Head-to-head comparison
Fox Valley Technical College vs Waukesha County Technical College: which has better ROI?
Option A Appleton, WI
Fox Valley Technical College
- Net price / year
- $11,407
- Earnings, 10 years
- $45,684
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Pewaukee, WI
Waukesha County Technical College
- Net price / year
- $11,101
- Earnings, 10 years
- $46,894
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Waukesha County Technical College comes closer — median earnings $46,894 against a $44,404 total, vs $45,684 at Fox Valley Technical College. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Fox Valley Technical College | Waukesha County Technical College |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $11,407 | $11,101 |
| Total net cost | $45,628 | $44,404 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $45,684 | $46,894 |
| Median debt | $10,402 | $12,000 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$99,148 | -$73,724 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Fox Valley Technical College or Waukesha County Technical College?
Waukesha County Technical College, at $11,101 a year after aid versus $11,407 — a gap of $306 a year, or $1,224 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 Fox Valley Technical College or Waukesha County Technical College graduates earn more?
Waukesha County Technical College graduates report a median $46,894 ten years after entry, $1,210 more than the $45,684 at Fox Valley Technical 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, Fox Valley Technical College or Waukesha County Technical College?
Fox Valley Technical College: its completers carry a median $10,402 in federal loans versus $12,000 at Waukesha County Technical College, a difference of $1,598. 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?
65% of students finish at Fox Valley Technical College, against 44% at Waukesha County Technical 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.