Head-to-head comparison
Southeast Kentucky Community & Technical College vs ATA College: which has better ROI?
Option A Cumberland, KY
Southeast Kentucky Community & Technical College
- Net price / year
- $3,731
- Earnings, 10 years
- $29,482
- 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 $29,482 at Southeast Kentucky Community & Technical College. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Southeast Kentucky Community & Technical College | ATA College |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $3,731 | $28,611 |
| Total net cost | $14,924 | $57,222 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $29,482 | $34,577 |
| Median debt | $6,919 | $21,030 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$392,484 | -$332,882 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Southeast Kentucky Community & Technical College or ATA College?
Southeast Kentucky Community & Technical College, at $3,731 a year after aid versus $28,611 — a gap of $24,880 a year, or $42,298 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 Southeast Kentucky Community & Technical College or ATA College graduates earn more?
ATA College graduates report a median $34,577 ten years after entry, $5,095 more than the $29,482 at Southeast Kentucky Community & 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, Southeast Kentucky Community & Technical College or ATA College?
Southeast Kentucky Community & Technical College: its completers carry a median $6,919 in federal loans versus $21,030 at ATA College, a difference of $14,111. 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?
47% of students finish at Southeast Kentucky Community & Technical College, against 46% at ATA 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.