Best Trade Schools in South Carolina (2026)

Updated June 8, 2026 | TradeCareerPath Editorial Team

South Carolina’s growing manufacturing, healthcare, and construction sectors are driving demand for skilled workers. Trade schools across the state offer practical, hands-on programs that prepare students for careers, with some programs running about 6 months. Many programs also include internships or apprenticeships with local employers.

Whether you’re in Columbia, Charleston, Greenville, or a rural area, there are accredited training options to fit your career goals.

Best Trade Schools in South Carolina

We could not confirm enough colleges teaching this subject within range of this location, so the list below shows nearby institutions instead. Confirm with each school that it offers the program before you apply.

How we rank schools – graduation rate, graduate earnings, cost and retention. Advertising plays no part.

This page lists 4 schools, closest group first, then ordered by BOC Score with the highest at the top. 4 of them carry a score.

Location / proximity to this page
Defines the local group
Graduation rate how often students finish
30%
Median earnings, 10 years after entry whether it paid off
25%
Average net price what students actually pay after aid; lower ranks higher
20%
Retention rate how many come back for year two
15%
Fully online availability whether you can study while working
10%

Scores come from IPEDS (2024) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Earnings are for all graduates of a school, not one program, so treat them as a signal about the institution rather than about this subject. Sponsored listings are paid placements and are labelled as such; they are separate from this ranking and never change it. Read the full methodology.

#1

Greenville Technical College

Greenville, SC In-state option BOC Score 52.5
Tuition Contact school for pricing
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Key stats
  • Completion rate: 19.1% (College Scorecard)
  • Programs offered: 64
  • Annual completions: 1991
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $49,389 (College Scorecard)
  • Online programs available

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

#2

Trident Technical College

Charleston, SC In-state option BOC Score 50.6
Tuition Contact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 69
  • Annual completions: 1858
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $58,783 (College Scorecard)
  • Online programs available

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

#3

Midlands Technical College

West Columbia, SC In-state option BOC Score 41.9
Tuition Contact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Completion rate: 17.1% (College Scorecard)
  • Programs offered: 55
  • Annual completions: 1119
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $46,832 (College Scorecard)
  • Online programs available

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

#4

Florence-Darlington Technical College

Florence, SC In-state option BOC Score 35.7
Tuition Contact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Completion rate: 26.8% (College Scorecard)
  • Programs offered: 41
  • Annual completions: 889
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $44,978 (College Scorecard)

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

Trade Schools by City in South Carolina

Compare accredited trade schools in 46 South Carolina cities. Each city page lists the closest local schools with tuition, median graduate earnings, and the trades hiring nearby.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best trade school in South Carolina?

Greenville Technical College and Trident Technical College are among the most highly rated for hands-on training and career placement.

Are there free trade school programs in South Carolina?

Can I get financial aid at a South Carolina trade school?

What trades are in demand in South Carolina in 2025?

HVAC technicians, welders, electricians, nurses, machinists, and automotive technicians are in high demand.

South Carolina trade schools give students career-ready skills with strong employer partnerships, making them a smart choice for a future in the skilled trades.

Outcome figures such as graduation, completion, and job placement rates are reported by schools and by federal data sources, reflect prior student cohorts, and are not a prediction or promise of future results. Individual outcomes may vary.

About this guide: Researched and written by the TradeCareerPath Editorial Team. Our editorial team researches and sources every trade school and career guide using federal labor and education data, including BLS OEWS and Employment Projections, DOL apprenticeship records, IPEDS, College Scorecard, and state licensing boards. We follow the editorial standards documented at /editorial-policy/.

Data sources

Figures on this page are sourced from the federal and state datasets below. Methodology: how we rank and source data.

DataProviderVintage
Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsMay 2025
Employment ProjectionsU.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics2024-2034
Integrated Postsecondary Education Data SystemNational Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)2024
College Scorecard (school-level outcomes)U.S. Department of Educationlatest release
College Scorecard (field-of-study earnings)U.S. Department of Educationlatest release (updated 2026-06-12)
Occupational licensing requirementsCareerOneStop (U.S. Department of Labor)latest release (updated 2026-02-22)
Registered apprenticeship programsCareerOneStop / Apprenticeship.gov (U.S. Department of Labor)latest release (updated 2025-10-25)