Madison Area Technical College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Madison Area Technical College charges a net price of $14,238/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $56,952. Median earnings ten years after entry are $45,413, 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, Madison Area Technical College does not clear its cost — it ranks #38 of 53 Wisconsin colleges we track by ROI. The specific program you pick moves this more than the school average.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $14,238/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $56,952 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $45,413 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$2,947/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $14,060 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$115,892 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Madison Area Technical College's own numbers. Net price $14,238 × 4 years = $56,952 total. Median earnings $45,413 fall $2,947 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 $56,952 bill in about 5.7 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Madison Area Technical College students graduate with?
A median $14,060 in federal loans among completers, or 31% of the $45,413 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Madison Area Technical College students graduate?
29% finish their degree — 71% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $56,952 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $196,386 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Madison Area Technical College expensive compared with other Wisconsin colleges?
Its $14,238 net price runs $955 below the $15,193 median across the 53 Wisconsin colleges we profile, and $3,820 less across the full degree.