Trident Technical College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Trident Technical College charges a net price of $1,406/yr after aid — a 2-year total of $2,812. Median earnings ten years after entry are $38,253, 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, Trident Technical College does not clear its cost — it ranks #27 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) | $1,406/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (2 yrs) | $2,812 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $38,253 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$10,107/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $13,029 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$204,952 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Trident Technical College's own numbers. Net price $1,406 × 2 years = $2,812 total. Median earnings $38,253 fall $10,107 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 $2,812 bill in about 0.3 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Trident Technical College students graduate with?
A median $13,029 in federal loans among completers, or 34% of the $38,253 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Trident Technical College students graduate?
30% finish their degree — 70% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $2,812 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $9,373 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Trident Technical College expensive compared with other South Carolina colleges?
Its $1,406 net price runs $14,589 below the $15,995 median across the 60 South Carolina colleges we profile, and $29,177 less across the full degree.