Salina Area Technical College
Salina, KS 67401
About Salina Area Technical College
Salina Area Technical College is a public community college in Salina, Kansas, enrolling about 330 students. The college offers associate degrees, career certificates, and transfer pathways to four-year universities. Typical net price after grant aid is about $6,468 for students who receive it, compared with published tuition near $7,128. Student demographics in federal data include White (74.9%) and Hispanic or Latino (17.0%) among the largest enrollment groups.
Key findings
- Salina Area Technical College charges 29% above the national public median tuition ($7,128).
- Versus the Kansas median, sticker tuition is 23% below.
- Average net price runs below the Kansas median net price.
- Completion within 150% of normal time is 67.95%.
- Median earnings 10 years after entry are $42,175.
Research findings
Finding
Modeled return on investment at Salina Area Technical College is strong.
Estimated ROI reaches about 1530% using Scorecard cost and 10-year earnings fields in this extract.
Interpretation: On this institution-wide model, typical graduate earnings over a decade substantially exceed estimated net education cost.
Limitation: ROI is institution-wide and not program-specific; individual outcomes vary by major, aid package, and labor market.
Cost benchmarks
| Benchmark | Median Tuition | Median Net Price | Count |
|---|---|---|---|
| Salina Area Technical College | $7,128 | $6,468 | 1 |
| Public (national median) | $5,512 | — | 1,688 |
| Kansas (state median) | $9,282 | $9,905 | 60 |
| Town (locale median) | $9,600 | $14,971 | 1,517 |
| United States (national median) | $11,900 | $17,156 | — |
Compares this campus to school-type, state, and locale medians plus a U.S. national median (College Scorecard–derived). Locale groups campuses by NCES locale type; state tuition is the median published tuition among campuses in that state.
Average net price is 9% below published tuition at Salina Area Technical College
Key findings
- Salina Area Technical College's average net price ($6,468) is 9% below published tuition ($7,128).
- Salina Area Technical College charges 29% above the national public median tuition ($7,128).
- Versus the Kansas median, sticker tuition is 23% below.
- Average net price runs below the Kansas median net price.
Salina Area Technical College tuition
Published undergraduate tuition $7,128
Finding Salina Area Technical College charges 29% above the national public median tuition.
Evidence Published tuition is $7,128. That is 29% above the national public median ($5,512). Versus the Kansas median ($9,282), sticker tuition is 23% below. Versus the U.S. median ($11,900), sticker is about 0.6×.
Method Sticker tuition compared with Scorecard-derived medians by ownership, state, locale, and national rollups when available.
Interpretation Published tuition measures sticker price relative to public and geographic peers; it does not equal what undergraduates typically pay after aid.
Limitation Sticker comparisons omit room, board, and institutional aid; average net price and income-band net prices are the stronger signals of typical family cost.
Evidence: published tuition at Salina Area Technical College versus school-type, state, locale, and U.S. medians.
Evidence: average net price at Salina Area Technical College versus state, locale, and U.S. medians.
What undergraduates typically pay
Finding Average net price at Salina Area Technical College is $6,468.
Evidence College Scorecard average net price is $6,468 (cost of attendance minus average grant aid for aided undergraduates). That is about $3,437 below the Kansas median net price. Versus town campuses, net price runs $8,503 below the locale median.
Method Average net price from College Scorecard; compared with state, locale, and U.S. medians from EDsmart aggregates.
Interpretation Average net price is a stronger institutional cost signal than published tuition because it incorporates grant aid.
Limitation The campus average masks large differences by household income; income-band net prices can diverge sharply from the overall average.
Key takeaway Salina Area Technical College’s published tuition substantially overstates typical undergraduate cost: average net price is about 9% lower after grants and scholarships.
Salina Area Technical College: research record
Canonical EDsmart Data findings for Salina Area Technical College—costs, outcomes, admissions, and programs—with evidence and methodology notes.
Research findings
Interpretation
The combination of completion and 10-year earnings is a multidimensional outcomes signal; it does not measure educational quality by itself.
