Head-to-head comparison
Forsyth Technical Community College vs Wake Forest University: which has better ROI?
Option A Winston-Salem, NC
Forsyth Technical Community College
- Net price / year
- $7,200
- Earnings, 10 years
- $34,139
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Winston-Salem, NC
Wake Forest University
- Net price / year
- $28,719
- Earnings, 10 years
- $78,158
- Payback
- 3.9 yrs
Wake Forest University has the better ROI: it clears its 4-year net cost of $114,876 in 3.9 years versus not at all at Forsyth Technical Community College, on median earnings of $78,158 vs $34,139 ten years out. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Forsyth Technical Community College | Wake Forest University |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $7,200 | $28,719 |
| Total net cost | $14,400 | $114,876 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $34,139 | $78,158 |
| Median debt | $10,000 | $21,500 |
| Payback | — | 3.9 yrs |
| 20-year net return | -$298,820 | $481,084 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Forsyth Technical Community College or Wake Forest University?
Forsyth Technical Community College, at $7,200 a year after aid versus $28,719 — a gap of $21,519 a year, or $100,476 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 Forsyth Technical Community College or Wake Forest University graduates earn more?
Wake Forest University graduates report a median $78,158 ten years after entry, $44,019 more than the $34,139 at Forsyth Technical 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, Forsyth Technical Community College or Wake Forest University?
Forsyth Technical Community College: its completers carry a median $10,000 in federal loans versus $21,500 at Wake Forest University, a difference of $11,500. 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?
89% of students finish at Wake Forest University, against 34% at Forsyth Technical 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.