Head-to-head comparison
Ashland Community and Technical College vs Big Sandy Community and Technical College: which has better ROI?
Option A Ashland, KY
Ashland Community and Technical College
- Net price / year
- $5,717
- Earnings, 10 years
- $34,504
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Prestonsburg, KY
Big Sandy Community and Technical College
- Net price / year
- $3,873
- Earnings, 10 years
- $32,954
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Ashland Community and Technical College comes closer — median earnings $34,504 against a $22,868 total, vs $32,954 at Big Sandy Community and Technical College. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Ashland Community and Technical College | Big Sandy Community and Technical College |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $5,717 | $3,873 |
| Total net cost | $22,868 | $15,492 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $34,504 | $32,954 |
| Median debt | $10,950 | $9,357 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$299,988 | -$323,612 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Ashland Community and Technical College or Big Sandy Community and Technical College?
Big Sandy Community and Technical College, at $3,873 a year after aid versus $5,717 — a gap of $1,844 a year, or $7,376 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 Ashland Community and Technical College or Big Sandy Community and Technical College graduates earn more?
Ashland Community and Technical College graduates report a median $34,504 ten years after entry, $1,550 more than the $32,954 at Big Sandy Community and 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, Ashland Community and Technical College or Big Sandy Community and Technical College?
Big Sandy Community and Technical College: its completers carry a median $9,357 in federal loans versus $10,950 at Ashland Community and Technical College, a difference of $1,593. 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?
51% of students finish at Ashland Community and Technical College, against 38% at Big Sandy Community and 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.