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

Public, El Dorado KS · vs · Public, Parsons 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 $37,818 at Labette Community College. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)

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Head to head
MeasureButler Community CollegeLabette Community College
Net price / yr$15,724$5,939
Total net cost$31,448$11,878
Median earnings, 10 yrs$41,206$37,818
Median debt$10,500$10,500
Payback
20-year net return-$174,528-$222,718

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

Which is cheaper, Butler Community College or Labette Community College?

Labette Community College, at $5,939 a year after aid versus $15,724 — a gap of $9,785 a year, or $19,570 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 Labette Community College graduates earn more?

Butler Community College graduates report a median $41,206 ten years after entry, $3,388 more than the $37,818 at Labette 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 Labette Community College?

Completers at both borrow a median $10,500, so neither school has the debt advantage. That figure covers federal loans of students who finished — borrowers who leave early are not counted, and private loans sit outside it.

Which graduates more of its students?

32% of students finish at Butler Community College, against 24% at Labette 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 Labette Community College: frequently asked questions

Is Butler Community College or Labette 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 Labette Community College?
Labette Community College: $5,939/yr net price after aid versus $15,724/yr at Butler Community College — a difference of $9,785 a year, or about $19,570 over four years.
Do Butler Community College or Labette Community College graduates earn more?
Butler Community College graduates earn a median $41,206 ten years after entry, versus $37,818 at Labette Community College — a $3,388 gap. This blends every major, so a specific field can flip it.