Head-to-head comparison
Butler Community College vs Highland Community College: which has better ROI?
Option A El Dorado, KS
Butler Community College
- Net price / year
- $15,724
- Earnings, 10 years
- $41,206
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Highland, KS
Highland Community College
- Net price / year
- $10,454
- Earnings, 10 years
- $41,291
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Butler Community College comes closer — median earnings $41,206 against a $31,448 total, vs $41,291 at Highland Community College. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Butler Community College | Highland Community College |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $15,724 | $10,454 |
| Total net cost | $31,448 | $41,816 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $41,206 | $41,291 |
| Median debt | $10,500 | $8,277 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$174,528 | -$183,196 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Butler Community College or Highland Community College?
Highland Community College, at $10,454 a year after aid versus $15,724 — a gap of $5,270 a year, or $10,368 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 Butler Community College or Highland Community College graduates earn more?
Highland Community College graduates report a median $41,291 ten years after entry, $85 more than the $41,206 at Butler 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, Butler Community College or Highland Community College?
Highland Community College: its completers carry a median $8,277 in federal loans versus $10,500 at Butler Community College, a difference of $2,223. 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?
39% of students finish at Highland Community College, against 32% at Butler 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.