • TCL
  • SMC
  • Typical ACT score
  • TCL
  • SMC
  • Average High School GPA
  • TCL -
  • SMC -
  • Typical High School Grades
  • TCL -
  • SMC -
  • Admissions Standards
  • TCL Unavailable
  • SMC Unavailable
  • Applicant Competition
  • TCL
  • SMC
  • ACT Range
  • TCL
  • SMC
  • SAT Range
  • TCL
  • SMC
  • Submit Test Scores
  • TCL Open admission
  • SMC Test-free
  • Application Deadline
  • TCL
  • SMC

  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • TCL 14:1
  • SMC 16:1
  • Popular Majors
  • TCL
    • Health Professions (25%)
    • Engineering Technology (23%)
    • Mechanic and Repair Technologies (15%)
    • Business (10%)
    • Liberal Arts and Humanities (7%)
  • SMC
    • Liberal Arts and Humanities (83%)
    • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (14%)
    • Philosophy and Religious Studies (2%)

  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • TCL -
  • SMC -
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • TCL $29,600
  • SMC $34,400
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • TCL 35%
  • SMC 46%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • TCL $7,500
  • SMC $12,000
  • Median Loan Payment
  • TCL $77
  • SMC $124

  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • TCL 34%
  • SMC 43%
  • % Women
  • TCL 66%
  • SMC 57%
  • Racial Diversity
  • TCL High
  • SMC High
  • HBCU
  • TCL No
  • SMC No
  • % White
  • TCL 49%
  • SMC 57%
  • % Asian
  • TCL 1%
  • SMC 1%
  • % Black
  • TCL 35%
  • SMC 33%
  • % Hispanic
  • TCL 11%
  • SMC 7%
  • % Native American
  • TCL 0%
  • SMC 0%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • TCL 0%
  • SMC 0%
  • % Two or More Races
  • TCL 2%
  • SMC 1%
  • % International
  • TCL 0%
  • SMC 1%
  • % Unknown Race
  • TCL 2%
  • SMC 0%

  • Students

  • % In-State
  • TCL 94%
  • SMC 98%
  • % Out-of-State
  • TCL 6%
  • SMC 2%

  • Campus

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

Comparable Facts

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

Technical College of the Lowcountry is larger than SMC based on total student enrollment (2,461 students vs. 1,119 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Technical College of the Lowcountry is located in Beaufort, SC (Remote Town setting); Spartanburg Methodist College is in Spartanburg, SC (Midsize Suburban setting).
  • Technical College of the Lowcountry is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Spartanburg Methodist College is a private, non-profit 2-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Technical College of the Lowcountry 14:1; Spartanburg Methodist College 16:1.

TCL vs. SMC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, TCL or SMC? 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 Spartanburg Methodist College than TCL ($14,799 vs. $15,776).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Spartanburg Methodist College are 52.3% lower than at Technical College of the Lowcountry ($11,160 vs. $23,382).
  • Spartanburg Methodist College is 205.7% more expensive for in-state tuition than TCL (about $13,894 more per year; $20,650.00 vs. $6,756.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 73.3% higher at SMC than at Technical College of the Lowcountry (about $8,734 more per year; $20,650.00 vs. $11,916.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Spartanburg Methodist College than at Technical College of the Lowcountry (100% vs. 94%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Spartanburg Methodist College students is 244.4% larger than aid received by Technical College of the Lowcountry students ($17,334 vs. $5,033).

TCL vs. SMC Admissions comparison

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

  • Technical College of the Lowcountry reports an open admissions policy.
  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: TCL - Open admission; SMC - Test-free.

TCL vs. SMC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for TCL and SMC? 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 Spartanburg Methodist College earn a median of about $4,800 more per year than TCL graduates about ten years after starting college ($34,400 vs. $29,600), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, Technical College of the Lowcountry graduates have a $4,500 lower median loan debt than SMC graduates ($7,500 vs. $12,000).
  • Among borrowers, TCL graduates have an estimated $47 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than SMC graduates ($77 vs. $124).
  • More SMC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former TCL students, three years after graduation. (46% vs. 35%)

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.