Head-to-head comparison
Gateway Technical College vs Carthage College: which has better ROI?
Option A Kenosha, WI
Gateway Technical College
- Net price / year
- $12,928
- Earnings, 10 years
- $40,264
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Kenosha, WI
Carthage College
- Net price / year
- $26,565
- Earnings, 10 years
- $56,950
- Payback
- 12.4 yrs
Carthage College has the better ROI: it clears its 4-year net cost of $106,260 in 12.4 years versus not at all at Gateway Technical College, on median earnings of $56,950 vs $40,264 ten years out. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Gateway Technical College | Carthage College |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $12,928 | $26,565 |
| Total net cost | $51,712 | $106,260 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $40,264 | $56,950 |
| Median debt | $12,165 | $26,000 |
| Payback | — | 12.4 yrs |
| 20-year net return | -$213,632 | $65,540 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Gateway Technical College or Carthage College?
Gateway Technical College, at $12,928 a year after aid versus $26,565 — a gap of $13,637 a year, or $54,548 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 Gateway Technical College or Carthage College graduates earn more?
Carthage College graduates report a median $56,950 ten years after entry, $16,686 more than the $40,264 at Gateway 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, Gateway Technical College or Carthage College?
Gateway Technical College: its completers carry a median $12,165 in federal loans versus $26,000 at Carthage College, a difference of $13,835. 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?
64% of students finish at Carthage College, against 51% at Gateway 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.