Tri-County Tech Freezes In-County Tuition for 2023-24 School Year

Observer Reports

The Tri-County Technical College Commission voted unanimously on Monday to freeze in-county tuition for a fourth consecutive year. The in-county tuition freeze applies to the 2023-2024 academic year.

“Making college accessible and affordable to all citizens in the tri-county region is our priority,” said TCTC President Dr. Galen DeHay. “In addition to a steady tuition rate, Tri-County offers financial aid packages that can account for nearly the full cost to attend college. We also offer the kind of support services students need to balance school with work and family life.”

Tri-County’s tuition remains the second lowest in the S.C. Technical College System and the lowest in the Upstate. A two-year degree at Tri-County costs roughly less than one semester at a four-year college or university.

The TCTC Commission also approved transitioning from course fees to a per semester program fee beginning with the fall 2023 semester. The purpose of this change is to make course fees easier to understand and to help students to budget and plan more accurately. For example, instead of seeing eight different fees listed for things like packet fees and testing and licensing fees, these fees will roll into a single program fee that will appear on the student’s bill each semester. Program fees are assessed based on number of enrolled credit hours and declared program of study and may be covered by scholarship funding or other financial aid.  

Tuition rates and program fees are published on Tri-County’s website. Tuition rates are based on residency and the number of credit hours taken per semester. Increases in tuition are typically based on an evaluation of the Higher Education Price Index, an inflation index designed specifically for higher education institutions and other operational funding needs.