Wake Technical Community College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Wake Technical Community College charges a net price of $8,759/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $35,036. Median earnings ten years after entry are $41,769, 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, Wake Technical Community College does not clear its cost — it ranks #41 of 115 North Carolina colleges we track by ROI. The specific program you pick moves this more than the school average.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $8,759/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $35,036 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $41,769 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$6,591/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $12,000 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$166,856 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Wake Technical Community College's own numbers. Net price $8,759 × 4 years = $35,036 total. Median earnings $41,769 fall $6,591 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 $35,036 bill in about 3.5 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Wake Technical Community College students graduate with?
A median $12,000 in federal loans among completers, or 29% of the $41,769 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Wake Technical Community College students graduate?
33% finish their degree — 67% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $35,036 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $106,170 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Wake Technical Community College expensive compared with other North Carolina colleges?
Its $8,759 net price runs $2,087 below the $10,846 median across the 115 North Carolina colleges we profile, and $8,348 less across the full degree.