Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing at Trident Technical College

Trident Technical College's nursing program delivers solid financial outcomes, though it trails other South Carolina technical colleges that offer stronger returns. At $67,607 in first-year earnings, graduates earn slightly below both the state median ($69,200) and national average ($68,409), placing this program in the 40th percentile statewide. More concerning: nearby competitors like Tri-County Technical and Greenville Technical deliver $6,000-$7,000 more in first-year earnings—a meaningful difference when nursing salaries typically start at similar hospital pay scales.

The debt picture partially offsets this earnings gap. At $30,938, graduates carry more debt than the state median ($24,649), but the 0.46 debt-to-earnings ratio remains manageable for healthcare careers. You'll pay roughly 46 cents on the dollar in debt relative to that first year's salary, which is reasonable given nursing's stable employment prospects. The robust sample size (100+ graduates) makes these figures reliable, not statistical noise.

For Charleston-area families, this comes down to geography versus optimization. If staying local matters—avoiding housing costs or maintaining family connections—Trident delivers employable nursing credentials at a debt level most nurses can handle. But if your student can attend Tri-County or Greenville Technical without major relocation costs, those programs offer substantially better returns on nearly identical educational investment. The $6,000 earnings difference compounds significantly over a nursing career.