Head-to-head comparison
Wake Technical Community College vs Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College: which has better ROI?
Option A Raleigh, NC
Wake Technical Community College
- Net price / year
- $8,759
- Earnings, 10 years
- $41,769
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Asheville, NC
Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College
- Net price / year
- $11,602
- Earnings, 10 years
- $36,048
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Wake Technical Community College comes closer — median earnings $41,769 against a $35,036 total, vs $36,048 at Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Wake Technical Community College | Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $8,759 | $11,602 |
| Total net cost | $35,036 | $46,408 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $41,769 | $36,048 |
| Median debt | $12,000 | $15,528 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$166,856 | -$292,648 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Wake Technical Community College or Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College?
Wake Technical Community College, at $8,759 a year after aid versus $11,602 — a gap of $2,843 a year, or $11,372 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 Wake Technical Community College or Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College graduates earn more?
Wake Technical Community College graduates report a median $41,769 ten years after entry, $5,721 more than the $36,048 at Asheville-Buncombe Technical 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, Wake Technical Community College or Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College?
Wake Technical Community College: its completers carry a median $12,000 in federal loans versus $15,528 at Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College, a difference of $3,528. 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?
40% of students finish at Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College, against 33% at Wake Technical 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.