Aiken Technical College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Aiken Technical College charges a net price of $4,807/yr after aid — a 2-year total of $9,614. Median earnings ten years after entry are $39,225, below the $48,360 high-school baseline, so on this institution-wide metric the degree does not clear its cost. Program choice is what changes that. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
On institution-wide earnings, Aiken Technical College does not clear its cost — it ranks #24 of 60 South Carolina colleges we track by ROI. The specific program you pick moves this more than the school average.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $4,807/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (2 yrs) | $9,614 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $39,225 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$9,135/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $12,250 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$192,314 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Aiken Technical College's own numbers. Net price $4,807 × 2 years = $9,614 total. Median earnings $39,225 fall $9,135 short of the $48,360 high-school baseline, so the premium this formula divides by is not positive and no break-even year exists on institution-wide pay. A programme here earning $58,360 would clear the $9,614 bill in about 1.0 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Aiken Technical College students graduate with?
A median $12,250 in federal loans among completers, or 31% of the $39,225 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Aiken Technical College students graduate?
34% finish their degree — 66% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $9,614 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $28,276 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Aiken Technical College expensive compared with other South Carolina colleges?
Its $4,807 net price runs $11,188 below the $15,995 median across the 60 South Carolina colleges we profile, and $22,375 less across the full degree.