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Southcentral Kentucky Community and Technical College vs ATA College: which has better ROI?

Public, Bowling Green KY · vs · Private for-profit, Louisville KY

The verdict

Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Southcentral Kentucky Community and Technical College comes closer — median earnings $34,242 against a $14,148 total, vs $34,577 at ATA College. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)

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Head to head
MeasureSouthcentral Kentucky Community and Technical CollegeATA College
Net price / yr$3,537$28,611
Total net cost$14,148$57,222
Median earnings, 10 yrs$34,242$34,577
Median debt$10,175$21,030
Payback
20-year net return-$296,508-$332,882

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

Which is cheaper, Southcentral Kentucky Community and Technical College or ATA College?

Southcentral Kentucky Community and Technical College, at $3,537 a year after aid versus $28,611 — a gap of $25,074 a year, or $43,074 across the full degree. These are net prices after grants and scholarships, not sticker prices, so they reflect what an aided student pays.

Do Southcentral Kentucky Community and Technical College or ATA College graduates earn more?

ATA College graduates report a median $34,577 ten years after entry, $335 more than the $34,242 at Southcentral Kentucky Community and Technical 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, Southcentral Kentucky Community and Technical College or ATA College?

Southcentral Kentucky Community and Technical College: its completers carry a median $10,175 in federal loans versus $21,030 at ATA College, a difference of $10,855. The figure counts students who finished; it excludes private loans and anyone who left before graduating.

Which graduates more of its students?

58% of students finish at Southcentral Kentucky 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.

Southcentral Kentucky Community and Technical College vs ATA College: frequently asked questions

Is Southcentral Kentucky Community and Technical College or ATA College a better value?
Southcentral Kentucky Community and Technical 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, Southcentral Kentucky Community and Technical College or ATA College?
Southcentral Kentucky Community and Technical College: $3,537/yr net price after aid versus $28,611/yr at ATA College — a difference of $25,074 a year, or about $43,074 over four years.
Do Southcentral Kentucky Community and Technical College or ATA College graduates earn more?
ATA College graduates earn a median $34,577 ten years after entry, versus $34,242 at Southcentral Kentucky Community and Technical College — a $335 gap. This blends every major, so a specific field can flip it.