Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College charges a net price of $11,602/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $46,408. Median earnings ten years after entry are $36,048, 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, Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College does not clear its cost — it ranks #72 of 115 North 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) | $11,602/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $46,408 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $36,048 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$12,312/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $15,528 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$292,648 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College's own numbers. Net price $11,602 × 4 years = $46,408 total. Median earnings $36,048 fall $12,312 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 $46,408 bill in about 4.6 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College students graduate with?
A median $15,528 in federal loans among completers, or 43% of the $36,048 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College students graduate?
40% finish their degree — 60% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $46,408 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $116,020 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College expensive compared with other North Carolina colleges?
Its $11,602 net price runs $756 above the $10,846 median across the 115 North Carolina colleges we profile, or $3,024 more across the full degree.