Data Processing at Tri-County Technical College

First-year earnings of $34,725 put this program below both the state and national medians for data processing associate's degrees, landing at the 39th percentile nationally. While peer programs in South Carolina typically produce debt loads around $15,800—which appears manageable—the earnings lag is meaningful. Graduates from comparable programs at Midlands Technical and Spartanburg Community College earn roughly $5,000-$6,000 more right out of the gate, a gap that compounds over time even with the 18% growth trajectory shown here.

The estimated debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.46 looks reasonable on paper, but context matters. With 40% of students receiving Pell grants, many families are banking on immediate earning power after graduation. When similar programs across South Carolina cluster in the high-$38,000 to low-$40,000 range for first-year earnings, starting at $34,725 means slower loan payoff and tighter budgets during those critical early years. By year four, earnings do climb to $41,037, but that's playing catch-up to where peer programs start.

If your child is set on Tri-County for location or other compelling reasons, understand that the data processing field offers better starting salaries at several nearby technical colleges. The difference isn't catastrophic, but it's real money—roughly $400-$500 less per month in take-home pay initially. Shop around within South Carolina's technical college system before committing.