Forrest College

601 E River Street
Anderson, SC 29624
Top Ranked (2024-25): View Rankings
  • The mission of Forrest Junior College is to provide an environment that inspires students to more fully develop the confidence to reach their personal and professional goals. The college strives to attain its mission by providing appropriate educational experiences that stress personal and academic goal attainment and emphasize the importance of learning as a life-long process through both individual and group work.

School Highlights

Forrest College serves 27 students (89% of students are full-time).
The college's student:teacher ratio of 2:1 is lower than the state community college average of 12:1.
Minority enrollment is 48% of the student body (majority Black), which is less than the state average of 96%.

Quick Stats (2024-25)

  • Enrollment: 27 students
  • Private-state tuition: $9,420
  • Student:teacher ratio: 2:1
  • Minority enrollment: 48%
  • Source: Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS)

Top Rankings

Forrest College ranks among the top 20% of public schools in South Carolina for:

Category
Attribute
Completion Rates

School Overview

The teacher population of 15 teachers has stayed relatively flat over five years.
Forrest College
(SC) Community College Avg.
Carnegie Classification
Associate's Colleges: High Vocational & Technical-High Traditional
Associates Colleges
Institution Level
At least 2 but less than 4 years
At least 2 but less than 4 years
Institution Control
Private for-profit
Public
Total Faculty
15 staff
177 staff
This chart displays total faculty of Forrest College and community college average number of faculty in South Carolina by year, with the latest 2022-23 school year data.

Student Body

The student population of Forrest College has stayed relatively flat over five years.
The student:teacher ratio of 2:1 has stayed the same over five years.
The Forrest College diversity score of 0.63 is more than the state average of 0.60. The school's diversity has stayed relatively flat over five years.
Total Enrollment
27 students
1,619 students
This chart displays the total enrollment of Forrest College and community college average number of enrollment of South Carolina by year, with the latest 2022-23 school year data.
Student : Teacher Ratio
2:1
12:1
This chart displays the student staff ratio of Forrest College and community college average student staff ratio of South Carolina by year, with the latest 2022-23 school year data.
# Full-Time Students
24 students
514 students
This chart displays the total number of Full-time students enrollment of Forrest College and average number of community college Full-time students enrollment of South Carolina by year, with the latest 2022-23 school year data.
# Part-Time Students
3 students
1,105 students
This chart displays the total number of Part-time students enrollment of Forrest College and average number of community college Part-time students enrollment of South Carolina by year, with the latest 2022-23 school year data.
This chart displays the Full-time students and Part-time students enrollment breakdown of Forrest College.
This chart displays community college average Full-Time students and Part-Time students enrollment breakdown of South Carolina.
# Enrollment Undergraduate
133 students
359 students
# Full-Time Undergraduate Students
24 students
514 students
This chart displays the total number of Full-time undergraduate students enrollment of Forrest College and average number of community college Full-time undergraduate  students enrollment of South Carolina by year, with the latest 2022-23 school year data.
# Full-Time Graduate Students
n/a
4 students
# Part-Time Undergraduate Students
3 students
1,105 students
# Part-Time Graduate Students
n/a
10 students
Total Dormitory Capacity
n/a
260 students
% American Indian/Alaskan
n/a
2%
% Asian
n/a
28%
% Hispanic
7%
n/a
This chart displays the percentage of Hispanic students in Forrest College and the percentage of Hispanic community college students in South Carolina by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
% Black
31%
7%
This chart displays the percentage of Black students in Forrest College and the percentage of Black community college students in South Carolina by year, with the latest 2022-23 school year data.
% White
52%
4%
This chart displays the percentage of White students in Forrest College and the percentage of White community college students in South Carolina by year, with the latest 2022-23 school year data.
% Hawaiian
n/a
56%
% Two or more races
3%
3%
This chart displays the percentage of Two or more races students in Forrest College and the percentage of Two or more races community college students in South Carolina by year, with the latest 2022-23 school year data.
% Non Resident races
7%
n/a
This chart displays the percentage breakdown of students of all ethnic groups in Forrest College.
This chart displays the percentage breakdown of students of all ethnic groups in South Carolina.
Diversity Score
0.63
0.60
This chart displays the diversity score of Forrest College and the community college average diversity score of South Carolina by year, with the latest 2022-23 school year data.
College Completion Rate (Students who graduate in less than 4 years)
9%
23.96%
This chart displays completion rates for First-Time of Full-time students of Forrest College and community college average completion rates for First-Time of Full-time students of South Carolina by year, with the latest 2020-21 school year data.
College Completion Rate (Students who graduate in 4 years or more than 4 years)
n/a
0.2967%
Average Graduate Earnings (10 Years)
$23,300
$28,800
This chart displays average graduate earnings (10 Years) of Forrest College and community college average graduate earnings (10 Years) of South Carolina by year, disaggregated by student subgroups with the latest 2012-13 school year data.

