Head-to-head comparison
Pitt Community College vs Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College: which has better ROI?
Option A Winterville, NC
Pitt Community College
- Net price / year
- $7,337
- Earnings, 10 years
- $37,259
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Asheville, NC
Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College
- Net price / year
- $11,602
- Earnings, 10 years
- $36,048
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Pitt Community College comes closer — median earnings $37,259 against a $29,348 total, vs $36,048 at Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Pitt Community College | Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $7,337 | $11,602 |
| Total net cost | $29,348 | $46,408 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $37,259 | $36,048 |
| Median debt | $11,977 | $15,528 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$251,368 | -$292,648 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Pitt Community College or Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College?
Pitt Community College, at $7,337 a year after aid versus $11,602 — a gap of $4,265 a year, or $17,060 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 Pitt Community College or Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College graduates earn more?
Pitt Community College graduates report a median $37,259 ten years after entry, $1,211 more than the $36,048 at Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community 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, Pitt Community College or Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College?
Pitt Community College: its completers carry a median $11,977 in federal loans versus $15,528 at Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College, a difference of $3,551. 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?
40% of students finish at Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College, against 35% at Pitt 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.