Head-to-head comparison
Lake Area Technical College vs Mount Marty University: which has better ROI?
Option A Watertown, SD
Lake Area Technical College
- Net price / year
- $15,979
- Earnings, 10 years
- $45,473
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Yankton, SD
Mount Marty University
- Net price / year
- $22,227
- Earnings, 10 years
- $48,179
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Lake Area Technical College comes closer — median earnings $45,473 against a $31,958 total, vs $48,179 at Mount Marty University. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Lake Area Technical College | Mount Marty University |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $15,979 | $22,227 |
| Total net cost | $31,958 | $88,908 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $45,473 | $48,179 |
| Median debt | $12,000 | $26,396 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$89,698 | -$92,528 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Lake Area Technical College or Mount Marty University?
Lake Area Technical College, at $15,979 a year after aid versus $22,227 — a gap of $6,248 a year, or $56,950 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 Lake Area Technical College or Mount Marty University graduates earn more?
Mount Marty University graduates report a median $48,179 ten years after entry, $2,706 more than the $45,473 at Lake Area 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, Lake Area Technical College or Mount Marty University?
Lake Area Technical College: its completers carry a median $12,000 in federal loans versus $26,396 at Mount Marty University, a difference of $14,396. 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?
73% of students finish at Lake Area Technical College, against 52% at Mount Marty University. 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.