Northwood Technical College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Northwood Technical College charges a net price of $8,989/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $35,956. Median earnings ten years after entry are $43,406, 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, Northwood Technical College does not clear its cost — it ranks #40 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) | $8,989/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $35,956 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $43,406 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$4,954/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $8,250 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$135,036 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Northwood Technical College's own numbers. Net price $8,989 × 4 years = $35,956 total. Median earnings $43,406 fall $4,954 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 $35,956 bill in about 3.6 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Northwood Technical College students graduate with?
A median $8,250 in federal loans among completers, or 19% of the $43,406 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Northwood Technical College students graduate?
56% finish their degree — 44% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $35,956 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $64,207 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Northwood Technical College expensive compared with other Wisconsin colleges?
Its $8,989 net price runs $6,204 below the $15,193 median across the 53 Wisconsin colleges we profile, and $24,816 less across the full degree.