Trade Schools
If you live in South Carolina and you’d like to start a career as an electrician, this page is for you.
Here we have compiled information about the best schools that offer electrician training programs in your state.
Most programs are designed to combine classroom instruction with hands-on projects to get you ready for real-world scenarios.
Program duration and costs vary depending on the credential and the school.
While certificate programs may be completed in one year or less, apprenticeships can last up to four or five years.
Before choosing the format that works best for you, we invite you to read our list and continue with your research.
1Carolinas Electrical Training Institute
About the School
Carolinas Electrical Training Institute offers a modern training facility for those who want to start a career in the electrician trade.
The apprenticeship program helps students earn a salary while they learn.
Courses Offered
The apprenticeship program available at the institute is based on the National Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee’s four-year curriculum.
The program is registered with the State and Federal Department of Labor.
Apprentices are required to complete 8,000 hours of on-the-job training and related classroom instruction.
They must also pass the NJATC Craft Certification Examination and Performance Test.
To qualify for admission into the apprenticeship, applicants must:
- Be at least 18 years of age
- Have a high school diploma or GED equivalent
- Show evidence that they have completed one full credit of high school algebra with a passing grade or have 4,000 hours of related experience
- Have a valid Driver’s License and a Social Security card
Contact Information
- Address: 13530 South Ridge Drive Charlotte NC 28273
- Phone: (704) 523-7001
- Website: http://carolinaseti.org
2Charleston Electrical Training Alliance
About the School
Charleston Electrical Training Alliance aims to prepare the most highly trained and skilled workforce possible for the electrical industry.
The alliance provides apprenticeships that combine on-the-job training with classroom instruction.
Courses Offered
The four-year apprenticeship program offered by the Charleston Electrical Training Alliance teaches students how to perform a variety of tasks.
They will be working with the following:
- Electrical systems in homes, duplexes, and small apartment buildings
- Electrical and communication systems in public, commercial, school, and hospital buildings
- Electrical and control systems in industrial buildings and equipment
- Shop work preparation and layout in modern electrical installation
- Introduction to job management
Applicants must fulfill the following admission requirements:
- Be at least 18 years of age
- Have a photo ID, Social Security Card, and a Birth Certificate
- Provide high school transcripts
- Have a high school diploma or GED
- The ability to lift 75 pounds
- After being accepted into the program, students must pass a 10-panel drug screen
Contact Information
- Address: 7281 Cross Park Drive, Building 200, North Charleston, SC 29418
- Phone: 843-990-9984
- Website: https://www.ceta776.org
3Piedmont Technical College
About the School
Piedmont Technical College offers more than 80 courses that can be transferred toward a bachelor’s degree.
Programs are available in a variety of high-demand fields and offer seamless transfer options to several colleges and universities across the state.
Tuition is $184.25 per credit hour for residents of Greenwood, McCormick, Newberry, and Saluda Counties and $205.75 per credit hour for residents of Abbeville, Edgefield & Laurens Counties.
Out-of-region residents pay $216.25 per credit hour.
The college is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges to award associate degrees.
Courses Offered
The college’s catalog includes the following electrical-related programs:
- Electrical Maintenance Technician-Certificate- a four-semester program that includes classes on:
- AC/DC Circuits
- National Electrical Code
- Motor Controls
- Industrial Electronics
- Semiconductor Devices
- Programmable Controllers
- Hand Tool Operations
- And more
- Electronic Engineering Technology, Associate in Applied Science- a five-semester program that includes classes such as:
- College Algebra
- Electronic Circuits
- Digital Circuits
- Programmable Controllers
- Active Devices
- Electronic Communications
- Microprocessors Fundamentals
- Introduction to CAD
- And more
The certificate program includes 25 credits while the A.A.S. program includes 71 credits.
Contact Information
- Address: 620 N. Emerald Rd. P.O. Box 1467, Greenwood, SC 29648
- Phone: 800.868.5528
- Website: https://www.ptc.edu
4Trident Technical College
About the School
Trident Technical College offers transfer programs and technical degree pathways in a variety of areas of study.
More than 150 programs of study are available and prepare students for careers in hospitals, the business field, industrial technology, aeronautical studies, tourism, and a variety of other high-demand fields.
Tuition is $188.69 per credit hour.
The registration fee is $17.30.
Trident Technical College is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges to award associate degrees, diplomas, and certificates.
