State cost ranking · DOE College Scorecard

Cheapest Colleges in South Carolina

Name: South Carolina College Net Price Rankings
Creator: PlainCampus

Private campuses outnumber public ones on this South Carolina list (48 vs 33); Trident Technical College still leads on average net price at $1,406.

Compiled by PlainCampus , Independent campus-safety data publisher

$1,406
Cheapest net price: $16,525
South Carolina median: 81
Schools ranked

Trident Technical College has the lowest average net price in South Carolina among Scorecard reporters

According to the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, Trident Technical College posts the lowest average net price in South Carolina at $1,406 among 81 ranked schools, with the state median 3% below the $17,124 national median. Net price is what students paid after grant aid, not sticker tuition, and can reflect a narrow enrollment mix at specialty schools.

Data source U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard

Cheapest net price: $1,406
South Carolina median: $16,525
Schools ranked: 81
National median: $17,124

Data updated August 2026 · IPEDS 2022–23 vintage

The list in one line

Trident Technical College has the lowest average net price in South Carolina at $1,406/year, and the state's median net price is 3% below the $17,124 national median across 4,965 schools.

$1,406
cheapest ranked net price: $16,525
South Carolina median net price: 33 public / 48 private
schools in this ranking: $14,108
avg net price, <$30K income families

Average net price blends every income bracket; families under $30k average $14,108 here. Loans are excluded, open a school profile for the bracket table before treating one average as a personal cost.

Sticker tuition and real net price diverge most at Wofford College, where in-state published tuition of $56,005 falls to an average net price of $18,732 after aid, a $37,273 gap, the widest sticker-to-net gap among ranked South Carolina schools.

Private campuses outnumber public ones here (48 vs 33). A low figure at a small religious or specialty school can reflect a narrow enrollment mix, check sector and enrollment beside the price.

The bar to make this top-25 list is $11,641. Here is where that cutoff sits among all 81 Scorecard-reporting South Carolina schools:

The bar to make South Carolina's top-25 cheapest list

Average net price after aid · 81 Scorecard-reporting schools

$11,641 Among the most affordable more affordable than 69% of 81 South Carolina colleges

Show national distribution

Each bar is a $4K-wide band; taller bars hold more South Carolina colleges. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard · 2022–23

South Carolina's 25 cheapest colleges by real net price

Trident Technical CollegeCharleston, SC · Public

Avg net price: $1,406
Net price (<$30K income): $1,057
Median debt: $13,029
Median earnings, 6yr: $33,306
Enrollment: 13,552

Florence-Darlington Technical CollegeFlorence, SC · Public

Avg net price: $2,004
Net price (<$30K income): $1,589
Median debt: $12,250
Median earnings, 6yr: $27,042
Enrollment: 3,522

Spartanburg Community CollegeSpartanburg, SC · Public

Avg net price: $2,405
Net price (<$30K income): $2,669
Median debt: $6,500
Median earnings, 6yr: $33,460
Enrollment: 6,653

Horry-Georgetown Technical CollegeConway, SC · Public

Avg net price: $4,159
Net price (<$30K income): $3,673
Median debt: $14,250
Median earnings, 6yr: $31,547
Enrollment: 7,923

Midlands Technical CollegeWest Columbia, SC · Public

Avg net price: $4,647
Net price (<$30K income): $3,429
Median debt: $12,000
Median earnings, 6yr: $33,067
Enrollment: 9,226

Aiken Technical CollegeGraniteville, SC · Public

Avg net price: $4,807
Net price (<$30K income): $4,566
Median debt: $12,250
Median earnings, 6yr: $32,231
Enrollment: 2,307

Central Carolina Technical CollegeSumter, SC · Public

Avg net price: $5,571
Net price (<$30K income): $5,526
Median debt: $9,977
Median earnings, 6yr: $28,887
Enrollment: 2,825

York Technical CollegeRock Hill, SC · Public

Avg net price: $5,931
Net price (<$30K income): $5,749
Median debt: $7,000
Median earnings, 6yr: $32,929
Enrollment: 4,771

Orangeburg Calhoun Technical CollegeOrangeburg, SC · Public

Avg net price: $6,186
Net price (<$30K income): $7,122
Median debt: $10,562
Median earnings, 6yr: $31,617
Enrollment: 2,106

