Best Community Colleges in South Carolina by Salary Potential
Want a fulfilling career? Take charge of your future and learn more about South Carolina’s top two-year colleges based on earning potential.
| Rank | School Name | School Sector | Early Career Pay | Mid-Career Pay | % High Meaning | % STEM Degrees |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank:1 | School Name: Greenville Technical College | School Sector:Public | Early Career Pay:$45,500 | Mid-Career Pay:$65,800 | % High Meaning:59% | % STEM Degrees:3% |
| Rank:2 | School Name: Aiken Technical College | School Sector:Public | Early Career Pay:$44,500 | Mid-Career Pay:$64,600 | % High Meaning:65% | % STEM Degrees:8% |
| Rank:3 | School Name: Florence-Darlington Technical College | School Sector:Public | Early Career Pay:$41,700 | Mid-Career Pay:$63,000 | % High Meaning:70% | % STEM Degrees:3% |
| Rank:4 | School Name:_50px.png) Midlands Technical College | School Sector:Public | Early Career Pay:$42,300 | Mid-Career Pay:$62,500 | % High Meaning:65% | % STEM Degrees:3% |
| Rank:5 | School Name: Trident Technical College | School Sector:Public | Early Career Pay:$42,600 | Mid-Career Pay:$62,400 | % High Meaning:65% | % STEM Degrees:10% |
| Rank:6 | School Name: University of South Carolina-Columbia | School Sector:Public | Early Career Pay:$41,200 | Mid-Career Pay:$62,000 | % High Meaning:- | % STEM Degrees:19% |
| Rank:7 | School Name:Technical College of the Lowcountry | School Sector:Public | Early Career Pay:$42,700 | Mid-Career Pay:$61,300 | % High Meaning:70% | % STEM Degrees:2% |
| Rank:8 | School Name:University of South Carolina-Lancaster | School Sector:Public | Early Career Pay:$41,800 | Mid-Career Pay:$60,900 | % High Meaning:- | % STEM Degrees:0% |
| Rank:9 | School Name: York Technical College | School Sector:Public | Early Career Pay:$42,500 | Mid-Career Pay:$60,600 | % High Meaning:62% | % STEM Degrees:5% |
| Rank:10 | School Name:Orangeburg Calhoun Technical College | School Sector:Public | Early Career Pay:$42,400 | Mid-Career Pay:$60,100 | % High Meaning:68% | % STEM Degrees:7% |
| Rank:10 | School Name:_50px.png) Southern Wesleyan University | School Sector:Private not-for-profit | Early Career Pay:$40,800 | Mid-Career Pay:$60,100 | % High Meaning:- | % STEM Degrees:5% |
| Rank:12 | School Name: Tri-County Technical College | School Sector:Public | Early Career Pay:$42,800 | Mid-Career Pay:$60,000 | % High Meaning:53% | % STEM Degrees:1% |
| Rank:12 | School Name:Northeastern Technical College | School Sector:Public | Early Career Pay:$40,100 | Mid-Career Pay:$60,000 | % High Meaning:70% | % STEM Degrees:1% |
| Rank:14 | School Name: Spartanburg Community College | School Sector:Public | Early Career Pay:$41,500 | Mid-Career Pay:$59,700 | % High Meaning:54% | % STEM Degrees:4% |
| Rank:15 | School Name: Limestone University | School Sector:Private not-for-profit | Early Career Pay:$38,200 | Mid-Career Pay:$59,000 | % High Meaning:- | % STEM Degrees:9% |
| Rank:16 | School Name: Horry-Georgetown Technical College | School Sector:Public | Early Career Pay:$40,800 | Mid-Career Pay:$57,800 | % High Meaning:65% | % STEM Degrees:4% |
| Rank:17 | School Name:Central Carolina Technical College | School Sector:Public | Early Career Pay:$39,300 | Mid-Career Pay:$57,000 | % High Meaning:74% | % STEM Degrees:4% |
| Rank:18 | School Name: Piedmont Technical College | School Sector:Public | Early Career Pay:$38,800 | Mid-Career Pay:$56,300 | % High Meaning:63% | % STEM Degrees:5% |
| Rank:19 | School Name: Bob Jones University | School Sector:Private not-for-profit | Early Career Pay:$36,100 | Mid-Career Pay:$53,400 | % High Meaning:- | % STEM Degrees:10% |
| Rank:20 | School Name:Spartanburg Methodist College | School Sector:Private not-for-profit | Early Career Pay:$33,700 | Mid-Career Pay:$52,100 | % High Meaning:- | % STEM Degrees:0% |
| Rank:21 | School Name:Denmark Technical College | School Sector:Public | Early Career Pay:$33,000 | Mid-Career Pay:$49,300 | % High Meaning:- | % STEM Degrees:1% |
Among the best junior colleges in South Carolina, when accounting for median career salaries, Greenville Technical College lands near the top of the list. Nearby is Florence Darlington Technical College.
On the other side of the spectrum, the lowest median career salaries come from Piedmont Technical College, Trident Technical College and Spartanburg Community College.
Students who earn associate degrees from these schools can go on to hold a number of well-paying jobs, with hourly wages ranging anywhere from $12-$27. Such jobs range from Registered Psychiatric Nurse, to Human Resources Specialist, Surgical Technologist, Office Manager, and even Pharmacy Technician. Technical colleges, which most of the schools on this list, also often provide the advantage of being designed for easy transition to a four-year institution, especially if you’re eventually looking to earn a bachelor’s degree without the heavy price tag.