Courses Offered
Programs are available in a variety of areas of interest, including:
- Electronics Engineering Technology
- Engineering Transfer- Electrical
- Basic Electronic Journeyman
- Electrical Drafting
- Electrical Engineering Transfer- the Citadel
- Electrician- Construction
- Electrician- Industrial
- General Technology- Electrical Line Worker Technology
- Electrician: Industrial and Construction
- Electrical Line Worker-Advanced
- Electrical Line Worker- Third Class
- Electrician- Construction
- Electrician- Industrial
- And more
The curriculum and the number of credits required for graduation vary depending on the program.
The Electrician-Construction Certificate includes classes on:
- Basic Electricity
- National Electrical Code
- Residential Wiring
- Commercial- Industrial Wiring
- Electrical Installation
Contact Information
- Address: PO Box 118067, Charleston, SC 29423
- Phone: 877-349-7184
- Website: https://www.tridenttech.edu
5Aiken Technical College
About the School
Aiken Technical College offers degree, diploma, and certificate programs in a variety of areas of study.
Tuition is $189 per credit hour for Aiken county residents and $204 per credit hour for other South Carolina residents.
Aiken Technical College is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges to award associate degrees.
Courses Offered
The college’s catalog features the following Maintenance Technology programs:
- Associate in Applied Science- Industrial Maintenance Technology
- Certificate- Electrical/Maintenance
- Certificate- Computerized Numerical Control
The Certificate- Electrical/Maintenance program includes the following major requirements:
- Control Circuits
- Commercial/Industrial Wiring
- Electronics Devices
- DC/AC Machines
- Power Tools Operations
- Drive Systems
- Couplings
- Introduction to Mechanical Installation
- Piping Systems
The major requirements include 24 credits.
Students need six additional credits in Technical Communications and Contemporary Mathematics.
Contact Information
- Address: 2276 Jefferson Davis Hwy, Graniteville, SC 29829
- Phone: 803-593-9231
- Website: https://www.atc.edu
6Horry Georgetown Technical College
About the School
Horry Georgetown Technical College provides educational programs for a variety of careers of interest.
More than 70 degrees, diplomas, and certificates are available.
The college has three campuses: Conway, Georgetown, and Grand Strand.
Horry Georgetown Technical College is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges to award associate degrees, diplomas, and certificates.
Courses Offered
The college’s catalog features a variety of programs, including the following pathways available at the Conway campus:
- Residential/Commercial Electrical Technician- a Certificate program
- Electronics Engineering Technology- an Associate Degree program
- Electrical Lineman Technician- a Certificate program
The Residential/Commercial Electrical Technician Certificate program prepares students for careers as entry-level electricians in residential and commercial maintenance electrical positions.
Among other skills, students enrolled in this program learn how to install and maintain electrical equipment, read blueprints, and troubleshoot and repair electrical systems in residential and commercial buildings.
The Electronics Engineering Technology program teaches students how to work with electronic and computer circuits in a variety of settings, from complex industrial equipment to household appliances.
The Electrical Lineman Technician- Certificate program prepares students for employment in the electric utility industry and apprenticeships by teaching them the skills and knowledge required to safely perform line work.
Contact Information
- Address: 2050 Highway 501 East, Conway, South Carolina 29526
- Phone: (843) 347-3186
- Website: https://www.hgtc.edu
7Midlands Technical College
About the School
Midlands Technical College provides a variety of programs and courses that can lead to certificates and degrees in eight different schools of study.
The college provides training at the following campuses: Airport, Batesburg-Leesville, Beltline, Fairfield, Fort Jackson, Harbison, and Northeast.
Midlands Technical College is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges to award associate degrees, diplomas, and certificates.
Courses Offered
The School of Advanced Manufacturing and Skilled Trades provides the following Electrical and Electronics programs:
- Basic Electrical Wiring- a program that prepares students with the fundamental knowledge of electrical wiring and AC and DC circuits by including classes on electrical codes, ordinances, print reading, and electricity fundamentals
- Industrial Electricity- a program that prepares students for employment with local electrical contractors, industrial plants, power companies, and other businesses in the field.
- Renewable Energy Technician- this program teaches students about electrical wiring and how it applies to the growing field of alternative energy
The Basic Electrical Wiring and the Renewable Energy Technician programs lead to Academic Certificates, while the Industrial Electricity program leads to a Diploma or Training Certificate.
Contact Information
- Address: P.O. Box 2408, Columbia, SC 29202
- Phone: 803.738.8324
- Website: https://www.midlandstech.edu
8Orangeburg-Calhoun Technical College
About the School
Orangeburg-Calhoun Technical College provides programs that can be completed in one year or less.
