Head-to-head comparison
Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College vs Rockingham Community College: 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 Wentworth, NC
Rockingham Community College
- Net price / year
- $2,060
- Earnings, 10 years
- $32,480
- 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 $32,480 at Rockingham Community College. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College | Rockingham Community College |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $11,602 | $2,060 |
| Total net cost | $46,408 | $4,120 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $36,048 | $32,480 |
| Median debt | $15,528 | — |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$292,648 | -$321,720 |
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 Rockingham Community College?
Rockingham Community College, at $2,060 a year after aid versus $11,602 — a gap of $9,542 a year, or $42,288 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 Rockingham Community College graduates earn more?
Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College graduates report a median $36,048 ten years after entry, $3,568 more than the $32,480 at Rockingham 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 graduates more of its students?
40% of students finish at Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College, against 35% at Rockingham 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.