Dakota County Technical College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Dakota County Technical College charges a net price of $13,548/yr after aid — a 2-year total of $27,096. Graduates earn a median $51,938 ten years after entry, $3,578/yr above the $48,360 high-school baseline, clearing the total in 7.6 years — a 20-year net return of $44,464, a solid payback. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
Dakota County Technical College's 7.6-year payback ranks #664 of 1,280 US colleges we track — better ROI than 48% of them, and #21 of 68 in Minnesota.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $13,548/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (2 yrs) | $27,096 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $51,938 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | $3,578/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $11,000 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | 7.6 yrs | our math |
| 20-year net return | $44,464 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Dakota County Technical College's own numbers. Net price $13,548 × 2 years = $27,096 total. Median earnings $51,938 − the $48,360 high-school baseline = $3,578 a year of premium. $27,096 ÷ $3,578 = 7.6 years to break even; twenty years of that premium minus the cost leaves $44,464. Future dollars are not discounted, and the earnings figure blends every major here — your programme can beat or miss it. Full method.
How much debt do Dakota County Technical College students graduate with?
A median $11,000 in federal loans among completers, or 21% of the $51,938 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Dakota County Technical College students graduate?
58% finish their degree — 42% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $27,096 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $46,717 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Dakota County Technical College expensive compared with other Minnesota colleges?
Its $13,548 net price runs $3,273 below the $16,821 median across the 68 Minnesota colleges we profile, and $6,545 less across the full degree.