2026 Best Value Occupational Therapist Assistant Schools in South Carolina
[Occupational Therapist Assistant](/majors/health-care-professions/allied-health-medical-assisting-services/occupational-therapist-assistant/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 7 schools to find the best return on investment for occupational therapist assistant students.
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2026 Best Value Occupational Therapist Assistant Schools in South Carolina
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in occupational therapist assistant, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Occupational Therapist Assistant Schools
Leading the list is Trident Technical College, our #1 best value for occupational therapist assistant in South Carolina. Located in the city of Charleston, Trident Technical College is a very large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $4,546, while out-of-state students pay about $8,620. Occupational Therapist Assistant graduates carry a median of $18,116 in student loans. Occupational Therapist Assistant graduates of Trident Technical College earn a median of $50,166 early in their careers. Set against $18,116 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
A rank of #2 makes Horry Georgetown Technical College one of the best values for occupational therapist assistant. Located in the city of Conway, Horry Georgetown Technical College is a moderately-sized public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $5,518, with out-of-state students paying around $10,978. Students borrow a median of $19,172 to complete the occupational therapist assistant program here. Soon after graduation, occupational therapist assistant degree recipients from Horry Georgetown Technical College generally make around $43,389. That is a strong return on a $19,172 median debt.
Students looking for strong value in occupational therapist assistant will find it at Greenville Technical College, which ranked #3. Set in the city of Greenville, Greenville Technical College is a large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $5,495, compared with $10,775 for out-of-state students. Occupational Therapist Assistant graduates carry a median of $16,132 in student loans. Soon after graduation, occupational therapist assistant degree recipients from Greenville Technical College generally make around $43,962. That is a strong return on a $16,132 median debt.
Students looking for strong value in occupational therapist assistant will find it at Piedmont Technical College, which ranked #4. Set in the town of Greenwood, Piedmont Technical College is a moderately-sized public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $4,775, compared with $6,923 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $12,292 to complete the occupational therapist assistant program here. Early-career occupational therapist assistant graduates make about $29,216. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at South University Columbia earned it the #5 place for occupational therapist assistant. Located in the suburb of Columbia, South University Columbia is a small private for-profit university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $17,895. Students borrow a median of $30,694 to complete the occupational therapist assistant program here. Occupational Therapist Assistant graduates of South University Columbia earn a median of $39,761 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
Southeastern Institute Charleston came in at #6 for value in occupational therapist assistant this year. Located in the city of North Charleston, Southeastern Institute Charleston is a small private for-profit university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $25,080. Occupational Therapist Assistant graduates carry a median of $14,198 in student loans. Early-career occupational therapist assistant graduates make about $28,689. That is a strong return on a $14,198 median debt. Roughly 98% of applicants are accepted.
Southeastern Institute Columbia came in at #7 for value in occupational therapist assistant this year. Located in the suburb of Columbia, Southeastern Institute Columbia is a small private for-profit university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $25,080. Typical student debt for occupational therapist assistant graduates is $12,187. Early-career occupational therapist assistant graduates make about $24,921. Set against $12,187 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Southeastern Institute Columbia admits about 97% of applicants.
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 7 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 4 ranked schools only.
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), serves as the core of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
More about our data sources and methodologies.
