Tri-County Technical College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Tri-County Technical College charges a net price of $14,670/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $58,680. Median earnings ten years after entry are $40,101, 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, Tri-County Technical College does not clear its cost — it ranks #30 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) | $14,670/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $58,680 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $40,101 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$8,259/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $9,000 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$223,860 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Tri-County Technical College's own numbers. Net price $14,670 × 4 years = $58,680 total. Median earnings $40,101 fall $8,259 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 $58,680 bill in about 5.9 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Tri-County Technical College students graduate with?
A median $9,000 in federal loans among completers, or 22% of the $40,101 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Tri-County Technical College students graduate?
42% finish their degree — 58% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $58,680 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $139,714 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Tri-County Technical College expensive compared with other South Carolina colleges?
Its $14,670 net price runs $1,325 below the $15,995 median across the 60 South Carolina colleges we profile, and $5,298 less across the full degree.