TCL vs. Trident Technical College

Comparable Facts

Compare Technical College of the Lowcountry in Beaufort, 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 TCL based on total student enrollment (13,552 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); Trident Technical College is in Charleston, SC (Small City setting).
• Technical College of the Lowcountry is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Trident Technical College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Technical College of the Lowcountry 14:1; Trident Technical College 21:1.

TCL vs. Trident Technical College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, TCL 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 TCL ($1,818 vs. $15,776).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Trident Technical College are 58.9% lower than at Technical College of the Lowcountry ($9,600 vs. $23,382).
• Technical College of the Lowcountry is 33.8% more expensive for in-state tuition than Trident Technical College (about $1,706 more per year; $6,756.00 vs. $5,050.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 38.2% higher at TCL than at Trident Technical College (about $3,296 more per year; $11,916.00 vs. $8,620.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Technical College of the Lowcountry than at Trident Technical College (94% vs. 93%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Trident Technical College students is 115.2% larger than aid received by Technical College of the Lowcountry students ($10,831 vs. $5,033).

TCL vs. Trident Technical College Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, TCL 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 TCL.

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

TCL vs. Trident Technical College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for TCL 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 $4,300 more per year than TCL graduates about ten years after starting college ($33,900 vs. $29,600), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Technical College of the Lowcountry graduates have a $8,272 lower median loan debt than Trident Technical College graduates ($7,500 vs. $15,772).
• Among borrowers, TCL graduates have an estimated $86 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Trident Technical College graduates ($77 vs. $163).
• More TCL graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Trident Technical College students, three years after graduation. (35% vs. 30%)

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.