Piedmont Technical College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Piedmont Technical College charges a net price of $11,366/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $45,464. Median earnings ten years after entry are $35,768, below the $48,360 high-school baseline, so on this institution-wide metric the degree does not clear its cost. Program choice is what changes that. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
On institution-wide earnings, Piedmont Technical College does not clear its cost — it ranks #43 of 60 South Carolina colleges we track by ROI. The specific program you pick moves this more than the school average.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $11,366/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $45,464 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $35,768 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$12,592/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $15,000 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$297,304 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Piedmont Technical College's own numbers. Net price $11,366 × 4 years = $45,464 total. Median earnings $35,768 fall $12,592 short of the $48,360 high-school baseline, so the premium this formula divides by is not positive and no break-even year exists on institution-wide pay. A programme here earning $58,360 would clear the $45,464 bill in about 4.5 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Piedmont Technical College students graduate with?
A median $15,000 in federal loans among completers, or 42% of the $35,768 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Piedmont Technical College students graduate?
33% finish their degree — 67% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $45,464 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $137,770 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Piedmont Technical College expensive compared with other South Carolina colleges?
Its $11,366 net price runs $4,629 below the $15,995 median across the 60 South Carolina colleges we profile, and $18,514 less across the full degree.