Northeastern Technical CollegeCheraw, SC · Public

Avg net price: $6,913
Net price (<$30K income): $7,012
Median debt: -
Median earnings, 6yr: $28,856
Enrollment: 1,428

University of South Carolina-SumterSumter, SC · Public

Avg net price: $7,712
Net price (<$30K income): $5,894
Median debt: $9,250
Median earnings, 6yr: $36,439
Enrollment: 1,845

University of South Carolina-UnionUnion, SC · Public

Avg net price: $8,065
Net price (<$30K income): $7,340
Median debt: $11,000
Median earnings, 6yr: $34,202
Enrollment: 1,402

Personal Touch Beauty and Barber CollegeKingstree, SC · Private for-profit

Avg net price: $8,905
Net price (<$30K income): $8,905
Median debt: -
Median earnings, 6yr: -
Enrollment: 7

Academy for Careers and TechnologyMullins, SC · Public

Avg net price: $8,969
Net price (<$30K income): $8,969
Median debt: -
Median earnings, 6yr: $42,099
Enrollment: 37

University of South Carolina-SalkehatchieAllendale, SC · Public

Avg net price: $9,229
Net price (<$30K income): $8,535
Median debt: $11,000
Median earnings, 6yr: $28,655
Enrollment: 799

University of South Carolina-LancasterLancaster, SC · Public

Avg net price: $9,801
Net price (<$30K income): $6,306
Median debt: $9,616
Median earnings, 6yr: $35,206
Enrollment: 2,687

Williamsburg Technical CollegeKingstree, SC · Public

Avg net price: $9,887
Net price (<$30K income): $8,307
Median debt: -
Median earnings, 6yr: $29,427
Enrollment: 668

Strand College of Hair DesignMyrtle Beach, SC · Private for-profit

Avg net price: $9,998
Net price (<$30K income): $8,650
Median debt: $6,333
Median earnings, 6yr: $25,974
Enrollment: 70

Vski Cosmetology SchoolCharleston, SC · Private nonprofit

Avg net price: $10,578
Net price (<$30K income): $10,578
Median debt: -
Median earnings, 6yr: -
Enrollment: 31

Allen UniversityColumbia, SC · Private nonprofit

Avg net price: $10,972
Net price (<$30K income): $10,553
Median debt: $34,290
Median earnings, 6yr: $23,889
Enrollment: 610

Piedmont Technical CollegeGreenwood, SC · Public

Avg net price: $11,366
Net price (<$30K income): $11,778
Median debt: $15,000
Median earnings, 6yr: $31,430
Enrollment: 5,143

Francis Marion UniversityFlorence, SC · Public

Avg net price: $11,386
Net price (<$30K income): $9,723
Median debt: $27,000
Median earnings, 6yr: $36,304
Enrollment: 4,112

Academy of Hair TechnologyGreenville, SC · Private for-profit

Avg net price: $11,409
Net price (<$30K income): $11,409
Median debt: $3,417
Median earnings, 6yr: $17,132
Enrollment: 58

Clinton CollegeRock Hill, SC · Private nonprofit

Avg net price: $11,458
Net price (<$30K income): $11,105
Median debt: $28,987
Median earnings, 6yr: $24,047
Enrollment: 126

University of South Carolina AikenAiken, SC · Public

Avg net price: $11,641
Net price (<$30K income): $8,987
Median debt: $24,275
Median earnings, 6yr: $39,689
Enrollment: 4,022