The college offers a wide selection of diplomas and certificates that coincide with associate programs.
Orangeburg-Calhoun Technical College is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.
Courses Offered
The Industrial Electronics Technology program available at the college can lead to an Associate Degree or Certificate.
A Basic Electrician Certificate as well as an Industrial Electrician Certificate are available.
The Basic Electrician Certificate prepares students for entry-level positions in construction, manufacturing, and other fields.
Students learn the basics of electrical codes, wiring techniques, print reading, and load calculations.
The Industrial Electrician Certificate program provides students with additional knowledge on programmable logic controllers, motor controls, power generation, and other related topics.
Costs vary depending on the program.
The Industrial Electronics Technology Degree costs approximately $2,964 per semester for full-time in-county students while the in-county cost for full-time students in the Mechanical and Electrical I Certificate is $1,170 per semester.
Contact Information
- Address: 3250 St. Matthews Road, Orangeburg, SC 29118
- Phone: 803.536.0311
- Website: https://www.octech.edu
9Dorchester County Career and Technology Center
About the School
Dorchester County Career and Technology Center provides a variety of training programs at its Dorchester campus and its satellite campus in Summerville.
The center combines academic and career skills and aligns with South Carolina’s education system and the requirements of the global economy.
The education is personalized to each student’s needs.
Courses Offered
An Electricity program is available at the center.
This program teaches students how to wire a house from start to finish while following national electrical codes.
Students learn how to bend and install conduits for commercial use and work on rewiring boats, trailers, electronic equipment, and other special projects.
- The Electricity I program teaches students introductory electrical skills for residential buildings in accordance with national electrical codes.
- The Electricity II program gives students the opportunity to apply the theory through hands-on experiences in bending and installing conduit, alternating current, direct current, conductor installation, circuit breaker, and fuses.
- The Electricity III course is available for students in grades 11 and 12 and allows those who have already completed the previous two levels to further their skills by enrolling in a work-based learning course
Contact Information
- Address: 507 Schoolhouse Road (Main Campus), Dorchester, SC 29437
- Phone: (843) 563-2361
- Website: https://www.dcctc.net
10Technical College of the Lowcountry
About the School
Technical College of the Lowcountry offers career-oriented education through more than 80 academic programs and transfer degree options.
It is a public, two-year, multi-campus community college that serves around 5,000 students per year.
Campuses are located in Beaufort, New River, Hampton, the Culinary Institute of the South in Bluffton, and the Whale Branch Early College High School in Seabrook.
Technical College of the Lowcountry is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges to award associate degrees, diplomas, and certificates.
Courses Offered
The College provides a Building and Industrial Pathway.
This pathway includes programs for Residential Electricians and Solar Photovoltaic Technicians.
These programs lead to Certificates.
The 21-credit Residential Electrician program can be completed in two full-time semesters and includes hands-on courses on basic electricity, print reading, fixtures, and installation.
The 21-credit Solar Photovoltaic Certificate program also can be completed in two semesters and includes hands-on courses in AC/DC circuits, electrical installations, and code, basic solar energy technology, and design and installation of solar photovoltaic systems.
Contact Information
- Address: 921 Ribaut Road, Beaufort, SC, 29902
- Phone: (843) 525-8207
- Website: https://www.tcl.edu
Regional Salary in South Carolina
| Region | Employed | Avg. Annual Salary | Avg. Hourly Pay | Top 10% Annual Salary | Bottom 10% Annual Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charleston-North Charleston, SC | 1,880 | $53,790 | $25.86 | $71,230 | $35,360 |
| Columbia, SC | 1,060 | $53,510 | $25.73 | $70,820 | $34,720 |
| Florence, SC | 240 | $50,040 | $24.06 | $65,590 | $34,320 |
| Greenville-Anderson-Mauldin, SC | 1,510 | $51,110 | $24.57 | $70,530 | $35,180 |
| Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Beaufort, SC | 260 | $49,380 | $23.74 | $67,240 | $31,730 |
| Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC-NC | 530 | $48,570 | $23.35 | $64,630 | $30,570 |
| Spartanburg, SC | 390 | $54,930 | $26.41 | $76,920 | $37,310 |
| Sumter, SC | 90 | $53,450 | $25.7 | $74,790 | $36,010 |
* Employment conditions in your area may vary.
Final Thoughts
Now that you have read our list of the best electrician schools in the South Carolina region, the next step is to continue with your research and apply for the program that best meets your schedule, budget, and learning style.
This is an important step, so take your time and make an informed decision.
