Somerset Community College vs Ashland Community and Technical College: which has better ROI?
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Ashland Community and Technical College comes closer — median earnings $34,504 against a $22,868 total, vs $30,787 at Somerset Community College. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Somerset Community College | Ashland Community and Technical College |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $4,398 | $5,717 |
| Total net cost | $17,592 | $22,868 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $30,787 | $34,504 |
| Median debt | $12,215 | $10,950 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$369,052 | -$299,988 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
Which is cheaper, Somerset Community College or Ashland Community and Technical College?
Somerset Community College, at $4,398 a year after aid versus $5,717 — a gap of $1,319 a year, or $5,276 across the full degree. These are net prices after grants and scholarships, not sticker prices, so they reflect what an aided student pays.
Do Somerset Community College or Ashland Community and Technical College graduates earn more?
Ashland Community and Technical College graduates report a median $34,504 ten years after entry, $3,717 more than the $30,787 at Somerset 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, Somerset Community College or Ashland Community and Technical College?
Ashland Community and Technical College: its completers carry a median $10,950 in federal loans versus $12,215 at Somerset Community College, a difference of $1,265. The figure counts students who finished; it excludes private loans and anyone who left before graduating.
Which graduates more of its students?
51% of students finish at Ashland Community and Technical College, against 43% at Somerset 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.