Degree Dividend
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Butler Community College vs Barton County Community College: which has better ROI?

Public, El Dorado KS · vs · Public, Great Bend KS

The verdict

Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Butler Community College comes closer — median earnings $41,206 against a $31,448 total, vs $40,428 at Barton County Community College. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)

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Head to head
MeasureButler Community CollegeBarton County Community College
Net price / yr$15,724$9,905
Total net cost$31,448$39,620
Median earnings, 10 yrs$41,206$40,428
Median debt$10,500$9,501
Payback
20-year net return-$174,528-$198,260

College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.

Which is cheaper, Butler Community College or Barton County Community College?

Barton County Community College, at $9,905 a year after aid versus $15,724 — a gap of $5,819 a year, or $8,172 across the full degree. These are net prices after grants and scholarships, not sticker prices, so they reflect what an aided student pays.

Do Butler Community College or Barton County Community College graduates earn more?

Butler Community College graduates report a median $41,206 ten years after entry, $778 more than the $40,428 at Barton County Community College. Both are institution-wide medians from federal tax records, so a high-paying major at the lower school can beat the average at the higher one.

Which leaves students with less debt, Butler Community College or Barton County Community College?

Barton County Community College: its completers carry a median $9,501 in federal loans versus $10,500 at Butler Community College, a difference of $999. The figure counts students who finished; it excludes private loans and anyone who left before graduating.

Which graduates more of its students?

33% of students finish at Barton County Community College, against 32% at Butler Community College. Completion matters to the ROI arithmetic because a degree that is never finished still carries its cost and its debt, but earns none of the graduate premium above the $48,360 high-school baseline.

Butler Community College vs Barton County Community College: frequently asked questions

Is Butler Community College or Barton County Community College a better value?
Butler Community College comes closer, but neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings — the field you study decides it here more than the school.
Which is cheaper, Butler Community College or Barton County Community College?
Barton County Community College: $9,905/yr net price after aid versus $15,724/yr at Butler Community College — a difference of $5,819 a year, or about $8,172 over four years.
Do Butler Community College or Barton County Community College graduates earn more?
Butler Community College graduates earn a median $41,206 ten years after entry, versus $40,428 at Barton County Community College — a $778 gap. This blends every major, so a specific field can flip it.