Technical College of the Lowcountry

921 Ribaut Road
Beaufort, SC 29901-1288
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  • One of sixteen colleges comprising the South Carolina Technical College System, the Technical College of the Lowcountry traces its origin to the Mather School founded in 1868. The college is a comprehensive, public, two-year college dedicated to serving the diverse educational needs of the rural counties of Beaufort, Colleton, Hampton, and Jasper. The College annually serves approximately 8,500 credit and continuing education students, a mix of traditional, non-traditional, full-time, and part-time.
School Highlights
  • Technical College of the Lowcountry serves 2,529 students (29% of students are full-time).
  • The college's student:teacher ratio of 30:1 is higher than the state community college average of 28:1.
  • Minority enrollment is 39% of the student body (majority Black), which is more than the state average of 38%.
  • Technical College of the Lowcountry is one of 2 community colleges within Beaufort County, SC.
  • The nearest community college to Technical College of the Lowcountry is University of South Carolina-Beaufort (18.5 miles away).

Top Placements

Technical College of the Lowcountry places among the top 20% of community colleges in South Carolina for:

School Overview

  • The teacher population of 84 teachers has stayed relatively flat over five years.
Technical College of the Lowcountry(SC) Community College Avg.
Institution LevelAt least 2 but less than 4 yearsAt least 2 but less than 4 years
Institution ControlPublicPublic
Total Faculty84 staff55 staff
This chart display total faculty of Technical College of the Lowcountry and community college average number of faculty in SC by year, with the latest 2015-16 school year data.

Student Body

  • The student population of Technical College of the Lowcountry has stayed relatively flat over five years.
  • The student:teacher ratio of 30:1 has stayed the same over five years.
  • The Technical College of the Lowcountry diversity score of 0.54 is equal to the state average of 0.54. The school's diversity has stayed relatively flat over five years.
Total Enrollment2,529 students1,260 students
This chart display the total enrollment of Technical College of the Lowcountry and community college average number of enrollment of SC by year, with the latest 2015-16 school year data.
Student : Teacher Ratio30:128:1
This chart display the student staff ratio of Technical College of the Lowcountry and community college average student staff ratio of SC by year, with the latest 2015-16 school year data.
# Full-Time Students734 students726 students
This chart display the total number of Full-Time students enrollment of Technical College of the Lowcountry and average number of community college Full-Time students enrollment of SC by year, with the latest 2015-16 school year data.
# Part-Time Students1,795 students534 students
This chart display the total number of Part-Time students enrollment of Technical College of the Lowcountry and average number of community college Part-Time students enrollment of SC by year, with the latest 2015-16 school year data.
This chart display the Full-Time students and Part-Time students enrollment breakdown of Technical College of the Lowcountry.This chart display community college average Full-Time students and Part-Time students enrollment breakdown of SC.
% American Indian/Alaskan
1%
1%
This chart display the percentage of American Indian/Alaskan students in Technical College of the Lowcountry and the percentage of American Indian/Alaskan community college students in SC by year, with the latest 2015-16 school year data.
% Asian
1%
1%
This chart display the percentage of Asian students in Technical College of the Lowcountry and the percentage of Asian community college students in SC by year, with the latest 2015-16 school year data.
% Hispanic
5%
3%
This chart display the percentage of Hispanic students in Technical College of the Lowcountry and the percentage of Hispanic community college students in SC by year, with the latest 2015-16 school year data.
% Black
29%
27%
This chart display the percentage of Black students in Technical College of the Lowcountry and the percentage of Black community college students in SC by year, with the latest 2015-16 school year data.
% White
61%
62%
This chart display the percentage of White students in Technical College of the Lowcountry and the percentage of White community college students in SC by year, with the latest 2015-16 school year data.
% Unknown races
2%
4%
This chart display the percentage breakdown of students of all ethnic groups in Technical College of the Lowcountry.This chart display the percentage breakdown of students of all ethnic groups in SC.
Diversity Score0.540.54
This chart display the diversity score of Technical College of the Lowcountry and the community college average diversity score of SC by year, with the latest 2015-16 school year data.
College Completion Rate
10%
12%
This chart display completion rates for First-Time of Full-Time students of Technical College of the Lowcountry and community college average completion rates for First-Time of Full-Time students of SC by year, with the latest 2014-15 school year data.
Average Graduate Earnings (10 Years)$29,000$28,900
This chart display average graduate earnings (10 Years) of Technical College of the Lowcountry and community college average graduate earnings (10 Years) of SC by year, disaggregated by student subgroups with the latest 2012-13 school year data.

