Elizabethtown Community and Technical College vs ATA College: which has better ROI?
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Elizabethtown Community and Technical College comes closer — median earnings $36,143 against a $20,572 total, vs $34,577 at ATA College. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Elizabethtown Community and Technical College | ATA College |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $5,143 | $28,611 |
| Total net cost | $20,572 | $57,222 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $36,143 | $34,577 |
| Median debt | $9,055 | $21,030 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$264,912 | -$332,882 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
Which is cheaper, Elizabethtown Community and Technical College or ATA College?
Elizabethtown Community and Technical College, at $5,143 a year after aid versus $28,611 — a gap of $23,468 a year, or $36,650 across the full degree. These are net prices after grants and scholarships, not sticker prices, so they reflect what an aided student pays.
Do Elizabethtown Community and Technical College or ATA College graduates earn more?
Elizabethtown Community and Technical College graduates report a median $36,143 ten years after entry, $1,566 more than the $34,577 at ATA 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, Elizabethtown Community and Technical College or ATA College?
Elizabethtown Community and Technical College: its completers carry a median $9,055 in federal loans versus $21,030 at ATA College, a difference of $11,975. The figure counts students who finished; it excludes private loans and anyone who left before graduating.
Which graduates more of its students?
59% of students finish at Elizabethtown Community and Technical College, against 46% at ATA 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.