Salina Area Technical College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Salina Area Technical College charges a net price of $6,468/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $25,872. Median earnings ten years after entry are $42,175, 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, Salina Area Technical College does not clear its cost — it ranks #34 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) | $6,468/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $25,872 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $42,175 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$6,185/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $7,000 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$149,572 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Salina Area Technical College's own numbers. Net price $6,468 × 4 years = $25,872 total. Median earnings $42,175 fall $6,185 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 $25,872 bill in about 2.6 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Salina Area Technical College students graduate with?
A median $7,000 in federal loans among completers, or 17% of the $42,175 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Salina Area Technical College students graduate?
68% finish their degree — 32% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $25,872 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $38,047 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Salina Area Technical College expensive compared with other Kansas colleges?
Its $6,468 net price runs $8,812 below the $15,280 median across the 57 Kansas colleges we profile, and $35,248 less across the full degree.