Finances and Admission

  • The public in-state tuition of $4,660 is less than the state average of $6,284. The in-state tuition has grown by 29% over four years.
  • The public out-state tuition of $8,812 is less than the state average of $10,399. The out-state tuition has grown by 12% over four years.
In-State Tuition Fees$4,660$6,284
This chart display tuition fees for an in-state student of Technical College of the Lowcountry and the public community college average tuition fees for an in-state student of SC by year, with the latest 2015-16 school year data.
Out-State Tuition Fees$8,812$10,399
This chart display tuition fees for an out-of-state student of Technical College of the Lowcountry and the public community college average tuition fees for an out-of-state student of SC by year, with the latest 2015-16 school year data.
% Students Receiving Some Financial Aid94%93%
This chart display the percent of students who is receiving some financial aid in Technical College of the Lowcountry and the percent of community college students who is receiving some financial aid in SC by year, with the latest 2015-16 school year data.
Median Debt for Graduates$7,500$12,000
This chart display median debt for students who have completed a certificate or degree in Technical College of the Lowcountry and average median debt for community college students who have completed a certificate or degree in SC by year, with the latest 2014-15 school year data.
Median Debt for Dropouts$3,750$5,500
This chart display median debt for students who have not completed a certificate or degree in Technical College of the Lowcountry and average median debt for community college students who have not completed a certificate or degree in SC by year, with the latest 2014-15 school year data.
Source: 2016 (or latest year available) IPEDS

School Notes

  • The Technical College of the Lowcountry provides quality, affordable academic and technical programs leading to Associate Degrees, Diplomas, and Certificates in an environment fostering excellence in teaching and learning. The College prepares graduates with knowledge and skills for transfer to senior colleges and universities and for careers in computer technology, industrial technology, engineering technology, occupational technology, business, health sciences, and public service. As an open admissions institution, the Technical College of the Lowcountry offers over 70 academic, transfer, and specialized programs. Offerings include developmental education; arts and sciences; career development; specialized, contract courses tailored for specific businesses and industries; and continuing education to meet the workforce needs of the Lowcountry. TCL is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS), National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission, Association of Collegiate Business Schools and Programs, National Accrediting Commission of Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS) and Paralegal program approved by the American Bar Association.

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Quick Stats (2020)
  • Students: 2,529 students
  • In-state tuition: $4,660
  • Out-state tuition: $8,812
  • Student:teacher ratio: 30:1
  • Minority enrollment: 39%
Related College Videos
Sights and sounds from the 2017 Technical College of the Lowcountry graduation exercises 1:34

Sights and sounds from the 2017 Technical College of the Lowcountry graduation exercises

"(843) TV" Beaufort Panel: Technical College of the Lowcountry | Leigh Copeland | TCL.edu | 5/23/13 7:01

"(843) TV" Beaufort Panel: Technical College of the Lowcountry | Leigh Copeland | TCL.edu | 5/23/13

WHHI-TV's "The Bluffton News" ~ Technical College of the Lowcountry - Michael Burgess ~ 6/25/12 3:04

WHHI-TV's "The Bluffton News" ~ Technical College of the Lowcountry - Michael Burgess ~ 6/25/12

Technical College of the Lowcountry 0:30

Technical College of the Lowcountry

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Did You Know?
For South Carolina public community colleges, the average tuition is approximately $6,284 per year for in-state students and $10,399 for out-of-state students. For private community colleges, the average yearly tuition is approximately $12,551 per year. Read more about average community college tuition costs across the country.

The average community college acceptance rate in South Carolina is 62%. Read more about national community college acceptance rates.

South Carolina community colleges have a diversity score of 0.54, which is lower than the national average of 0.65. The most diverse community college in South Carolina is University of South Carolina-Salkehatchie. Read more about community college diversity statistics in the USA.
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