General Sales, Merchandising at Midlands Technical College

With only a handful of graduates in the sample, treat these numbers as directional rather than definitive, but Midlands Technical College's sales program shows above-average performance for South Carolina. Earning $28,150 right after graduation beats the state median slightly and places this program in the 60th percentile among South Carolina's sales programs—modest but solid positioning. The debt load of $16,361 is manageable, though it sits somewhat higher than the state median of $15,157.

The 0.58 debt-to-earnings ratio means graduates owe about seven months of their first-year salary, which is reasonable for an associate degree that gets you into the workforce quickly. However, $28,150 is a tight budget for independent living, even in West Columbia. The real question is whether this credential opens doors to advancement—sales careers often reward experience and performance more than degrees, so the associate's value depends on whether it provides entry to employers who offer commission structures or management tracks.

For parents weighing this investment: it's a relatively quick, affordable path that performs respectably within the state. But given the small sample size and the modest starting salary, confirm that your student has a clear employer target or industry focus. Sales success often depends more on hustle and personality than credentials, so make sure the degree is genuinely required for the positions they're pursuing rather than just a checkbox.