Financial profile
Annual tuition
$7,128
Avg. net price
$6,468
Net price by family income
| Income bracket | Avg. annual net price |
|---|---|
| $0–$30,000 | $6,078 |
| $30,001–$48,000 | $5,602 |
| $48,001–$75,000 | $5,958 |
| $75,001–$110,000 | $6,061 |
| $110,001+ | $12,188 |
Sticker tuition × four years (estimate, no room/board): $28,512. See cost investigation.
Student outcomes
Share of first-year students returning the following fall.
Graduation rate and 10-year earnings are in the hero strip above; see Graduates for more.
What Salina Area Technical College is known for
Top program completions
- Nursing Assistant/Aide and Patient Care Assistant/Aide181
- Medication Aide61
- Welding Technology/Welder56
- Truck and Bus Driver/Commercial Vehicle Operator and Instructor38
- Licensed Practical/Vocational Nurse Training29
See earnings & programs for more.
Is Salina Area Technical College a good school?
Data-framed fit—not a prestige rating.
Salina Area Technical College is a good school for those looking for strong completion alongside solid mid-career earnings.
EDsmart Data does not assign an opinion score; this framing summarizes the strongest Scorecard signals for this campus.
More from the data
Location, control, enrollment, and aid context for Salina Area Technical College.
Campus
Location
Salina, KS
City / state
- ZIP
- 67401
- NCES locale
- Town remote
Compared with Town campuses nationally, net price is about 0.4× the median for Town campuses ($14,971 median).
Control
Institution type
Public
Control
- Region
- Plains
- Carnegie
- Associate's Colleges: High Vocational & Technical-High Nontraditional
Size
Enrollment
330
Total enrollment
- Undergraduate
- 1,550
- Full-time share
- 66%
Student aid
Debt & aid
$7,000
Median federal loan debt
- Pell grant share
- 15.49%
Total Cost, Aid & Default
Total Cost of Attendance
Tuition vs average net price after aid for Salina Area Technical College.
Financial Aid by Income Level
Financial aid distribution by income level.
Student Loan Default Rate
The published 3-year cohort default rate for borrowers at Salina Area Technical College was 0.00%.
Cohort default rates account for borrowers who default in the first three years.
Tuition tracker
Published tuition and average net price by reporting year come from the College Scorecard institution file. Values are not adjusted for inflation; missing cells mean the field was not reported or was suppressed for Salina Area Technical College in that year.
Reporting years in the table below: 2013–2023 (Scorecard labels refer to the institutional submission cycle).
| Year | In-state tuition & fees | Out-of-state tuition & fees | Average net price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | $4,517 | $4,517 | $6,880 |
| 2014 | $4,893 | $4,893 | $6,655 |
| 2015 | $5,518 | $5,518 | $5,687 |
| 2016 | $6,493 | $6,493 | $6,673 |
| 2017 | $7,080 | $7,080 | $7,614 |
| 2018 | $8,502 | $8,502 | $8,266 |
| 2019 | $8,315 | $8,315 | $9,490 |
| 2020 | $8,127 | $8,127 | $10,037 |
| 2021 | $7,460 | $7,460 | $8,906 |
| 2022 | $7,320 | $7,320 | $8,447 |
| 2023 | $7,020 | $7,020 | $7,018 |
Sticker tuition and net price over time
Where the institution reported separate in-state and out-of-state tuition, both appear. Gaps mean the value was not reported for that year.
College Scorecard reporting-year fields (not inflation-adjusted).
Net price by family income
Brackets follow Scorecard definitions for the series shown (public vs private institution).
Latest income-band net prices available in the processed extract.
How difficult is it to get in?
Acceptance Rate
Acceptance rate data is not available for this institution.
Admissions funnel data is not available for this institution.
Test Scores
Test score data is not available for this institution.
Score distribution is not available for this institution.
Academic Requirements
GPA requirements are not published by this institution. Contact the admissions office for specific academic requirements.
Estimated GPA range is not available for this institution.
Enrollment & Student Demographics
Salina Area Technical College reported total enrollment of about 330 students in the latest College Scorecard extract. The student body is about 40% male and 60% female. Enrollment by race and ethnicity includes White (74.9%), Hispanic or Latino (17.0%), and Two or More Races (3.9%). About 15.49% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants. Roughly 49.0% of students are first-generation college students.
Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment
65.8% Full-Time Enrollment
The total enrollment at Salina Area Technical College in 2024 is 330 students.
Undergraduate enrollment is about 1,550 students.
Full-time vs part-time enrollment comparison.
Retention Rate over Time
73.0%
2024 Retention Rate
Retention rate measures the number of first-time students who began their studies the previous fall and returned to school the following fall.
Retention rate over time compared to similar institutions.
Enrollment by Race & Ethnicity
Largest share of total enrollment in our College Scorecard extract.
College Scorecard student demographics (total enrollment shares).
Do students complete their programs?
Time to Complete
67.95% 100% Completion Time
67.95% 150% Completion Time
In 2024, 67.95% of students graduating from Salina Area Technical College completed their program within 100% "normal time".
Completion rates over time compared to similar institutions.
Completions by Sex (Top Programs)
- Nursing Assistant/Aide and Patient Care Assistant/Aide: 13% male / 87% female
- Medication Aide: 11% male / 89% female
- Welding Technology/Welder: 88% male / 12% female
IPEDS completions by sex for the five largest programs (aggregate CIPs excluded).
Completions by Race & Ethnicity
Largest group by summed IPEDS award counts across reported programs.
Summed across program completion records in our extract.
Salina Area Technical College graduates earn a median of $42,175 ten years after entry
Finding Earnings, debt, and program mix define the financial profile of Salina Area Technical College.
Evidence Median earnings 10 years after entry: $42,175. Median federal loan debt: $7,000. Average net price used in cost models: $6,468.
Method College Scorecard median earnings (10-year), median debt, and EDsmart ROI / payback models using campus net price.
Interpretation Institution-wide ROI and debt ratios summarize campus averages; program choice still drives individual outcomes.
Limitation Salary reflects median earnings ten years after entry; ROI is not program-specific.
Key takeaway Salina Area Technical College graduates report median earnings of $42,175 ten years after entry—an institution-wide outcomes signal, not a program guarantee.
Return on Investment
Debt and 4-year net cost vs. cumulative 10-year median earnings for Salina Area Technical College.
Top Programs by Completions
Largest 10 programs by IPEDS completions (23 reported codes; aggregate/unknown CIP buckets excluded).
IPEDS award counts for the largest programs at Salina Area Technical College.
Employment Outcomes
Median earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after entry for Salina Area Technical College graduates.
How financially powerful is this institution?
Finding: federal finance and Scorecard instructional fields for Salina Area Technical College—endowment assets (fiscal year 2023), instructional staffing and expenditure. Compared with state, regional, and U.S. medians from EDsmart Data institutional financials.
Institutional endowment
$945,319
End-of-year assets · Fiscal year 2023
- Kansas median 0.07× the median ($13.6M)
- Plains median 0.04× the median ($24.1M)
- U.S. median 0.04× the median ($26.4M)
- Kansas median 0.11× the median ($15,453)
- Plains median 0.12× the median ($15,020)
- U.S. median 0.14× the median ($12,100)
Instructional Resources
- Full-time faculty share: 61.2%
- Kansas median 4.0 pp below median (65.2%)
- Plains median 3.5 pp below median (64.7%)
- U.S. median 3.2 pp above median (58.0%)
- Average faculty salary (monthly): $6,415
- Kansas median near the median ($6,380)
- Plains median 0.89× the median ($7,194)
- U.S. median 0.84× the median ($7,615)
- Instructional expenditure per FTE: $9,500
- Kansas median 1.4× the median ($6,600)
- Plains median 1.2× the median ($8,150)
- U.S. median 1.3× the median ($7,288)
Instructional metrics from College Scorecard. Peer medians are campus-level; see the institutional financials deep dive. Detailed non-instructional staff counts are not included here.
Salina Area Technical College at a glance
Salina Area Technical College
Salina Area Technical College is a public institution in Salina, KS, classified as Associate's Colleges: High Vocational & Technical-High Nontraditional.
