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Tri-County Technical College

Pendleton, South Carolina · Public technical college

Welding schoolsAuto mechanic schoolsLPN / LVN programsHVAC schoolsCNC & machining programsDental assistant schoolsSurgical technologist programsMedical assistant programs
42%completion rate · South Carolina avg 52%
$9,000median debt of graduates
$37,275median earnings, 6 yrs after entry
$40,101median earnings, 10 yrs after entry
not reportedannual cost of attendance
Yesfederal aid (FAFSA / Pell) eligible
Accreditation: Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing | American Dental Association, Commission on Dental Accreditation | Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (Accredited)
Address: 7900 U.S. Hwy 76, Pendleton, SC 29670 · Phone: (864) 646-8282 · School website ↗ · Verify on College Scorecard ↗
Accountability record (federal accreditation database, last 36 months; Department of Education oversight)
No accreditor sanctions in the last 36 months
Sanctions are probation, warning, show-cause and loss-of-accreditation actions by any recognized accreditor, including program-specific accreditors (a nursing-program probation counts for the campus). Routine monitoring reviews and voluntary withdrawals are not counted. Ask the school what the action concerned and how it was resolved.
Completion rate vs. benchmarks
Tri-County Technical … Tri-County Technical …: 42.4% 42.4% South Carolina average South Carolina average: 52% 52% National average National average: 62.1% 62.1%

What these trades pay once you're working

OccupationStarting (10th pct)MedianExperienced (75th)
Welders, cutters, solderers and brazers$38,720$49,980$58,370
Automotive service technicians and mechanics$31,200$48,100$63,610
Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses$50,370$61,820$71,220
HVAC and refrigeration mechanics and installers$39,170$56,610$62,990
Machinists$38,270$57,970$65,290
Dental assistants$37,070$47,320$50,780
Surgical technologists$38,830$62,160$67,080
Medical assistants$34,730$41,160$46,950

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wages for everyone employed in the occupation in South Carolina (May 2025; national where the state figure is not published). The program table below shows what this campus's own graduates earned in their first year, whatever job they took.

Trade programs at this campus

ProgramCredentialGrads / yrEarnings, yr 1Earnings, yr 2Median debt
Precision Metal Working Certificate, 300–899 hours 128 not reported not reported not reported
Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants Certificate, 1–2 years 51 $38,567 $34,704 $9,500
Precision Metal Working Certificate, under 300 hours 50 not reported not reported not reported
Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians Certificate, 300–899 hours 47 not reported not reported not reported
Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician (HAC, HACR, HVAC, HVACR) Certificate, 300–899 hours 29 not reported not reported not reported
Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians Certificate, under 300 hours 29 not reported not reported not reported
Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician (HAC, HACR, HVAC, HVACR) Associate degree 19 not reported not reported not reported
Dental Support Services and Allied Professions Certificate, 1–2 years 18 $27,540 $24,615 not reported
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions Associate degree 14 not reported not reported not reported
Precision Metal Working Certificate, 300–899 hours 13 not reported not reported not reported
Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services Certificate, 1–2 years 11 $26,248 not reported not reported
Vehicle Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians Associate degree 5 not reported not reported not reported
Precision Metal Working Associate degree 4 not reported not reported not reported
Precision Metal Working Certificate, 300–899 hours 3 not reported not reported not reported
Precision Metal Working Associate degree 3 not reported not reported not reported

Earnings are median wages and self-employment income reported to the IRS (W-2 and Schedule SE) for graduates who received federal aid and were working and not enrolled, measured in the calendar year after finishing. They are pay only: health insurance, retirement contributions and other benefits are not included.

Graduates per year from the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) 2022-23 Completions survey. Earnings and debt are College Scorecard field-of-study medians for graduates of this program at this campus (reported at the 4-digit program level, so closely related programs share a figure); "not reported" means too few graduates were counted to publish a figure.

Visit the school's website ↗

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Data: Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) 2022-23 Completions survey; College Scorecard June 2026; Database of Accredited Postsecondary Institutions and Programs (DAPIP), September 2026. Figures are the U.S. Department of Education's official measures, not Career Training Path's opinion. Tuition, schedules and program availability change — confirm with the school before enrolling.

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