Public Associate Strong 72/100

Florence-Darlington Technical College

See admissions data, costs, student outcomes, and academic programs, all verified from official US government sources.

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Florence, South Carolina

About Florence-Darlington Technical College

Florence-Darlington Technical College is a public institution offering associate degrees based in Florence, South Carolina. It enrolls 3,055 students (a mid-sized student body), according to IPEDS 2023-24 data. Below you'll find verified data on admissions, cost, student outcomes, programs offered, and what graduates typically earn, all pulled from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard and IPEDS.

Acceptance
Open
Graduation
15.2%
Net Price
$2,004
Median Earnings (10yr)
$32,748
Enrollment
3,055
Student : Faculty
19:1

Accreditor Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
Academic Calendar Semester

How It Measures Up

US College Data scores each college on four pillars (outcomes, value, affordability, and selectivity) on a 0–100 scale, ranked within its peer group (2-Year). Scores are calculated from verified College Scorecard and IPEDS data, not opinion or paid placement. Where data is missing, that pillar isn't scored.

Strong
72/100
UCD Score · 2-Year
Outcomes 25
Value 97
Affordability 81
Selectivity

Admissions & Acceptance Rate

As a two-year college, Florence-Darlington Technical College generally admits all qualified applicants.

Acceptance Rate
Open
SAT Range (25th–75th)
Not reported
ACT Range (25th–75th)
Not reported

Cost & Financial Aid

The real cost of attending Florence-Darlington Technical College isn't the sticker price. It's the net price,which is what most students actually pay after grants and scholarships. According to College Scorecard 2023-24 data, the average net price is $2,004 per year. That's well below the typical net price for public colleges nationally.

Average Net Price
$2,004
Per year, after typical aid
Receive Pell Grants
47%
Need-based federal aid
Receive Federal Loans
11%
Borrowing to attend

Full Cost Breakdown

Published cost of attendance, the sticker price before grants and scholarships. Most students underestimate room & board and other expenses.

Tuition & Fees (in-state)
$4,636
Tuition & Fees (out-of-state)
$6,772
Room & Board (off-campus)
$14,058
Books & Supplies
$1,488
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$5,800
Total Cost of Attendance
$10,731

Net Price by Family Income

Aid is need-based, so net price varies by family income. Here's what each bracket typically pays after grants and scholarships.

  • Under $30,000
    $1,589
  • $30,001 – $48,000
    $1,913
  • $48,001 – $75,000
    $2,414
  • $75,001 – $110,000
    $3,783
  • Over $110,000
    $6,708

Debt at Graduation

Cumulative federal-loan debt across the full borrowing distribution. The 10th and 90th percentiles bracket the typical range; the median sits in the middle.

$1,700
10% percentile
$2,853
25% percentile
$12,250
Median percentile
$14,750
75% percentile
$28,101
90% percentile

Median Debt by Student Type

Median federal-loan debt at graduation broken down by demographic. Each slice's size is proportional to the dollar amount that group typically borrows.

GroupDebtvs Median
Pell recipients $7,703 ↓ $4,547
No Pell $5,500 ↓ $6,750
Dependent students $5,500 ↓ $6,750
Independent students $9,500 ↓ $2,750
Female students $7,166 ↓ $5,084
Male students $5,678 ↓ $6,572
Pell recipients: 18.8% (2,299 students)No Pell: 13.4% (1,641 students)Dependent students: 13.4% (1,641 students)Independent students: 23.1% (2,835 students)Female students: 17.5% (2,139 students)Male students: 13.8% (1,695 students)Overall Median$12,250
Worth knowing: Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $6,334, less than completers ($12,250), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.

Graduation Rate & Retention

15% of full-time students who enrolled at Florence-Darlington Technical College graduate within six years, and 59% return for their second year, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.

6-Year Graduation Rate
15%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
59%
Returning for their second year
What this means: Lower than typical completion. Worth asking the school how they support students who fall behind.

After Graduation: Earnings & Outcomes

According to College Scorecard 2023-24 data, students who entered Florence-Darlington Technical College earn a median of $32,748 ten years after first enrolling. That's below the national median for U.S. colleges.

Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$32,748
Earning > $25K
55%
10 yrs after entry

Earnings Growth After Graduation

Median annual earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after students first enrolled.

$26,000$28,000$30,000$32,000$34,0006 yrs8 yrs10 yrs

Earnings by Demographic

Mean annual earnings 10 years after entry, segmented by demographic. Reveals gaps the headline median can't show.

By Gender

Female graduates
$28,200

Median earnings for female grads ten years after first enrolling here.

Male graduates
$34,500

Median earnings for male grads ten years after first enrolling here.


By Family Income at Entry

Family income (lowest third)
$27,200

Earnings of grads from the bottom-third of family incomes at entry.

Family income (middle third)
$35,500

Earnings of grads from the middle-third of family incomes at entry.

Family income (highest third)
$37,800

Earnings of grads from the top-third of family incomes at entry.

The gender gap: Male graduates earn $6,300, about 18% more than female graduates ten years out. The gap reflects industry mix, role choice, and structural pay differences that exist across most US colleges.

Loan Repayment Progression

Share of completer-cohort borrowers paying down at least $1 of principal at the 1-, 3-, 5-, and 7-year mark. Climbing rates show graduates settling into careers and managing debt; flat or declining rates are a warning.

