Head-to-head comparison
Hennepin Technical College vs Inver Hills Community College: which has better ROI?
Option A Brooklyn Park, MN
Hennepin Technical College
- Net price / year
- $10,272
- Earnings, 10 years
- $49,460
- Payback
- 37.4 yrs
Option B Inver Grove Heights, MN
Inver Hills Community College
- Net price / year
- $11,636
- Earnings, 10 years
- $49,898
- Payback
- 15.1 yrs
Inver Hills Community College has the better ROI: it clears its 2-year net cost of $23,272 in 15.1 years versus 37.4 years at Hennepin Technical College, on median earnings of $49,898 vs $49,460 ten years out. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Hennepin Technical College | Inver Hills Community College |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $10,272 | $11,636 |
| Total net cost | $41,088 | $23,272 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $49,460 | $49,898 |
| Median debt | $11,433 | $13,965 |
| Payback | 37.4 yrs | 15.1 yrs |
| 20-year net return | -$19,088 | $7,488 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Hennepin Technical College or Inver Hills Community College?
Hennepin Technical College, at $10,272 a year after aid versus $11,636 — a gap of $1,364 a year, or $17,816 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 Hennepin Technical College or Inver Hills Community College graduates earn more?
Inver Hills Community College graduates report a median $49,898 ten years after entry, $438 more than the $49,460 at Hennepin 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, Hennepin Technical College or Inver Hills Community College?
Hennepin Technical College: its completers carry a median $11,433 in federal loans versus $13,965 at Inver Hills Community College, a difference of $2,532. 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?
42% of students finish at Hennepin Technical College, against 24% at Inver Hills 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.