Head-to-head comparison
Barton County Community College vs Sterling College: 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 Sterling, KS
Sterling College
- Net price / year
- $22,371
- Earnings, 10 years
- $45,846
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Sterling College comes closer — median earnings $45,846 against a $89,484 total, vs $40,428 at Barton County Community College. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Barton County Community College | Sterling College |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $9,905 | $22,371 |
| Total net cost | $39,620 | $89,484 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $40,428 | $45,846 |
| Median debt | $9,501 | $24,625 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$198,260 | -$139,764 |
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 Sterling College?
Barton County Community College, at $9,905 a year after aid versus $22,371 — a gap of $12,466 a year, or $49,864 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 Sterling College graduates earn more?
Sterling College graduates report a median $45,846 ten years after entry, $5,418 more than the $40,428 at Barton County 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, Barton County Community College or Sterling College?
Barton County Community College: its completers carry a median $9,501 in federal loans versus $24,625 at Sterling College, a difference of $15,124. 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?
41% of students finish at Sterling College, 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.