Head-to-head comparison
Somerset Community College vs ATA College: which has better ROI?
Option A Somerset, KY
Somerset Community College
- Net price / year
- $4,398
- Earnings, 10 years
- $30,787
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Louisville, KY
ATA College
- Net price / year
- $28,611
- Earnings, 10 years
- $34,577
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but ATA College comes closer — median earnings $34,577 against a $57,222 total, vs $30,787 at Somerset Community College. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Somerset Community College | ATA College |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $4,398 | $28,611 |
| Total net cost | $17,592 | $57,222 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $30,787 | $34,577 |
| Median debt | $12,215 | $21,030 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$369,052 | -$332,882 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Somerset Community College or ATA College?
Somerset Community College, at $4,398 a year after aid versus $28,611 — a gap of $24,213 a year, or $39,630 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 Somerset Community College or ATA College graduates earn more?
ATA College graduates report a median $34,577 ten years after entry, $3,790 more than the $30,787 at Somerset 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, Somerset Community College or ATA College?
Somerset Community College: its completers carry a median $12,215 in federal loans versus $21,030 at ATA College, a difference of $8,815. 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?
46% of students finish at ATA College, against 43% at Somerset 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.