by our College Data Analytics TeamIt's not easy to decide which school to attend when you have so many options available. One of our goals at College Factual is to give you as much information as we can - such as our Best South Carolina Schools For The Money For Those Making $0-$30k for an Associate ranking - to help you make that decision. The amount of financial aid you could receive at various schools, including some with high sticker prices, may surprise you.
See What's Included in This Value Report:
Our analysis looked at 19 schools in South Carolina to determine which ones have the best value Associate Degree programs. To come up with this ranking of the best value schools, we look at factors that are all objective measurements. In the next few paragraphs, we'll talk a little about what we use in our analysis and why.
The first step of determing the value of a school in our Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k) in South Carolina ranking is to look at the school's average net price for students with families that make $0-$30k a year. The net price is the sum of tuition, fees, and room and board minus any financial aid awarded to the student. But, a school that excels in providing value for your money must also be a great school overall as well.
To take this into account we consider a school's overall Best Colleges ranking which itself looks at a collection of various factors like degree completion, educational resources, student body caliber and post-graduation earnings for the school as a whole.
Find out more about our best value ranking methodology.
Keep scrolling for the top schools in this ranking or select one of the other rankings methods below.
If you know what major you want to study, check out our list of the best value schools by major. If you're interested in other degree levels, you can view one of the lists below.
Learn more about these excellent schools below:
Our analysis found Trident Technical College to be the best value (income $0-$30k) school for associate degrees in South Carolina in this year’s ranking. Trident Technical College is a fairly large public school located in Charleston, South Carolina.
In addition to being included on this ranking as a good value, Trident Technical College is ranked #1 for quality in the state of South Carolina. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes $0-$30k per year is $947.
The quality degree programs at Florence-Darlington Technical College helped the school earn the #2 place on this year’s ranking of Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k) in South Carolina. Florence-Darlington Technical College is a public institution located in Florence, South Carolina.
Florence-Darlington Technical College has the honor of being ranked #8 in South Carolina for overall quality on top of being a good value. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes $0-$30k per year is $1,943.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Aiken Technical College. It ranked #3 on our 2024 Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k) in South Carolina list. This small public school is located in Graniteville, South Carolina.
In addition to being included on this ranking as a good value, Aiken Technical College is ranked #9 for quality in the state of South Carolina. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes $0-$30k per year is $2,033.
A rank of #4 on our Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k) in South Carolina list means Spartanburg Community College is a great place for students working on their degree. Spartanburg, South Carolina is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. It is a public school.
Not only is Spartanburg Community College a great value, but it is also ranked #11 in South Carolina for overall quality. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes $0-$30k per year is $1,690.
Out of the 19 associate degree schools in South Carolina that were part of this year’s ranking, Tri-County Technical College landed the #5 spot on the list. Located in Pendleton, South Carolina, the school is a medium-sized public institution.
Not only is Tri-County Technical College a great value, but it is also ranked #7 in South Carolina for overall quality. Students from families who make $0-$30k a year pay an annual average net price of $2,504.
Midlands Technical College did quite well in the 2024 Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k) in South Carolina ranking, coming in at #6. MTC is located in West Columbia, South Carolina and has a medium-sized student population. It is a public school.
Not only is Midlands Technical College a great value, but it is also ranked #4 in South Carolina for overall quality. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes $0-$30k per year is $4,394.
With a ranking of #7, Greenville Technical College did quite well on the 2024 Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k) in South Carolina list. GTC is a medium-sized public school situated in Greenville, South Carolina.
Not only is Greenville Technical College a great value, but it is also ranked #2 in South Carolina for overall quality. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes $0-$30k per year is $6,979.
York Technical College landed the #8 spot on the 2024 Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k) in South Carolina ranking. York Technical College is a small public school situated in Rock Hill, South Carolina.
York Technical College has the honor of being ranked #6 in South Carolina for overall quality on top of being a good value. Students from families who make $0-$30k a year pay an annual average net price of $4,189.
