Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing at Technical College of the Lowcountry

Technical College of the Lowcountry's nursing graduates start around $3,000 below what peers earn at other South Carolina technical colleges—a meaningful gap when you're comparing programs that should lead to similar RN positions. At $66,628 in the first year, graduates here earn less than the state median of $69,200 and trail schools like Tri-County Technical and Greenville Technical by roughly $6,000-7,000 annually. That difference compounds over a career, potentially costing graduates tens of thousands in lifetime earnings. The program sits squarely in the middle of the pack nationally but underperforms within South Carolina itself.

The debt picture offers some relief: at $24,719, it's roughly average for nursing programs and results in a manageable 0.37 debt-to-earnings ratio. Graduates should be able to handle their loan payments comfortably on a nurse's salary. Still, the relatively modest 5% earnings growth to year four suggests graduates aren't seeing the salary progression that often comes with nursing experience and additional certifications.

For families considering nursing programs in South Carolina, this represents a functional but not optimal choice. The credential will get your child into the nursing workforce with reasonable debt, but they'd likely see better returns starting their career at one of the state's higher-performing technical colleges—particularly if location flexibility exists.