- Largest programs (IPEDS awards)
- Nursing Assistant/Aide and Patient Care Assistant/AideMedication AideWelding Technology/Welder
- Largest enrollment groups
- White or Caucasian74.9%Hispanic or Latino17.0%Two or More Races3.9%
Schools near Salina Area Technical College
Other campuses in Salina, KS when available, plus nearby institutions in Kansas.
Similar schools
Peers matched by the same EDsmart outcomes grade (Grade C-) within Kansas, then by similar ownership and admissions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Salina Area Technical College located?
Salina Area Technical College is located in Salina, KS.
What is Salina Area Technical College's tuition?
Salina Area Technical College tuition (published undergraduate sticker price) is $7,128 in the latest College Scorecard data. Average net price after grant aid is $6,468 for undergraduates receiving Title IV aid.
How much does Salina Area Technical College cost?
Reported tuition is $7,128 and average net price is $6,468 in the latest College Scorecard data. On-campus room and board is estimated at $6,309 annually.
Why is Salina Area Technical College's net price so much lower than tuition?
At Salina Area Technical College, published tuition is $7,128 while average net price is $6,468—about 9% lower. Average net price subtracts grant and scholarship aid from cost of attendance for undergraduates receiving Title IV aid (College Scorecard). Institutional aid therefore compresses sticker price into a lower typical undergraduate cost signal. The campus average still masks large differences by household income; income-band net prices can diverge sharply from the overall average. EDsmart Data treats the sticker–net gap as an analytical finding, not advice about individual aid offers.
What explains Salina Area Technical College's return on investment in EDsmart Data?
EDsmart Data models ROI using campus average net price ($6,468), completion (68.0% within 150% of normal time where reported), and median earnings ten years after entry ($42,175). High completion and strong mid-career earnings relative to net cost raise modeled ROI; the estimate is institution-wide and not program-specific. Debt-to-earnings ratios, when available, further contextualize borrowing pressure. Limitations include suppressed fields, program mix, and labor-market variation over time.
What is the student body demographics at Salina Area Technical College?
Salina Area Technical College reports undergraduate enrollment of about 1,550 students, White (74.9%), Hispanic or Latino (17.0%) in federal College Scorecard data.
How many first-generation students attend Salina Area Technical College?
About 49.0% of students at Salina Area Technical College are first-generation college students.
What do graduates of Salina Area Technical College earn?
Median earnings are $39,065 six years after entry and $42,175 ten years after entry.
What is the graduation rate at Salina Area Technical College?
The 150%-time completion rate is 68.0% for the cohort reported to the College Scorecard.
How much debt do Salina Area Technical College students have?
Median federal loan debt among completers is $7,000.
Is Salina Area Technical College public or private?
Salina Area Technical College is a public institution located in Salina, KS.
Is Salina Area Technical College an HBCU?
No. Salina Area Technical College is not flagged as an HBCU in the IPEDS institutional directory.
Data Sources
This page uses data from the following sources:
- College Scorecard - U.S. Department of Education
- Institutional characteristics, costs, completion rates, and earnings data
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: collegescorecard.ed.gov
- Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)
- Employment and wage data by occupation
- Latest data: May 2024
- Source: bls.gov/oes
- O*NET Online - U.S. Department of Labor
- Occupational skills, knowledge, abilities, and work activities
- Database version: 28.0 (August 2023)
- Source: onetcenter.org
- IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) - National Center for Education Statistics
- Institutional data, completions, enrollment, and financial aid
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: nces.ed.gov/ipeds
- Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS)
- Demographic and workforce data
- Latest data: 2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates
- Source: census.gov/acs
- Related geography & profiles
Data Processing: All data has been processed, cleaned, and aggregated for presentation. Where specific data points are unavailable, estimates are based on available data and clearly marked.
Last Updated: Data reflects the most recent available information as of January 2025.
Methodology & Data Scope
This profile uses institution-level fields from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, merged with IPEDS directory attributes where needed for locale, ownership, and program completions.
Benchmark rows compare this campus to NCES locale-type medians (for example Suburban) from our processed location extract. Implied U.S. medians are derived from locale-vs-national percentage fields in that extract—not a separate national Scorecard table.