Is Orangeburg Calhoun Technical College Worth It?

Orangeburg Calhoun Technical College gives you a low-cost entry point with a modest but workable payoff. At roughly $6,000 a year net and about $10,500 in median debt at graduation, you are borrowing less than one year's earnings for most people who finish. The catch is the median earnings figure of $35,761, which sits well below what the strongest programs here pay. Your outcome depends heavily on which associate degree you pick.

The clear winners are the technical and health tracks. An Electrical Engineering Technologies associate and a Registered Nursing associate both push near or past $58,000, which is strong money against this school's debt load. Allied Health diagnostic and medical assisting associates land in the low-$50,000s and still clear the cost easily. These fields have steady regional demand in hospitals, clinics, and industrial employers around Orangeburg, so the pay is grounded in real jobs.

The risk is the 40 percent graduation rate. The good earnings only reach you if you finish, and six in ten students here do not graduate on time. If you enroll in a general track without a career-specific credential like nursing or electrical tech, expect earnings closer to the low $35,000 median. The certificate version of Allied Health pays about $39,000, noticeably less than its associate counterpart, so the extra time in the full degree pays for itself.

The net price tiers reward lower-income families. If your household earns under $48,000, you pay around $5,000 to $5,600 a year, less than families above $75,000, who pay closer to $9,000 to $9,800. This is a smart financial fit if you commit to a nursing, electrical, or allied health associate and finish it. Look elsewhere if you want a four-year degree or plan to enroll without a specific credential in mind.