Orangeburg Calhoun Technical College did quite well in the 2024 Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k) in South Carolina ranking, coming in at #9. Orangeburg, South Carolina is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. It is a public school.
Orangeburg Calhoun Technical College has the honor of being ranked #5 in South Carolina for overall quality on top of being a good value. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes $0-$30k per year is $4,968.
Horry-Georgetown Technical College did quite well in the 2024 Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k) in South Carolina ranking, coming in at #10. Conway, South Carolina is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. It is a public school.
Horry-Georgetown Technical College has the honor of being ranked #14 in South Carolina for overall quality on top of being a good value. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes $0-$30k per year is $3,312.
Central Carolina Technical College came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k) in South Carolina ranking. Central Carolina Technical College is a small public school located in Sumter, South Carolina.
Central Carolina Technical College has the honor of being ranked #13 in South Carolina for overall quality on top of being a good value. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes $0-$30k per year is $3,771.
Read full value report on Central Carolina Technical College
Technical College of the Lowcountry landed the #12 spot on the 2024 Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k) in South Carolina ranking. This small public school is located in Beaufort, South Carolina.
Not only is Technical College of the Lowcountry a great value, but it is also ranked #12 in South Carolina for overall quality. Students from families who make $0-$30k a year pay an annual average net price of $6,509.
With a ranking of #13, Piedmont Technical College did quite well on the 2024 Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k) in South Carolina list. Piedmont Technical College is a small public school situated in Greenwood, South Carolina.
In addition to being included on this ranking as a good value, Piedmont Technical College is ranked #10 for quality in the state of South Carolina. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes $0-$30k per year is $10,586.
University of South Carolina - Sumter did quite well in the 2024 Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k) in South Carolina ranking, coming in at #14. This small public school is located in Sumter, South Carolina.
University of South Carolina - Sumter has the honor of being ranked #16 in South Carolina for overall quality on top of being a good value. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes $0-$30k per year is $7,555.
Learn More About Value at University of South Carolina - Sumter
University of South Carolina - Lancaster came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k) in South Carolina ranking. Located in Lancaster, South Carolina, the school is a small public institution.
Not only is University of South Carolina - Lancaster a great value, but it is also ranked #18 in South Carolina for overall quality. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes $0-$30k per year is $6,989.
Learn More About Value at University of South Carolina - Lancaster
Spartanburg Methodist College did quite well in the 2024 Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k) in South Carolina ranking, coming in at #16. SMC is located in Spartanburg, South Carolina and has a small student population. It is a private not-for-profit school.
In addition to being included on this ranking as a good value, Spartanburg Methodist College is ranked #15 for quality in the state of South Carolina. The average yearly net price for a student whose family makes $0-$30k per year is $9,760.
University of South Carolina - Union came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k) in South Carolina ranking. Located in Union, South Carolina, the school is a small public institution.
In addition to being included on this ranking as a good value, University of South Carolina - Union is ranked #17 for quality in the state of South Carolina. Students from families who make $0-$30k a year pay an annual average net price of $8,907.
Read full value report on University of South Carolina - Union
South University, Columbia landed the #18 spot on the 2024 Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k) in South Carolina ranking. Located in Columbia, South Carolina, the school is a small private for-profit institution.
South University, Columbia has the honor of being ranked #3 in South Carolina for overall quality on top of being a good value. Students from families who make $0-$30k a year pay an annual average net price of $19,746.
Miller-Motte College Charleston ranked #19 on this year’s Best Associate Degree Colleges for the Money (Income $0-$30k) in South Carolina list. MMC Charleston is a small private for-profit school situated in Charleston, South Carolina.
In addition to being included on this ranking as a good value, Miller-Motte College Charleston is ranked #19 for quality in the state of South Carolina. Students from families who make $0-$30k a year pay an annual average net price of $22,155.
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Footnotes
*These averages are for the top 19 schools only.
More about our data sources and methodologies.