Head-to-head comparison
Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College vs Carolina University: which has better ROI?
Option A Asheville, NC
Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College
- Net price / year
- $11,602
- Earnings, 10 years
- $36,048
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Winston-Salem, NC
Carolina University
- Net price / year
- $20,828
- Earnings, 10 years
- $32,864
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College comes closer — median earnings $36,048 against a $46,408 total, vs $32,864 at Carolina University. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College | Carolina University |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $11,602 | $20,828 |
| Total net cost | $46,408 | $83,312 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $36,048 | $32,864 |
| Median debt | $15,528 | $20,287 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$292,648 | -$393,232 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College or Carolina University?
Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College, at $11,602 a year after aid versus $20,828 — a gap of $9,226 a year, or $36,904 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 Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College or Carolina University graduates earn more?
Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College graduates report a median $36,048 ten years after entry, $3,184 more than the $32,864 at Carolina University. 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, Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College or Carolina University?
Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College: its completers carry a median $15,528 in federal loans versus $20,287 at Carolina University, a difference of $4,759. 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?
40% of students finish at Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College, against 22% at Carolina University. 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.