Best colleges for Practical Nursing in South Carolina
Ranked by graduate earnings
York Technical College, Orangeburg Calhoun Technical College and Tri-County Technical College are the top Practical Nursing programs in South Carolina by graduate earnings. York Technical College leads with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $54,238, College Scorecard. Orangeburg Calhoun Technical College, York Technical College and Tri-County Technical College award the most Practical Nursing degrees and certificates in South Carolina: 109, 108 and 52 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25). 15 South Carolina colleges offer Practical Nursing and award 649 degrees and certificates a year in all.
The Practical Nursing program, also known as Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants, prepares students for a career as a licensed practical nurse (LPN). This program is designed for individuals who want to provide direct nursing care to…
Top 7 institutions, ranked by graduate earnings
Ranked by median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard. Programs with fewer than 20 graduates a year, a graduation rate under 30%, or online, degree-completion or graduate-only status rank after the rest.
| # | Institution | Starting salary (1 yr) | Graduates / yr | Grad rate | Net price | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | York Technical College Rock Hill Public · Certificate | $54,238 | 108 | 30% | — | $12,434 |
| 2 | Orangeburg Calhoun Technical College Orangeburg Public · Certificate | $51,754 | 109 | 32% | — | $17,525 |
| 3 | Tri-County Technical College Pendleton Public · Certificate | $49,100 | 52 | 42% | — | $25,506 |
| 4 | Piedmont Technical College Greenwood Public · Certificate | $42,734 | 36 | 33% | — | $22,500 |
| 5 | Horry-Georgetown Technical College Conway Public · Certificate | $40,724 | 29 | 38% | — | $27,826 |
| 6 | Northeastern Technical College Cheraw Public · Certificate Small program | $47,544 | 10 | 21% | — | — |
| 7 | Midlands Technical College West Columbia Public · Certificate | $46,823 | 83 | 18% | — | $17,875 |
Colleges awarding the most Practical Nursing degrees in South Carolina
Top 9 by graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25 completions). Online, degree-completion and graduate-only schools, and schools with a graduation rate under 30% are listed in full below.
| # | Institution | Graduates / yr | Starting salary (1 yr) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Orangeburg Calhoun Technical College Orangeburg Public | 109 | $51,754 |
| 2 | York Technical College Rock Hill Public | 108 | $54,238 |
| 3 | Tri-County Technical College Pendleton Public | 52 | $49,100 |
| 4 | Trident Technical College Charleston Public | 40 | Not reported |
| 5 | Piedmont Technical College Greenwood Public | 36 | $42,734 |
| 6 | Florence-Darlington Technical College Florence Public | 33 | Not reported |
| 7 | Horry-Georgetown Technical College Conway Public | 29 | $40,724 |
| 8 | Aiken Technical College Graniteville Public | 25 | Not reported |
| 9 | Academy for Careers and Technology Mullins Public | 12 | Not reported |
ShowHide the other 6 South Carolina colleges offering Practical Nursing
| Institution | City | Control | Graduates / yr |
|---|---|---|---|
| Midlands Technical College | West Columbia | Public | 83 |
| Spartanburg Community College | Spartanburg | Public | 54 |
| Williamsburg Technical College | Kingstree | Public | 29 |
| Denmark Technical College | Denmark | Public | 21 |
| Northeastern Technical College | Cheraw | Public | 10 |
| Technical College of the Lowcountry | Beaufort | Public | 8 |
Career outlook
What this program leads to: Nursing Assistants (SOC 31-1131).
Top skills
What Nursing Assistants earn in South Carolina
Related careers
Common questions
Answers for students comparing Practical Nursing programs in South Carolina.
Which South Carolina colleges award the most Practical Nursing degrees?+
Orangeburg Calhoun Technical College (109 graduates a year), York Technical College (108 graduates a year) and Tri-County Technical College (52 graduates a year) award the most Practical Nursing degrees and certificates in South Carolina, per IPEDS 2024–25 completions. In all, 15 South Carolina colleges offer Practical Nursing.
What is the best college for Practical Nursing in South Carolina?+
By graduate earnings, York Technical College leads among Practical Nursing programs in South Carolina, with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $54,238, College Scorecard. Orangeburg Calhoun Technical College and Tri-County Technical College follow. By degrees awarded, Orangeburg Calhoun Technical College is the largest, with 109 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25).
Which Practical Nursing program in South Carolina has the highest-earning graduates?+
By median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard, York Technical College tops the list at $54,238. Compare it against graduates a year, graduation rate, cost, and debt in the ranked table above.
How much do Nursing Assistants earn in South Carolina?+
The average annual wage for Nursing Assistants in South Carolina is $37,390 (median $37,220), across about 21,760 jobs. Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025.
What is the focus of the Practical Nursing program?+
The Practical Nursing program, also known as Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants, prepares students for a career as a licensed practical nurse (LPN). This program is designed for individuals who want to provide direct nursing care to…
What skills will I develop in this program?+
You will develop active listening, monitoring, reading comprehension, speaking, and related professional skills.
What is the job outlook for Nursing Assistants?+
The national job outlook is about +2.3% growth with around 204,100 annual openings (BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034).
What is the typical education requirement?+
A Postsecondary nondegree award is the typical entry-level education for this field (BLS).
About the data on this page
Every figure comes from an official federal or public source. Here is each one and the release it is currently on.
Explore every U.S. college in one conversation
Clema turns plain-language questions into sourced answers across every U.S. institution — earnings, aid, acceptance, graduation, safety, and athletics from IPEDS, College Scorecard, and 10+ federal datasets, built in.
Free for teams up to 3 · No credit card