Public Associate Good 69/100

Orangeburg Calhoun Technical College

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

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Orangeburg, South Carolina

About Orangeburg Calhoun Technical College

Thinking about Orangeburg Calhoun Technical College, a college in South Carolina where more students graduate in Health than anything else? The four things worth knowing are what it actually costs after aid, whether you would get in, whether students finish, and what they earn after they do.

Orangeburg Calhoun Technical College is a public institution offering associate degrees based in Orangeburg, South Carolina. It enrolls 1,539 students (a mid-sized student body), according to IPEDS 2023-24 data. Every figure on this page is reported by the federal government, not supplied by the college, so it can be compared like for like against anywhere else you are looking.

Acceptance
Open
Graduation
17.8%
Net Price
$6,186
Median Earnings (10yr)
$35,761
Enrollment
1,539
Student : Faculty
16:1

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

How It Measures Up

These four scores answer one question: compared with similar colleges, is this one worth the money? Each runs 0 to 100 and is judged only against its peer group (2-Year), so a community college is never marked down for not being Harvard. Everything is computed from federal data. Nobody can pay to move a score, and a pillar with missing data is left unscored rather than guessed.

Good
69/100
UCD Score · 2-Year
Outcomes 36
Value 74
Affordability 70
Selectivity —

Admissions & Acceptance Rate

As a two-year college, Orangeburg Calhoun Technical College admits essentially everyone who qualifies, so plan around cost and completion instead of your odds of getting in.

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

Cost & Financial Aid

Ignore the sticker price. What matters is the net price, which is what a typical family pays here after grants and scholarships come off. At $6,186 a year on average, it sits well below what public colleges charge nationally. At that level cost is rarely the reason to rule a college out. Figures are College Scorecard 2023-24.

The average hides a wide spread by household income, so it is worth estimating what a family at your income would actually pay before treating this as the price.

Average Net Price
$6,186
Per year, after typical aid
Receive Pell Grants
45%
Need-based federal aid
Receive Federal Loans
9%
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)
$5,210
Tuition & Fees (out-of-state)
$8,354
Room & Board (off-campus)
$5,000
Books & Supplies
$1,400
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$6,000
Total Cost of Attendance
$15,165

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
    $7,122
  • $30,001 – $48,000
    $5,679
  • $48,001 – $75,000
    $4,842
  • $75,001 – $110,000
    $5,737
  • Over $110,000
    $6,853

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.

$1,750
10% percentile
$2,750
25% percentile
$10,562
Median percentile
$10,129
75% percentile
$17,265
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 $7,045 ↓ $3,517
No Pell $6,500 ↓ $4,062
Dependent students $6,500 ↓ $4,062
Independent students $7,501 ↓ $3,061
Female students $7,500 ↓ $3,062
Male students $4,666 ↓ $5,896
Pell recipients: 17.7% (1,874 students)No Pell: 16.4% (1,729 students)Dependent students: 16.4% (1,729 students)Independent students: 18.9% (1,995 students)Female students: 18.9% (1,995 students)Male students: 11.7% (1,241 students)Overall Median$10,562
Worth knowing: Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $6,000, less than completers ($10,562), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.

Graduation Rate & Retention

18% of students who start here finish within six years, and 66% come back after first year. Most students who start here do not finish. That is the single most important number on this page. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.

Completion and earnings carry the most weight in this college's score, and how the UCD Score weighs each measure sets out exactly how they are combined.

6-Year Graduation Rate
18%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
66%
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

Ten years after starting here, the median student earns $35,761 a year, close to the national median. Typical for most colleges, so what you study will matter more than where. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.

Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$35,761
Earning > $25K
59%
10 yrs after entry

Earnings Growth After Graduation

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

$31,000$32,000$34,000$35,000$36,0006 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
$26,900

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

Male graduates
$35,900

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


By Family Income at Entry

Family income (lowest third)
$26,500

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

Family income (middle third)
$33,300

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

Family income (highest third)
$41,400

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

The gender gap: Male graduates earn $9,000, about 25% 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 ↑ 9.1 pts across 6 years
44.1%1yr48.2%3yr52.4%5yr53.1%7yr
What this signals: Moderate. Only 53% of graduates are paying down principal seven years out.

Who Studies Here

Who you would actually be sitting next to: 1,539 students, a mid-sized community. Worth knowing: 46% are the first in their family to go to college, and 60% study part-time, so many are working alongside classes.

