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.

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RankSchool NameSchool SectorEarly Career Pay
Mid-Career Pay
% High Meaning
% STEM Degrees
Rank:1School Name:Greenville Technical CollegeSchool Sector:PublicEarly Career Pay:$45,500Mid-Career Pay:$65,800% High Meaning:59%% STEM Degrees:3%
Rank:2School Name:Aiken Technical CollegeSchool Sector:PublicEarly Career Pay:$44,500Mid-Career Pay:$64,600% High Meaning:65%% STEM Degrees:8%
Rank:3School Name:Florence-Darlington Technical CollegeSchool Sector:PublicEarly Career Pay:$41,700Mid-Career Pay:$63,000% High Meaning:70%% STEM Degrees:3%
Rank:4School Name:Midlands Technical CollegeSchool Sector:PublicEarly Career Pay:$42,300Mid-Career Pay:$62,500% High Meaning:65%% STEM Degrees:3%
Rank:5School Name:Trident Technical CollegeSchool Sector:PublicEarly Career Pay:$42,600Mid-Career Pay:$62,400% High Meaning:65%% STEM Degrees:10%
Rank:6School Name:University of South Carolina-ColumbiaSchool Sector:PublicEarly Career Pay:$41,200Mid-Career Pay:$62,000% High Meaning:-% STEM Degrees:19%
Rank:7School Name:Technical College of the LowcountrySchool Sector:PublicEarly Career Pay:$42,700Mid-Career Pay:$61,300% High Meaning:70%% STEM Degrees:2%
Rank:8School Name:University of South Carolina-LancasterSchool Sector:PublicEarly Career Pay:$41,800Mid-Career Pay:$60,900% High Meaning:-% STEM Degrees:0%
Rank:9School Name:York Technical CollegeSchool Sector:PublicEarly Career Pay:$42,500Mid-Career Pay:$60,600% High Meaning:62%% STEM Degrees:5%
Rank:10School Name:Orangeburg Calhoun Technical CollegeSchool Sector:PublicEarly Career Pay:$42,400Mid-Career Pay:$60,100% High Meaning:68%% STEM Degrees:7%
Rank:10School Name:Southern Wesleyan UniversitySchool Sector:Private not-for-profitEarly Career Pay:$40,800Mid-Career Pay:$60,100% High Meaning:-% STEM Degrees:5%
Rank:12School Name:Tri-County Technical CollegeSchool Sector:PublicEarly Career Pay:$42,800Mid-Career Pay:$60,000% High Meaning:53%% STEM Degrees:1%
Rank:12School Name:Northeastern Technical CollegeSchool Sector:PublicEarly Career Pay:$40,100Mid-Career Pay:$60,000% High Meaning:70%% STEM Degrees:1%
Rank:14School Name:Spartanburg Community CollegeSchool Sector:PublicEarly Career Pay:$41,500Mid-Career Pay:$59,700% High Meaning:54%% STEM Degrees:4%
Rank:15School Name:Limestone UniversitySchool Sector:Private not-for-profitEarly Career Pay:$38,200Mid-Career Pay:$59,000% High Meaning:-% STEM Degrees:9%
Rank:16School Name:Horry-Georgetown Technical CollegeSchool Sector:PublicEarly Career Pay:$40,800Mid-Career Pay:$57,800% High Meaning:65%% STEM Degrees:4%
Rank:17School Name:Central Carolina Technical CollegeSchool Sector:PublicEarly Career Pay:$39,300Mid-Career Pay:$57,000% High Meaning:74%% STEM Degrees:4%
Rank:18School Name:Piedmont Technical CollegeSchool Sector:PublicEarly Career Pay:$38,800Mid-Career Pay:$56,300% High Meaning:63%% STEM Degrees:5%
Rank:19School Name:Bob Jones UniversitySchool Sector:Private not-for-profitEarly Career Pay:$36,100Mid-Career Pay:$53,400% High Meaning:-% STEM Degrees:10%
Rank:20School Name:Spartanburg Methodist CollegeSchool Sector:Private not-for-profitEarly Career Pay:$33,700Mid-Career Pay:$52,100% High Meaning:-% STEM Degrees:0%
Rank:21School Name:Denmark Technical CollegeSchool Sector:PublicEarly Career Pay:$33,000Mid-Career Pay:$49,300% High Meaning:-% STEM Degrees:1%

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College Student

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.