Head-to-head comparison
Madison Area Technical College vs Bryant & Stratton College-Wauwatosa: which has better ROI?
Option A Madison, WI
Madison Area Technical College
- Net price / year
- $14,238
- Earnings, 10 years
- $45,413
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Wauwatosa, WI
Bryant & Stratton College-Wauwatosa
- Net price / year
- $14,858
- Earnings, 10 years
- $32,568
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Madison Area Technical College comes closer — median earnings $45,413 against a $56,952 total, vs $32,568 at Bryant & Stratton College-Wauwatosa. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Madison Area Technical College | Bryant & Stratton College-Wauwatosa |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $14,238 | $14,858 |
| Total net cost | $56,952 | $29,716 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $45,413 | $32,568 |
| Median debt | $14,060 | $21,549 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$115,892 | -$345,556 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Madison Area Technical College or Bryant & Stratton College-Wauwatosa?
Madison Area Technical College, at $14,238 a year after aid versus $14,858 — a gap of $620 a year, or $27,236 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 Madison Area Technical College or Bryant & Stratton College-Wauwatosa graduates earn more?
Madison Area Technical College graduates report a median $45,413 ten years after entry, $12,845 more than the $32,568 at Bryant & Stratton College-Wauwatosa. 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, Madison Area Technical College or Bryant & Stratton College-Wauwatosa?
Madison Area Technical College: its completers carry a median $14,060 in federal loans versus $21,549 at Bryant & Stratton College-Wauwatosa, a difference of $7,489. 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?
29% of students finish at Madison Area Technical College, against 20% at Bryant & Stratton College-Wauwatosa. 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.