Head-to-head comparison
Barton County Community College vs Rasmussen University-Kansas: which has better ROI?
Option A Great Bend, KS
Barton County Community College
- Net price / year
- $9,905
- Earnings, 10 years
- $40,428
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Topeka, KS
Rasmussen University-Kansas
- Net price / year
- $23,980
- Earnings, 10 years
- $39,080
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Barton County Community College comes closer — median earnings $40,428 against a $39,620 total, vs $39,080 at Rasmussen University-Kansas. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Barton County Community College | Rasmussen University-Kansas |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $9,905 | $23,980 |
| Total net cost | $39,620 | $47,960 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $40,428 | $39,080 |
| Median debt | $9,501 | $20,899 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$198,260 | -$233,560 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Barton County Community College or Rasmussen University-Kansas?
Barton County Community College, at $9,905 a year after aid versus $23,980 — a gap of $14,075 a year, or $8,340 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 Barton County Community College or Rasmussen University-Kansas graduates earn more?
Barton County Community College graduates report a median $40,428 ten years after entry, $1,348 more than the $39,080 at Rasmussen University-Kansas. 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, Barton County Community College or Rasmussen University-Kansas?
Barton County Community College: its completers carry a median $9,501 in federal loans versus $20,899 at Rasmussen University-Kansas, a difference of $11,398. 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?
45% of students finish at Rasmussen University-Kansas, against 33% at Barton County 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.