TCL vs. University of South Carolina-Sumter

Should I go to Technical College of the Lowcountry or University of South Carolina Sumter? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if TCL or University of South Carolina-Sumter is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.
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Technical College of the Lowcountry vs. University of South Carolina Sumter comparison
Technical College of the Lowcountry University of South Carolina Sumter College 3 College 4
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Overview

 TCL University of South Carolina-Sumter
Location Beaufort, SC Sumter, SC
Setting Remote Town Small City
Enrollment 2,196 1,537
Type Public 2 Year Public 2 Year
National Ranking
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website tcl.edu uscsumter.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 TCL University of South Carolina-Sumter
Tuition (In State) $5,136 $7,158
Tuition (Out of State) $10,680 $17,838
Room & Board $6,800 $6,840
Avg Net Price $7,257 $10,071
Avg Grant Aid $6,523 $9,212
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 98%

Admission

 TCL University of South Carolina-Sumter
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied - 558
Admitted - 401
Acceptance Rate Open 71.9%
Enrolled % Open 51.6%
Avg High School GPA - 3.19
Typical High School Grades - B
Admissions Standards Unavailable Unavailable
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 16/20
SAT Range 895/1120
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Aug 8, 2025

Academics

 TCL University of South Carolina-Sumter
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Health Professions (25%)
  • Engineering Technology (23%)
  • Mechanic and Repair Technologies (15%)
  • Business (10%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (7%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (100%)

Outcomes

 TCL University of South Carolina-Sumter
Graduation Rate - -
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $29,600 $38,300
Making Student Loan Payments 35% 44%
Median Student Loan Debt $7,500 $10,500
Median Loan Payment $77 $108

Diversity

 TCL University of South Carolina-Sumter
% Men 29% 44%
% Women 71% 56%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 49% 46%
% Black 35% 26%
% Hispanic 11% 4%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 4%
% International 0% 0%
% Unknown Race 2% 19%

Students

 TCL University of South Carolina-Sumter
% In-State 94% 84%
% Out-of-State 6% 8%

Campus

 TCL University of South Carolina-Sumter
Campus Housing No No
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan No No
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes No
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Technical College of the Lowcountry is larger than than University of South Carolina-Sumter based on total student enrollment (2,196 students vs. 1,537 students)

TCL vs. University of South Carolina-Sumter Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, TCL or University of South Carolina-Sumter?

  • University of South Carolina Sumter is 24.8% more expensive to attend than TCL for in-state tuition ($7,158.00 vs. $5,736.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 67% higher at University of South Carolina-Sumter than Technical College of the Lowcountry ($17,838.00 vs. $10,680.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Technical College of the Lowcountry than University of South Carolina-Sumter ($7,257 vs. $10,071)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Technical College of the Lowcountry are 0.6% lower than costs at University of South Carolina Sumter ($6,800 vs. $6,840)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Technical College of the Lowcountry than University of South Carolina Sumter (99% vs. 98%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of South Carolina Sumter students is 41.2% larger than aid received Technical College of the Lowcountry ($9,212 vs. $6,523)

Which college is harder to get into, TCL or University of South Carolina-Sumter? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between University of South Carolina-Sumter or TCL .

TCL vs. University of South Carolina-Sumter Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, TCL or University of South Carolina-Sumter? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between University of South Carolina-Sumter and TCL.

  • Graduates from University of South Carolina Sumter earn on average $8,700 more per year than TCL graduates after ten years. ($38,300 vs. $29,600)
  • Technical College of the Lowcountry students graduate with a $3,000 lower median federal student loan debt than University of South Carolina-Sumter graduates. ($7,500 vs. $10,500)
  • TCL graduates are paying $31 less per month on federal student loans than University of South Carolina-Sumter graduates. ($77 vs. $108)
  • More University of South Carolina-Sumter graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former TCL students, three years after graduation. (44% vs. 35%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/