Best Online Engineering Programs in Sumter, SC (2026)

Sumter, South Carolina has 5 accredited schools offering engineering programs, with tuition ranging from $5,715 to $29,957 per year for indexed 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 5 accredited institutions below are the closest among the 5 schools in our directory that offer engineering programs near Sumter. Distances are calculated from Sumter city center.

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.

#1

Central Carolina Technical College

Sumter, SC 1.3 miles from Sumter BOC Score43.9
Published tuition$5,715 - $13,295
Online programsYes

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#2

Benedict College

Columbia, SC 36.4 miles from Sumter BOC Score16.1
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programs--

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#3

Orangeburg Calhoun Technical College

Orangeburg, SC 37.0 miles from Sumter BOC Score51.5
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programsYes

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#4

Florence-Darlington Technical College

Florence, SC 39.4 miles from Sumter BOC Score35.7
Published tuitionContact school for pricing
Online programs--

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#5

South Carolina State University

Orangeburg, SC 40.1 miles from Sumter BOC Score29.9
Published tuition$11,060 - $29,957
Online programsYes

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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.

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

MetricValueSource
Population43,065Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$53,071Census 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 County172 workers, 32 establishmentsBLS 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 South Carolina State University (40.1 miles). 3 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: June 11, 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.