Head-to-head comparison
Butler Community College vs Salina Area Technical 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 Salina, KS
Salina Area Technical College
- Net price / year
- $6,468
- Earnings, 10 years
- $42,175
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Salina Area Technical College comes closer — median earnings $42,175 against a $25,872 total, vs $41,206 at Butler Community College. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Butler Community College | Salina Area Technical College |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $15,724 | $6,468 |
| Total net cost | $31,448 | $25,872 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $41,206 | $42,175 |
| Median debt | $10,500 | $7,000 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$174,528 | -$149,572 |
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 Salina Area Technical College?
Salina Area Technical College, at $6,468 a year after aid versus $15,724 — a gap of $9,256 a year, or $5,576 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 Salina Area Technical College graduates earn more?
Salina Area Technical College graduates report a median $42,175 ten years after entry, $969 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 Salina Area Technical College?
Salina Area Technical College: its completers carry a median $7,000 in federal loans versus $10,500 at Butler Community College, a difference of $3,500. 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?
68% of students finish at Salina Area Technical 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.