Head-to-head comparison
Butler Community College vs Wichita State University-Campus of Applied Sciences and Technology: 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 Wichita, KS
Wichita State University-Campus of Applied Sciences and Technology
- Net price / year
- $8,805
- Earnings, 10 years
- $38,679
- 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 $38,679 at Wichita State University-Campus of Applied Sciences and Technology. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Butler Community College | Wichita State University-Campus of Applied Sciences and Technology |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $15,724 | $8,805 |
| Total net cost | $31,448 | $35,220 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $41,206 | $38,679 |
| Median debt | $10,500 | $9,500 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$174,528 | -$228,840 |
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 Wichita State University-Campus of Applied Sciences and Technology?
Wichita State University-Campus of Applied Sciences and Technology, at $8,805 a year after aid versus $15,724 — a gap of $6,919 a year, or $3,772 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 Wichita State University-Campus of Applied Sciences and Technology graduates earn more?
Butler Community College graduates report a median $41,206 ten years after entry, $2,527 more than the $38,679 at Wichita State University-Campus of Applied Sciences and Technology. 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 Wichita State University-Campus of Applied Sciences and Technology?
Wichita State University-Campus of Applied Sciences and Technology: its completers carry a median $9,500 in federal loans versus $10,500 at Butler Community College, a difference of $1,000. 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?
43% of students finish at Wichita State University-Campus of Applied Sciences and Technology, 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.