CDL Schools in South Carolina (Top Programs Listed)

CDL Schools in South Carolina

To work in the trucking industry in South Carolina, you will first need to train and meet some specific requirements.

In order to learn more about the required training, we have brought you some info in this article.

Choosing a School

South Carolina has a good selection of schools you can choose from for your training.

Some of the schools provide scholarships for students who need their tuition costs covered.

To be able to easily find a scholarship either in truck driving or diesel technology, consider becoming a member of the South Carolina Trucking Association.

If you opt for a truck driving program, you should know these have a short duration, between 6 and 8 weeks.

The most common license for a truck driver is Class A, which you will receive after passing a written exam and a skills test.

Class B and C licenses are also available.

However, a diesel technology program gives you the option to get specialized.

Such a course usually lasts for one to 2 years, depending on the diploma you are pursuing.

In South Carolina, there are schools that provide a one-year diploma, but also schools that offer an associate’s degree.

School Name Address
Aiken Technical College 2276 Jefferson Davis Hwy, Graniteville, SC 29829
Carolina Driving Institute 2311 Crowder Road Rock Hill SC 29730
Central Carolina Tech 506 N Guignard Dr, Sumter, SC 29150
Central Carolina Technical College 2140 Peach Orchard Road (U.S. Hwy 441),Sumter, South Carolina 29150
Denmark Technical College 1126 Soloman Blatt Blvd, Denmark, SC 29042, USA
Florence-Darlington Technical College 2715 W Lucas St, Florence, SC 29502
Greenville Technical College 506 S Pleasantburg Dr, Greenville, SC 29607
Horry-Georgetown Technical College 2050 Hwy 501 E, Conway, SC 29528
J & J Truck Driver Training 1557 Country Road S-45-292, Cades, SC 29518
KDS Commercial Driver Training Academy LLC 4587 Old Hickory Rd, Lancaster, SC 29720
Midlands Technical College 1260 Lexington Drive, West Columbia, SC 29170
Miller-Motte Technical College – Charleston 8085 Rivers Ave., North Charleston, SC 29406
Miller-Motte Technical College – Conway 2451 Highway 501 East, Conway, SC 29528
Northeastern Technical College 1201 Chesterfield Hwy., Cheraw, SC 29520
Orangeburg-Calhoun Technical College 3250 St. Matthews Road, Orangeburg, SC 29118
Palmetto Training Inc 3791 Allendale-Fairfax Hwy, Fairfax, SC 29827, USA
Palmetto Training Inc 7293 Peppermill Parkway, North Charleston, SC 29418
Palmetto Training Inc 1085 Thunderbolt Dr., Walterboro, SC 29488
Piedmont Technical College 620 N Emerald Rd., Greenwood, SC 29648
SAGE 277 Dooley Road, Lexington, SC 29073
Spartanburg Community College 107 Community College Drive, Spartanburg, SC 29303
Technical College of the Lowcountry 921 Ribaut Rd, Beaufort, SC 29902, USA
Tri-County Technical College 7900 Hwy 76, Pendleton, SC 29670
Truck Driver Institute 3425 Lancaster Hwy., Richburg, SC 29729
Union County Adult Education 517 E Main St, Union, SC 29379, USA
Williamsburg Technical College 601 MLK Jr Ave., Kingstree, SC 29556
XTRA Mile Driving Training Inc 855 U.S. 15, Bishopville, SC 29010
York Technical College 452 S Anderson Rd., Rock Hill, SC 29730

For instance, Orangeburg Calhoun Technical College provides a one-year diesel technology program with 16 credits.

Another school worth looking into is SAGE Truck Driving School.

This school has many varied programs available, such as a 2,150-hour driving essentials course, a driving refresher class and a tractor-trailer class for advanced drivers.

The school also provides other options, such as a job placement program.

This can be very useful for students who want to get hired right after completing the course.

You should also consider opting for a program with small class size.

These classes are more beneficial as they offer increased driving hours and more interaction with your instructor.

If you are already working, you can consider taking evening classes instead of the regular ones.

Getting Hired

In South Carolina, there are many places to get work after you get your license.

For example, you can check out repair shops, trucking companies, and leasing centers.

Beacon Transport, C.R. England, and A&R Transport are some of the most important companies in this state.

If you are wondering what the job outlook is for truck drivers, you should know it is quite positive.

Based on a report by O*Net from 2015, truck driver jobs will see a growth of 20% by 2022.

According to the same source, diesel mechanics jobs will also see an increase of 13%.

Below you can see the average salary for a truck driver in South Carolina’s largest cities.

Annual Salary Range:
$36K
$41K
$48K
10%
50%
90%
Annual Salary by Location:
Location Avg. Annual Salary
Charleston $42,077
Columbia $41,614
North Charleston $42,077
Mount Pleasant $42,077
Rock Hill $43,613
Greenville $43,229
Summerville $41,891
Goose Creek $42,015
Sumter $39,620
Hilton Head Island $41,150

Regional Salary in South Carolina

Region Employed Avg. Annual Salary Avg. Hourly Pay Top 10% Annual Salary Bottom 10% Annual Salary
Charleston-North Charleston, SC6,380$58,230$28$79,720$38,930
Columbia, SC5,080$52,650$25.31$74,580$36,140
Florence, SC1,720$51,460$24.74$68,260$36,780
Greenville-Anderson-Mauldin, SC4,900$51,900$24.95$65,800$36,210
Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Beaufort, SC620$49,810$23.95$62,300$36,390
Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC-NC2,120$47,400$22.79$61,240$36,420
Spartanburg, SC3,310$54,640$26.27$76,810$36,650
Sumter, SC560$47,130$22.66$61,870$35,920
* Salary information based on the May 2023 Occupational Employment Statistics (OES) Survey for Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers, OCC Code 53-3032, BLS.
* Employment conditions in your area may vary.

Conclusion

The trucking industry in South Carolina has been on the rise over the past decade and will continue to do so.

If you complete a program and get a license, you can benefit from a long career in the industry.

USA CDL Schools by State


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