Climbing: graduates increasingly paying down debt 17.9 pts across 6 years
37.4%1yr42.4%3yr53.1%5yr55.3%7yr
What this signals: Moderate. Only 55% of graduates are paying down principal seven years out.

Who Studies Here

Florence-Darlington Technical College is home to 3,055 students, a mid-sized community. Some distinctive traits: 48% are first-generation college students, 61% study part-time.

Total Enrolled
3,055
Part-Time
61%
First-Generation
48%

Race & Ethnicity Breakdown

Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.

GroupShareStudents
Black 49.5% 1,511
White 38.7% 1,182
Other 3.6% 111
Asian 1.0% 29
Hispanic 0.7% 21
International 0.0% 1
Black: 49.5% (1,511 students)White: 38.7% (1,182 students)Other: 3.6% (111 students)Asian: 1.0% (29 students)Hispanic: 0.7% (21 students)International: 0.0% (1 students)Total3,055

Student Life & Campus Culture

Where students live, learn, and connect at Florence-Darlington Technical College. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.

Setting
Rural: Fringe Florence, South Carolina
Housing
Commuter campus No on-campus housing
Adult Learners
31% of students are 25 or older
Athletics
NCAA athletic-conference member
Academic Calendar
Semester scheduling structure
Designation
Predominantly Black Institution (PBI)

What You Can Study

Florence-Darlington Technical College offers a varied set of programs: 26 distinct programs across 12 majors. Below are its strongest majors, each with flagship programs and typical earnings. Open a major to explore it in depth, or browse the full program catalog.

7 Programs
1 Program
3 Programs
1 Program
  • Human $49K ($35K–$63K)
1 Program

Faculty & Resources

The student-to-faculty ratio at Florence-Darlington Technical College is 19:1, on the higher side.

Student : Faculty
19:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Instruction / Student
$5,546
Annual instructional spending per enrolled student
Endowment
$2.7M
Modest endowment
Avg Faculty Salary
$56,716
9-month equivalent across all ranks

Faculty by Rank

74 instructional faculty across 1 ranks. The rank mix shows how many senior faculty are teaching versus contingent or junior staff, with average salary equated to a 9-month contract.

Rank Faculty Count Share Avg Salary
No Rank 74 100% $56,716

Pros & Cons of Florence-Darlington Technical College

A quick at-a-glance summary of how Florence-Darlington Technical College tends to stack up for prospective students,weighing its data, size, setting, and cost profile together.

PROS
  • Very affordable net price after aid
  • Open admissions
  • Wide reach of need-based federal aid
  • First-gen-friendly student body
  • Flexible part-time enrollment options
CONS
  • Class sizes are on the higher side
  • Low completion rate, many students don't graduate within six years
  • First-year retention is below typical
  • Below-average post-graduation earnings
  • Mostly part-time student body, less full-time campus feel
Best for: Based on the data, Florence-Darlington Technical College is a fit for students who want a clear path to start college without a competitive admissions barrier; families focused on keeping net cost low; working adults or students needing part-time study options.

Frequently Asked Questions about Florence-Darlington Technical College

Quick answers to the questions most students and parents ask. Every answer below is calculated from verified government data about Florence-Darlington Technical College.

Is Florence-Darlington Technical College hard to get into?
Florence-Darlington Technical College has open or near-open admissions. Most qualified applicants are accepted.
What is the acceptance rate at Florence-Darlington Technical College?
Florence-Darlington Technical College has an acceptance rate of 0%, according to College Scorecard 2023-24 admissions data.
How much does Florence-Darlington Technical College cost?
The average net price after aid at Florence-Darlington Technical College is $2,004 per year, this is what students typically pay after grants and scholarships are applied. Net price data: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Florence-Darlington Technical College worth it?
Strong return on investment. Graduates earn a median of $32,748 ten years after entering, against an average net price of $2,004 per year. That's roughly 16.3x earnings-to-cost. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What is Florence-Darlington Technical College known for?
Florence-Darlington Technical College is best known for its programs in Liberal Arts, Nursing, Practical Nursing. These are the most popular fields by completed degrees, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
What do Florence-Darlington Technical College graduates earn?
Median earnings 10 years after entering Florence-Darlington Technical College are $32,748, based on College Scorecard 2023-24 federal earnings data for Title IV recipients.
Is Florence-Darlington Technical College accredited?
Yes. Florence-Darlington Technical College is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.
How many students attend Florence-Darlington Technical College?
Florence-Darlington Technical College enrolls 3,055 students, per IPEDS 2023-24 fall enrollment data.
What is the graduation rate at Florence-Darlington Technical College?
Florence-Darlington Technical College graduates 15% of full-time students within six years, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
Is Florence-Darlington Technical College a public or private college?
Florence-Darlington Technical College is a Public institution.
Where is Florence-Darlington Technical College located?
Florence-Darlington Technical College is located in Florence, South Carolina.
What programs does Florence-Darlington Technical College offer?
Florence-Darlington Technical College offers 26 distinct programs. The most popular include Liberal Arts, Nursing, Practical Nursing.
What is the student-to-faculty ratio at Florence-Darlington Technical College?
The student-to-faculty ratio at Florence-Darlington Technical College is 19:1, per IPEDS 2023-24 data.

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