#	College	Avg net price	Net price (<$30K income)	Median debt	Median earnings, 6yr	Enrollment
1	Trident Technical CollegeCharleston, SC · Public	$1,406	$1,057	$13,029	$33,306	13,552
2	Florence-Darlington Technical CollegeFlorence, SC · Public	$2,004	$1,589	$12,250	$27,042	3,522
3	Spartanburg Community CollegeSpartanburg, SC · Public	$2,405	$2,669	$6,500	$33,460	6,653
4	Horry-Georgetown Technical CollegeConway, SC · Public	$4,159	$3,673	$14,250	$31,547	7,923
5	Midlands Technical CollegeWest Columbia, SC · Public	$4,647	$3,429	$12,000	$33,067	9,226
6	Aiken Technical CollegeGraniteville, SC · Public	$4,807	$4,566	$12,250	$32,231	2,307
7	Central Carolina Technical CollegeSumter, SC · Public	$5,571	$5,526	$9,977	$28,887	2,825
8	York Technical CollegeRock Hill, SC · Public	$5,931	$5,749	$7,000	$32,929	4,771
9	Orangeburg Calhoun Technical CollegeOrangeburg, SC · Public	$6,186	$7,122	$10,562	$31,617	2,106
10	Northeastern Technical CollegeCheraw, SC · Public	$6,913	$7,012	-	$28,856	1,428
11	University of South Carolina-SumterSumter, SC · Public	$7,712	$5,894	$9,250	$36,439	1,845
12	University of South Carolina-UnionUnion, SC · Public	$8,065	$7,340	$11,000	$34,202	1,402
13	Personal Touch Beauty and Barber CollegeKingstree, SC · Private for-profit	$8,905	$8,905	-	-	7
14	Academy for Careers and TechnologyMullins, SC · Public	$8,969	$8,969	-	$42,099	37
15	University of South Carolina-SalkehatchieAllendale, SC · Public	$9,229	$8,535	$11,000	$28,655	799
16	University of South Carolina-LancasterLancaster, SC · Public	$9,801	$6,306	$9,616	$35,206	2,687
17	Williamsburg Technical CollegeKingstree, SC · Public	$9,887	$8,307	-	$29,427	668
18	Strand College of Hair DesignMyrtle Beach, SC · Private for-profit	$9,998	$8,650	$6,333	$25,974	70
19	Vski Cosmetology SchoolCharleston, SC · Private nonprofit	$10,578	$10,578	-	-	31
20	Allen UniversityColumbia, SC · Private nonprofit	$10,972	$10,553	$34,290	$23,889	610
21	Piedmont Technical CollegeGreenwood, SC · Public	$11,366	$11,778	$15,000	$31,430	5,143
22	Francis Marion UniversityFlorence, SC · Public	$11,386	$9,723	$27,000	$36,304	4,112
23	Academy of Hair TechnologyGreenville, SC · Private for-profit	$11,409	$11,409	$3,417	$17,132	58
24	Clinton CollegeRock Hill, SC · Private nonprofit	$11,458	$11,105	$28,987	$24,047	126
25	University of South Carolina AikenAiken, SC · Public	$11,641	$8,987	$24,275	$39,689	4,022

Showing the 25 cheapest of 81 Scorecard-reporting South Carolina schools. The remaining 56 are ranked in the same net-price order but omitted from this HTML table so the page stays crawlable.

Look up any institution's exact rank via My School Profile, or open its school page for income-bracket net price, debt, and earnings.

All 51 states → | South Carolina campus safety → | Find your school's rank → | Methodology →

What this means for you

Use South Carolina's ranking as a starting point, real net price depends on your specific financial-aid package.

Trident Technical College reports the lowest average net price in South Carolina, but "average" blends every income bracket, check your bracket's figure before assuming it applies to you. View Trident Technical College
See your specific school's in-state cost rank and nearest-price peers. My School Profile
Compare campus safety alongside cost before deciding. South Carolina safety

Figures reflect the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard IPEDS 2022–23 release.

Average net price = the institution-reported average amount students actually paid after all grant and scholarship aid, excluding loans. Only schools with a reported average net price in the DOE College Scorecard dataset are ranked. This page lists the 25 cheapest; the title count is the full Scorecard-reporting cohort for South Carolina. Schools with fewer than 10 net-price-reporting institutions in a state or territory are not given a dedicated ranking page.

Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard IPEDS 2022–23

Every figure on PlainCampus is rendered directly from federal Clery Act source data, no number is typed in by an editor. Every ranked figure on this page is queried directly from the DOE College Scorecard dataset at request time; no number is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.

PlainCampus is for informational purposes only and does not constitute safety, security, legal, or enrollment advice; the data describes reported on-campus activity, it is not a complete picture of safety at any campus and cannot predict any individual student's experience. See our appropriate use guidance.

South Carolina's 25 cheapest colleges by real net price

Related