Best Engineering Schools Near Sumter, SC (2026)

Updated September 6, 2026 BLS data College Scorecard On this page

Sumter, South Carolina has 5 accredited schools offering engineering programs. Sumter has a population of about 43,065. Median household income is $53,071 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 28.6% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In South Carolina, the top-earning engineering-related role is Aerospace Engineer at a median $137,030 annually (BLS, May 2025).

Closest Engineering Schools to Sumter

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer engineering programs near Sumter, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Sumter city center. The list is rebuilt from federal IPEDS data on every site update.

How We Rank Schools

Every school list on this site is ordered by the BOC Score, computed from the most recent school-level data published by the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and IPEDS). To qualify, a school must be currently operating and accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Each eligible school is then scored on five measures, percentile-ranked against schools at the same credential level:

  • Graduation rate 30%
  • Median earnings, 10 years after entry 25%
  • Average net price (lower is better) 20%
  • Retention rate 15%
  • Fully online availability 10%

Schools without enough outcome data appear after ranked schools, without a score. On this page, schools are ordered by distance from Sumter. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

Ranked by BOC Score — U.S. Dept. of Education outcome data. Advertising never affects rankings.

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#1

Central Carolina Technical College

Sumter, SC 1.3 miles from Sumter
  • 2 year
  • Offers a fully online program
43.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 22%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $32,603
Avg net price $5,571/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 33

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all South Carolina schools on the South Carolina engineering page.

Engineering Wages Near Sumter

Sumter is part of the Sumter, SC metro area (BLS area code 44940). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to South Carolina statewide.

Occupation Median Wage Source COL-Adjusted (US=100)
Civil Engineer $94,110 Sumter, SC $106,943
Electrical Engineer $94,440 Sumter, SC $107,318
Mechanical Engineer $101,010 Sumter, SC $114,784
Chemical Engineer $101,570 SC statewide $115,420
Aerospace Engineer $137,030 SC statewide $155,716
Biomedical Engineer $99,130 SC statewide $112,648
Environmental Engineer $96,140 SC statewide $109,250
Architectural and Engineering Manager $133,450 Sumter, SC $151,648

Source: BLS, May 2025 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes wage data at the metro (MSA) and state level – not by individual city.

Sumter at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 43,065 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $53,071 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 28.6% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100) 88.0 (below U.S. average) BEA RPP 2024
Engineering-related employment in Sumter County 172 workers, 32 establishments BLS QCEW 2024 annual

Other Sumter-Area Cities With Engineering Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited engineering schools are near Sumter, SC?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering engineering programs near Sumter. The closest is Central Carolina Technical College in Sumter, SC (1.3 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Williamsburg Technical College (38.3 miles). 4 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying engineering roles near Sumter?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying engineering-related roles near Sumter are: Aerospace Engineer ($137,030), Architectural and Engineering Manager ($133,450), Chemical Engineer ($101,570). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with South Carolina statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Columbia instead of Sumter?

Columbia, SC is 30.1 miles from Sumter and has its own set of local engineering programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.

Is Sumter an affordable place to study engineering?

Sumter’s median household income of $53,071 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Sumter while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and South Carolina public universities often offer reduced in-state online tuition.

How do I verify a program is accredited?

Confirm institutional accreditation via the U.S. Department of Education database (U.S. Dept. of Education database), and check for any program-specific accreditation listed by the school.

Learn More About Engineering Programs

Other Programs Available in Sumter

Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for Sumter:

Data verified: September 6, 2026. Salary, employment, and tuition figures on this page are sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS May 2025; Employment Projections 2024–2034) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (2023 cohort). The source agency and data year are cited inline with every statistic.

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