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Sumter County CourthouseSumter County Courthouse · Photo: The original uploader was Pollinator at English Wikipedia. · CC BY-SA 3.0
Colleges in and near Sumter

Sumter is home to three colleges, with 3,501 students on campus

Central Carolina Technical College (1,816 students on campus) and the University of South Carolina-Sumter (1,277) are inside the city. About 6% of Sumter’s residents are enrolled in college, about the same as South Carolina (6%).

University of South Carolina-SumterCentral Carolina Technical College

From the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard, June 2026; IPEDS fall 2023 enrollment) and the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey, 2020–24. Straight-line distances from the center of Sumter. Colleges are described, not graded.

Within 15 miles
3
3,501 students on campus
Nearest college
1.3 mi
University of South Carolina-Sumter
Residents in college
6%
About the same as SC (6%)
Nearest community college
1.3 mi
University of South Carolina-Sumter · $7,558 tuition
Nearest public university
36.4 mi
University of South Carolina-Columbia · $12,688 in-state
Median household income
$56K
prices below start here

What stands out about college in Sumter

Facts about the town and its distance to campus; each college’s own figures follow.

Two colleges within 1.5 milesUniversity of South Carolina-Sumter admits 74% of applicants. Together they have 3,093 students on campus.A community college 1.3 miles awayUniversity of South Carolina-Sumter in Sumter: tuition and fees $7,558 a year for South Carolina residents.In-state price at University of South Carolina-ColumbiaLiving in South Carolina, the University of South Carolina-Columbia charges $12,688 in tuition and fees; from out of state, $35,972. State residency rules decide which a new arrival pays.Students are 6% of residentsAbout the same as South Carolina (6%). The Census counts anyone enrolled, including part-time and online students.
Every college

Colleges within 15 miles of Sumter

One private college within 2.8 miles, and two community colleges. The nearest public four-year college, University of South Carolina-Columbia, is 36.4 miles away.

5 mi10 mi15 miCentral Carolina Technical CollegeUniversity of South Carolina-SumterSumter
University or collegeCommunity college
University of South Carolina-SumterCommunity college · Public · 1,277 on campus · In Sumter74%admitted$8knet price39%graduate$42kearningsTuition and fees: $7,558 a year. The net price counts housing and food at full cost.Central Carolina Technical CollegeCommunity college · Public · 1,816 on campus · In Sumter$6knet price34%graduate$33kearningsTuition and fees: $5,715 a year. The net price counts housing and food at full cost.Morris CollegeUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · 408 on campus · In Sumter$21knet price17%graduate$31kearnings

Degree-granting colleges with 100 or more students on campus (fall 2023 enrollment, minus students who study only online). Admitted: share of applicants offered a place. Net price: the average a year after grants, for students on federal aid. Graduate: within 6 years (4-year colleges) or 3 (2-year). Earnings: median, 10 years after starting.

What it costs

What would your family pay?

The average a year after grants, for families on federal aid, at the colleges within 15 miles and the nearest public four-year college. Pick your family’s income.

Family income

Starts at $48–75k, where Sumter’s median household income ($55,592) falls.

Central Carolina Technical CollegeIn Sumter · sticker $13,774 · tuition $5,715$5,775a year
University of South Carolina-SumterIn Sumter · sticker $17,964 · tuition $7,558$8,586a year
University of South Carolina-Columbia36.4 mi · Columbia · sticker $31,638$19,859a year
Morris CollegeIn Sumter · sticker $30,148$20,727a year

The average a year after grants and scholarships, for first-time, full-time students on federal aid, from the College Scorecard. Your own price depends on your aid package; every college has a net price calculator. For community colleges the net price counts housing and food at full cost, so tuition is shown beside it. “—”: not reported for that income.

Outcomes

Do students finish, and does it pay?

Each dot is a college: across is the share who graduate, up is what they earn ten years after starting.

$0$20k$40k$60k$80k0%25%50%75%100%Graduate →University of South Carolina-SumterCentral Carolina Technical CollegeMorris CollegeUniversity of South Carolina-Columbia
University of South Carolina-Columbia79% graduate$62k earnings$22k typical debt
Central Carolina Technical College34% graduate$33k earnings$10k typical debt
University of South Carolina-Sumter39% graduate$42k earnings$9k typical debt
Morris College17% graduate$31k earnings$31k typical debt

Graduation: first-time, full-time students within 6 years (4-year colleges) or 3 years (2-year). Earnings: median, 10 years after starting, for students who got federal aid.

Majors

What students study in Sumter

Share of bachelor’s and associate degrees by field across Sumter’s 3 colleges, weighted by undergraduates; then the biggest programs.

Liberal arts 29%Health professions 19%Business 16%Engineering tech 9%Precision production 5%Interdisciplinary 4%Everything else 18%

Biggest programs

Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and HumanitiesUniversity of South Carolina-Sumter · 175 graduates a year
$36k4 yrs out
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and HumanitiesCentral Carolina Technical College · 134 graduates a year
$35k4 yrs out
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical NursingCentral Carolina Technical College · 86 graduates a year
$73k4 yrs out
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, OtherCentral Carolina Technical College · 33 graduates a year
$65k4 yrs out
Business Administration, Management and OperationsMorris College · 33 graduates a year
$46k4 yrs out
Business Administration, Management and OperationsCentral Carolina Technical College · 27 graduates a year
$40k4 yrs out

College Scorecard: degree shares (PCIP; each college’s six largest fields are kept, the rest count as everything else) and the field-of-study file, median earnings 4 years after graduating.

Questions about college in Sumter

Is Sumter a college town?

No. About 6 of every 100 Sumter residents are enrolled in college (Census, 2020–24), about the same as South Carolina (6). The largest campus in the city, Central Carolina Technical College, has 1,816 students on campus.

What colleges are in Sumter?

Central Carolina Technical College, the University of South Carolina-Sumter and Morris College are inside the city.

What is the closest community college to Sumter, and what does it cost?

University of South Carolina-Sumter in Sumter, 1.3 miles away. Tuition and fees are $7,558 a year for South Carolina residents; the federal net price, $7,712, counts housing and food at full cost.

How much does the University of South Carolina-Columbia cost if we live in South Carolina?

Tuition and fees are $12,688 a year in-state and $35,972 from out of state. After grants, families on federal aid paid an average of $12,634 (under $30,000 income) to $28,125 (over $110,000), housing and food included.

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Colleges: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard and IPEDS (Scorecard 06/10/2026 · IPEDS 2024 · fall 2023 enrollment). “On campus” is fall enrollment minus students who study only online. Distances are straight-line from the center of Sumter. Residents in college, age, rent and poverty (including poverty without college students, table B14006): U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–24. Colleges are described, not graded; the College town label marks towns where 15% or more of residents are enrolled. How TownRatings describes colleges →