Total Enrolled
1,539
Part-Time
60%
First-Generation
46%

Race & Ethnicity Breakdown

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

GroupShareStudents
Black 59.7% 919
White 32.5% 500
Hispanic 4.1% 63
Other 2.6% 40
Asian 1.1% 17
Black: 59.7% (919 students)White: 32.5% (500 students)Hispanic: 4.1% (63 students)Other: 2.6% (40 students)Asian: 1.1% (17 students)Total1,539

Student Life & Campus Culture

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

Setting
Town: Distant Orangeburg, South Carolina
Housing
Commuter campus No on-campus housing
Adult Learners
34% of students are 25 or older
Athletics
NAIA athletic-conference member
Academic Calendar
Semester scheduling structure
Designation
Predominantly Black Institution (PBI)

What You Can Study

After that comes the national picture for Engineering Tech graduates, which shows what the field pays across every college rather than just this one.

Orangeburg Calhoun Technical College offers a varied set of programs: 19 distinct programs across 10 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.

Faculty & Resources

There are 16 students for every instructor here: about average, so expect a mix of small seminars and big lectures.

Student : Faculty
16:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Instruction / Student
$8,620
Annual instructional spending per enrolled student
Endowment
$1.2M
Modest endowment
Avg Faculty Salary
$56,866
9-month equivalent across all ranks

Faculty by Rank

61 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 61 100% $56,866

Pros & Cons of Orangeburg Calhoun Technical College

No college is right for everyone. Here is where Orangeburg Calhoun Technical College is likely to suit you and where it may not, based on the same figures shown above.

Read against a single profile these cut both ways, which is why it helps to put two colleges side by side on the same measures rather than judging one in isolation.

PROS
  • Very affordable net price after aid
  • Open admissions
  • Reasonable class sizes
  • Wide reach of need-based federal aid
  • Low typical debt at graduation
  • First-gen-friendly student body
CONS
  • Low completion rate, many students don't graduate within six years
  • First-year retention is below typical
  • Earnings outcomes are on the lower side
  • Mostly part-time student body, less full-time campus feel
Best for: Based on the data, Orangeburg Calhoun 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 Orangeburg Calhoun Technical College

The questions families ask most about Orangeburg Calhoun Technical College, answered straight from the federal data rather than from the college's own marketing.

Is Orangeburg Calhoun Technical College hard to get into?
Not especially. Orangeburg Calhoun Technical College admits most qualified applicants, and reports no competitive acceptance rate. Plan around cost and whether students finish, not your odds of getting in.
What is the acceptance rate at Orangeburg Calhoun Technical College?
No acceptance rate is reported, which for a college like this normally means admission is open to anyone meeting the basic requirements. Confirm with the admissions office rather than assuming it.
How much does Orangeburg Calhoun Technical College cost?
Budget around $6,186 a year. That is the net price, what families typically pay once grants and scholarships come off, not the sticker price. Your own figure depends on household income, so treat this as a midpoint rather than a quote. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Orangeburg Calhoun Technical College worth it?
On the numbers, yes: strong return on investment. Ten years in, the median graduate earns $35,761 a year against a net price of $6,186, about 5.8 dollars of earnings for every dollar of annual cost. That ratio ignores whether you finish and what you study, which matter just as much. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What is Orangeburg Calhoun Technical College known for?
Mostly Nursing, Practical Nursing, Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies. Those are the fields where it awards the most degrees, which is a better guide to where the teaching strength sits than any reputation ranking. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
What do Orangeburg Calhoun Technical College graduates earn?
About $35,761 a year, measured ten years after students first enrolled. Half earn more and half earn less, and what you study moves that figure far more than where you study. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Orangeburg Calhoun Technical College accredited?
Yes. Orangeburg Calhoun Technical College is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.
How many students attend Orangeburg Calhoun Technical College?
1,539 students. Small enough that you will recognize faces across campus, and small enough that course choice can be limited. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
What is the graduation rate at Orangeburg Calhoun Technical College?
18% finish within six years. That means most students do not finish in six years. Ask the school directly what support exists for students who fall behind. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
Is Orangeburg Calhoun Technical College a public or private college?
It is Public. Public, so in-state students usually pay materially less than everyone else.
Where is Orangeburg Calhoun Technical College located?
Orangeburg Calhoun Technical College is located in Orangeburg, South Carolina.
What programs does Orangeburg Calhoun Technical College offer?
19 different programs, most commonly Nursing, Practical Nursing, Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies. If the subject you want is not among them, check the full list before applying rather than assuming it is offered.
What is the student-to-faculty ratio at Orangeburg Calhoun Technical College?
16 students per instructor. About average, so a mix of seminars and larger lectures. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.

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