Head-to-head comparison
Rochester Community and Technical College vs Anoka Technical College: which has better ROI?
Option A Rochester, MN
Rochester Community and Technical College
- Net price / year
- $14,435
- Earnings, 10 years
- $45,287
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Anoka, MN
Anoka Technical College
- Net price / year
- $16,953
- Earnings, 10 years
- $47,746
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Anoka Technical College comes closer — median earnings $47,746 against a $67,812 total, vs $45,287 at Rochester Community and Technical College. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Rochester Community and Technical College | Anoka Technical College |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $14,435 | $16,953 |
| Total net cost | $28,870 | $67,812 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $45,287 | $47,746 |
| Median debt | $14,743 | $11,000 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$90,330 | -$80,092 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Rochester Community and Technical College or Anoka Technical College?
Rochester Community and Technical College, at $14,435 a year after aid versus $16,953 — a gap of $2,518 a year, or $38,942 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 Rochester Community and Technical College or Anoka Technical College graduates earn more?
Anoka Technical College graduates report a median $47,746 ten years after entry, $2,459 more than the $45,287 at Rochester Community and 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, Rochester Community and Technical College or Anoka Technical College?
Anoka Technical College: its completers carry a median $11,000 in federal loans versus $14,743 at Rochester Community and Technical College, a difference of $3,743. 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?
66% of students finish at Anoka Technical College, against 29% at Rochester Community and 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.