Cowley College vs. Salina Tech

Comparable Facts

Compare Cowley County Community College in Arkansas City, KS with Salina Area Technical College in Salina, KS on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Cowley County Community College is larger than Salina Tech based on total student enrollment (2,235 students vs. 1,016 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Cowley County Community College is located in Arkansas City, KS (Distant Town setting); Salina Area Technical College is in Salina, KS (Rural Fringe setting).
• Cowley County Community College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution. Salina Area Technical College is a public, non-profit 2-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Cowley County Community College 16:1; Salina Area Technical College 8:1.

Cowley College vs. Salina Tech Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Cowley College or Salina Tech? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

• The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Salina Area Technical College than Cowley College ($6,482 vs. $7,307).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Salina Area Technical College are 4.4% lower than at Cowley County Community College ($6,309 vs. $6,600).
• Salina Area Technical College is 39.8% more expensive for in-state tuition than Cowley College (about $2,028 more per year; $7,128.00 vs. $5,100.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 8% higher at Salina Tech than at Cowley County Community College (about $528 more per year; $7,128.00 vs. $6,600.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Cowley County Community College than at Salina Area Technical College (93% vs. 62%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Salina Area Technical College students is 32.3% larger than aid received by Cowley County Community College students ($8,815 vs. $6,665).

Cowley College vs. Salina Tech Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Cowley College or Salina Tech? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between Salina Tech and Cowley College.

• Both colleges report an open admissions policy; selectivity can still vary by program or major.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Cowley College - Open admission; Salina Tech - Open admission.

Cowley College vs. Salina Tech Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Cowley College and Salina Tech? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

• Graduates from Cowley County Community College earn a median of about $600 more per year than Salina Tech graduates about ten years after starting college ($36,300 vs. $35,700), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Salina Area Technical College graduates have a $2,500 lower median loan debt than Cowley College graduates ($5,500 vs. $8,000).
• Among borrowers, Salina Tech graduates have an estimated $26 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Cowley College graduates ($56 vs. $82).
• More Salina Tech graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Cowley College students, three years after graduation. (59% vs. 34%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.