Tuition and Acceptance Rate

The private state tuition of $9,420 is less than the state average of $11,532. The private state tuition has declined by 11% over four years.
Private State Tuition Fees
$9,420
$11,532
This chart displays tuition fees for an in-state student of Forrest College and the private community college average tuition fees for an in-state student of South Carolina by year, with the latest 2022-23 school year data.
% Students Receiving Some Financial Aid
91%
93%
This chart displays the percent of students who is receiving some financial aid in Forrest College and the percent of community college students who is receiving some financial aid in South Carolina by year, with the latest 2022-23 school year data.
Median Debt for Graduates
$17,816
$11,729
This chart displays median debt for students who have completed a certificate or degree in Forrest College and average median debt for community college students who have completed a certificate or degree in South Carolina by year, with the latest 2022-23 school year data.
Median Debt for Dropouts
$6,559
$5,500
This chart displays median debt for students who have not completed a certificate or degree in Forrest College and average median debt for community college students who have not completed a certificate or degree in South Carolina by year, with the latest 2022-23 school year data.
Acceptance Rate
n/a
88%
SAT Reading
n/a
430
SAT Math
n/a
458
SAT Writing
n/a
413
ACT Composite
n/a
18
ACT English
n/a
17
ACT Math
n/a
18
ACT Writing
n/a
6
Source: 2023 (or latest year available) Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS)

School Notes

  • Forrest Junior College was founded in January 1946 by Mr. R.C. Carr. and was known at that time as the Carolina School of Commerce. The College was located on East Benson Street. Mr. Charles M. Forrest purchased the school in 1951 and, in 1954 the College moved to 500 North McDuffie Street. In 1963, a new facility was constructed and opened at its present location at 601 E River Street. The new facility became known as Forrest College. In April 1985, John Re, Ph.D., and Charles Palmer, Jr., M.Ed., purchased Forrest College, and in March 1989, changed its name to Forrest Junior College. Forrest Junior College is located at 601 E. River Street in Anderson, SC. The institution offers an associate degree program with nine areas of specialization, as well as a number of diploma programs. The College is different from traditional junior colleges in a number of ways. Our classes are small. Consequently, our students receive more individualized instruction and attention. Age is not relevant at FJC, with students ranging from the teens through the seventies. The College offers Associate Degree in Accounting, Computer Information Services, Early Childhood Development, Legal Assisting/Paralegal Studies, Legal Office Administration and Medical Office Administration. Diploma Programs offered by the College includes Administrative Office Assistant, Bookkeeper, Managed Care Assistant, Medical Assistant, Medical Laboratory Assistant and Medical Office Assistant. Forrest Junior College is accredited as a junior college by the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools (ACICS), a national professional accrediting agency recognized by the United States Department of Education. In addition, the College has program accreditation for its Medical Assisting Program by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP).

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does Forrest College cost?
Forrest College's private state tuition is approximately $9,420.
What is Forrest College's ranking?
Forrest College ranks among the top 20% of community college in South Carolina for: Diversity in US community colleges and Highest completion rates.

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Quick Stats (2024-25)

  • Enrollment: 27 students
  • Private-state tuition: $9,420
  • Student:teacher ratio: 2:1
  • Minority enrollment: 48%
  • Source: Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS)

Related School Videos

Did You Know?

For South Carolina public community colleges, the average tuition is approximately $5,692 per year for in-state students and $10,568 for out-of-state students. For private community colleges, the average yearly tuition is approximately $11,532 per year. Read more about average community college tuition costs across the country.

The average community college acceptance rate in South Carolina is 89%. Read more about national community college acceptance rates.

South Carolina community colleges have a diversity score of 0.60, which is lower than the national average of 0.75. The most diverse community college in South Carolina is Florence-Darlington Technical College. Read more about community college diversity statistics in the USA.

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