Head-to-head comparison
Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College vs Gardner-Webb 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 Boiling Springs, NC
Gardner-Webb University
- Net price / year
- $17,674
- Earnings, 10 years
- $48,039
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Gardner-Webb University comes closer — median earnings $48,039 against a $70,696 total, vs $36,048 at Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College | Gardner-Webb University |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $11,602 | $17,674 |
| Total net cost | $46,408 | $70,696 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $36,048 | $48,039 |
| Median debt | $15,528 | $24,222 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$292,648 | -$77,116 |
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 Gardner-Webb University?
Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College, at $11,602 a year after aid versus $17,674 — a gap of $6,072 a year, or $24,288 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 Gardner-Webb University graduates earn more?
Gardner-Webb University graduates report a median $48,039 ten years after entry, $11,991 more than the $36,048 at Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community 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, Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College or Gardner-Webb University?
Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College: its completers carry a median $15,528 in federal loans versus $24,222 at Gardner-Webb University, a difference of $8,694. 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?
55% of students finish at Gardner-Webb University, against 40% at Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community 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.