Head-to-head comparison
Southeast Technical College vs Mount Marty University: which has better ROI?
Option A Sioux Falls, SD
Southeast Technical College
- Net price / year
- $17,400
- Earnings, 10 years
- $46,709
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Yankton, SD
Mount Marty University
- Net price / year
- $22,227
- Earnings, 10 years
- $48,179
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Southeast Technical College comes closer — median earnings $46,709 against a $34,800 total, vs $48,179 at Mount Marty University. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Southeast Technical College | Mount Marty University |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $17,400 | $22,227 |
| Total net cost | $34,800 | $88,908 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $46,709 | $48,179 |
| Median debt | $12,000 | $26,396 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$67,820 | -$92,528 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Southeast Technical College or Mount Marty University?
Southeast Technical College, at $17,400 a year after aid versus $22,227 — a gap of $4,827 a year, or $54,108 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 Technical College or Mount Marty University graduates earn more?
Mount Marty University graduates report a median $48,179 ten years after entry, $1,470 more than the $46,709 at Southeast 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 Technical College or Mount Marty University?
Southeast Technical College: its completers carry a median $12,000 in federal loans versus $26,396 at Mount Marty University, a difference of $14,396. 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?
59% of students finish at Southeast Technical College, against 52% at Mount Marty University. 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.