Head-to-head comparison
Aiken Technical College vs Columbia College: which has better ROI?
Option A Graniteville, SC
Aiken Technical College
- Net price / year
- $4,807
- Earnings, 10 years
- $39,225
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Columbia, SC
Columbia College
- Net price / year
- $18,408
- Earnings, 10 years
- $41,338
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Aiken Technical College comes closer — median earnings $39,225 against a $9,614 total, vs $41,338 at Columbia College. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Aiken Technical College | Columbia College |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $4,807 | $18,408 |
| Total net cost | $9,614 | $73,632 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $39,225 | $41,338 |
| Median debt | $12,250 | $22,750 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$192,314 | -$214,072 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Aiken Technical College or Columbia College?
Aiken Technical College, at $4,807 a year after aid versus $18,408 — a gap of $13,601 a year, or $64,018 across the full degree. These are net prices after grants and scholarships, not sticker prices, so they reflect what an aided student pays.
The short answer
Do Aiken Technical College or Columbia College graduates earn more?
Columbia College graduates report a median $41,338 ten years after entry, $2,113 more than the $39,225 at Aiken Technical College. Both are institution-wide medians from federal tax records, so a high-paying major at the lower school can beat the average at the higher one.
The short answer
Which leaves students with less debt, Aiken Technical College or Columbia College?
Aiken Technical College: its completers carry a median $12,250 in federal loans versus $22,750 at Columbia College, a difference of $10,500. The figure counts students who finished; it excludes private loans and anyone who left before graduating.
The short answer
Which graduates more of its students?
37% of students finish at Columbia College, against 34% at Aiken Technical College. Completion matters to the ROI arithmetic because a degree that is never finished still carries its cost and its debt, but earns none of the graduate premium above the $48,360 high-school baseline.