Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management at Horry-Georgetown Technical College

Similar IT administration programs in South Carolina typically produce first-year earnings around $62,000—considerably higher than the national benchmark of roughly $42,000 that this program's estimate draws from. That gap matters: if Horry-Georgetown graduates follow state rather than national patterns, the investment picture improves substantially. If they track closer to national outcomes, the estimated $17,500 debt load becomes more significant relative to that $42,000 starting salary.

The uncertainty here stems from insufficient graduate data for reliable reporting, which is common at smaller technical colleges. What we can say is that the estimated debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.42 sits in manageable territory—about half a year's salary in loans. Compare that to the state median debt of $28,000, and Horry-Georgetown appears to keep borrowing relatively contained. The question is whether local employer demand and the technical college's industry connections translate to earnings closer to the South Carolina norm or whether geography and program scale mean graduates start lower on the pay scale.

For parents weighing this decision, the key is investigating where recent graduates actually land—not just job titles, but starting salaries at specific employers in the Myrtle Beach and Grand Strand region. The college serves a meaningful population of Pell-eligible students (39%), suggesting it provides access, but you'll want concrete placement data to know if that access translates to the stronger earnings typical of SC's IT programs.