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:![]() | School Sector:Public | Early Career Pay:$45,500 | Mid-Career Pay:$65,800 | % High Meaning:59% | % STEM Degrees:3% |
Rank:2 | School Name:![]() | School Sector:Public | Early Career Pay:$44,500 | Mid-Career Pay:$64,600 | % High Meaning:65% | % STEM Degrees:8% |
Rank:3 | School Name:![]() | School Sector:Public | Early Career Pay:$41,700 | Mid-Career Pay:$63,000 | % High Meaning:70% | % STEM Degrees:3% |
Rank:4 | School Name:![]() | School Sector:Public | Early Career Pay:$42,300 | Mid-Career Pay:$62,500 | % High Meaning:65% | % STEM Degrees:3% |
Rank:5 | School Name:![]() | School Sector:Public | Early Career Pay:$42,600 | Mid-Career Pay:$62,400 | % High Meaning:65% | % STEM Degrees:10% |
Rank:6 | School Name:![]() | School Sector:Public | Early Career Pay:$41,200 | Mid-Career Pay:$62,000 | % High Meaning:- | % STEM Degrees:19% |
Rank:7 | School Name:![]() | School Sector:Public | Early Career Pay:$42,700 | Mid-Career Pay:$61,300 | % High Meaning:70% | % STEM Degrees:2% |
Rank:8 | School Name:![]() | School Sector:Public | Early Career Pay:$41,800 | Mid-Career Pay:$60,900 | % High Meaning:- | % STEM Degrees:0% |
Rank:9 | School Name:![]() | School Sector:Public | Early Career Pay:$42,500 | Mid-Career Pay:$60,600 | % High Meaning:62% | % STEM Degrees:5% |
Rank:10 | School Name:![]() | School Sector:Public | Early Career Pay:$42,400 | Mid-Career Pay:$60,100 | % High Meaning:68% | % STEM Degrees:7% |
Rank:10 | School Name:![]() | 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:![]() | School Sector:Public | Early Career Pay:$42,800 | Mid-Career Pay:$60,000 | % High Meaning:53% | % STEM Degrees:1% |
Rank:12 | School Name:![]() | School Sector:Public | Early Career Pay:$40,100 | Mid-Career Pay:$60,000 | % High Meaning:70% | % STEM Degrees:1% |
Rank:14 | School Name:![]() | School Sector:Public | Early Career Pay:$41,500 | Mid-Career Pay:$59,700 | % High Meaning:54% | % STEM Degrees:4% |
Rank:15 | School Name:![]() | 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:![]() | School Sector:Public | Early Career Pay:$40,800 | Mid-Career Pay:$57,800 | % High Meaning:65% | % STEM Degrees:4% |
Rank:17 | School Name:![]() | School Sector:Public | Early Career Pay:$39,300 | Mid-Career Pay:$57,000 | % High Meaning:74% | % STEM Degrees:4% |
Rank:18 | School Name:![]() | School Sector:Public | Early Career Pay:$38,800 | Mid-Career Pay:$56,300 | % High Meaning:63% | % STEM Degrees:5% |
Rank:19 | School Name:![]() | 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:![]() | 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:![]() | 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.