Barton County Community College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Barton County Community College charges a net price of $9,905/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $39,620. Median earnings ten years after entry are $40,428, 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, Barton County Community College does not clear its cost — it ranks #41 of 57 Kansas colleges we track by ROI. The specific program you pick moves this more than the school average.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $9,905/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $39,620 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $40,428 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$7,932/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $9,501 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$198,260 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Barton County Community College's own numbers. Net price $9,905 × 4 years = $39,620 total. Median earnings $40,428 fall $7,932 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 $39,620 bill in about 4.0 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Barton County Community College students graduate with?
A median $9,501 in federal loans among completers, or 24% of the $40,428 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Barton County Community College students graduate?
33% finish their degree — 67% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $39,620 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $120,061 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Barton County Community College expensive compared with other Kansas colleges?
Its $9,905 net price runs $5,375 below the $15,280 median across the 57 Kansas colleges we profile, and $21,500 less across the full degree.