Head-to-head comparison
Southwest Wisconsin Technical College vs College of Menominee Nation: which has better ROI?
Option A Fennimore, WI
Southwest Wisconsin Technical College
- Net price / year
- $12,896
- Earnings, 10 years
- $43,470
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Keshena, WI
College of Menominee Nation
- Net price / year
- $8,805
- Earnings, 10 years
- $25,853
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Southwest Wisconsin Technical College comes closer — median earnings $43,470 against a $51,584 total, vs $25,853 at College of Menominee Nation. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Southwest Wisconsin Technical College | College of Menominee Nation |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $12,896 | $8,805 |
| Total net cost | $51,584 | $17,610 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $43,470 | $25,853 |
| Median debt | $7,500 | — |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$149,384 | -$467,750 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Southwest Wisconsin Technical College or College of Menominee Nation?
College of Menominee Nation, at $8,805 a year after aid versus $12,896 — a gap of $4,091 a year, or $33,974 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 Southwest Wisconsin Technical College or College of Menominee Nation graduates earn more?
Southwest Wisconsin Technical College graduates report a median $43,470 ten years after entry, $17,617 more than the $25,853 at College of Menominee Nation. 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 graduates more of its students?
66% of students finish at Southwest Wisconsin Technical College, against 32% at College of Menominee Nation. 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.