2026 data College Scorecard official source

Affordable Alternatives to North Florida Technical College

Open-data reference.

We found 15 schools structurally similar to North Florida Technical College that cost less. 5 offer comparable or better earnings outcomes.

Your School

North Florida Technical College

Starke, Florida · Public

$1,590
Net Price
$31,683
Median Earnings (10yr)
N/A
Acceptance Rate
N/A
Graduation Rate

What the IPEDS & College Scorecard Data Shows for Alternatives to North Florida Technical College

North Florida Technical College posts an average net price of $1,590 after grants and scholarships, the IPEDS-derived figure used to anchor this alternatives search. We screened institutions in the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System for colleges that report a lower net price and share structural similarity with North Florida Technical College across six dimensions — ownership sector, Carnegie classification, undergraduate enrollment, admission rate, graduate earnings, and completion rate. 15 institutions cleared a 40-percent similarity threshold.

The maximum possible savings across this list is $2,662, achieved by Western Technology Center at $-1,072. Of greater interest to ROI-focused applicants: 5 of the 15 alternatives also report median 10-year earnings at or above North Florida Technical College’s $31,683, meaning lower cost is not paired with lower earnings. The mean median-earnings figure across alternatives is $33,405.

The similarity scoring treats enrollment size, Carnegie classification, and ownership sector as high-weight features because those structural attributes correlate most strongly with student experience and post-graduation outcomes in the College Scorecard literature. Admission rate and graduation rate enter as secondary features, while net price drives the cost-ranking that determines which institutions appear. Net price is an IPEDS-reported figure calculated as the average cost of attendance minus institutional and federal grants for first-time, full-time undergraduates receiving Title IV aid — so it already accounts for the aid a typical admitted student would receive. That makes it a more honest cost comparison than sticker-price tuition alone.

Similar Schools That Cost Less

15
Alternatives Found
$2,662
Max Savings
5
Better Value Options
76%
Best Match

Top 5 alternatives by 10-yr earnings

Top 5 alternatives by 10-yr earnings Horizontal bar chart of the top 5 items by value (USD). Top 5 alternatives by 10-yr earnings Top 5 1. Tennessee College of Applied $31k 2. Western Technology Center $30k 3. Green Country Technology Cen $51k 4. Escuela De Troqueleria Y Her $26k 5. Radford M Locklin Technical $36k Compared to North Florida Technical College: $32k.

Source: U.S. Department of Education — College Scorecard Institution-level earnings + cost-of-attendance file · 2024 (latest release) Median 10-year earnings reflect federal-aid recipients only; net price reflects sticker price minus average grants/scholarships.

School Net Price Savings Earnings (10yr) Graduation Similarity
Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Crump
Crump, TN · Public
$-839 -$2,429 $30,796 N/A 76%
Western Technology Center
Burns Flat, OK · Public
$-1,072 -$2,662 $29,728 N/A 72%
Green Country Technology Center
Okmulgee, OK · Public Better Value
$1,062 -$528 $51,375 N/A 71%
Escuela De Troqueleria Y Herramentaje
Bayamon, PR · Public
$905 -$685 $26,293 N/A 70%
Radford M Locklin Technical College
Milton, FL · Public Better Value
$987 -$603 $35,997 N/A 62%
Caddo Kiowa Technology Center
Fort Cobb, OK · Public
$-28 -$1,618 $21,576 N/A 62%
Cape Coral Technical College
Cape Coral, FL · Public Better Value
$1,463 -$127 $36,080 N/A 61%
George C Wallace Community College-Dothan
Dothan, AL · Public
$1,170 -$420 $31,399 N/A 59%
Southern Regional Technical College
Thomasville, GA · Public
$813 -$777 $31,293 N/A 58%
Wiregrass Georgia Technical College
Valdosta, GA · Public
$614 -$976 $30,864 N/A 57%
South Georgia Technical College
Americus, GA · Public
$1,164 -$426 $30,364 N/A 54%
Atlanta Technical College
Atlanta, GA · Public
$-914 -$2,504 $30,350 N/A 54%
Coastal Pines Technical College
Waycross, GA · Public
$-126 -$1,716 $30,214 N/A 54%
Ralph R Willis Career and Technical Center
Stollings, WV · Public Better Value
$-767 -$2,357 $51,465 N/A 53%
Piedmont Community College
Roxboro, NC · Public Better Value
$1,095 -$495 $33,274 N/A 53%

How We Match Schools

Our similarity engine compares schools across six dimensions: institution type (Carnegie classification), ownership (public/private), enrollment size, admission selectivity, graduate earnings, and completion rates. Each dimension is weighted by its impact on student outcomes.

Only schools with a lower average net price than North Florida Technical College are shown. Schools marked "Better Value" have comparable or higher median earnings at a lower cost.

Data source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Earnings are median values 10 years after enrollment, drawn from U.S. Treasury tax records. Net price is the average cost after grants and scholarships for first-time, full-time students, as reported through IPEDS.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are cheaper alternatives to North Florida Technical College?
We found 15 schools similar to North Florida Technical College that cost less. The closest match is Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Crump with 76% similarity and a net price of $-839.
What is the ROI of attending North Florida Technical College?
North Florida Technical College has an average net price of $1,590. Graduates earn a median of $31,683 ten years after enrollment. The earnings-to-cost ratio is 19.9x.
Are there schools with better outcomes than North Florida Technical College for less money?
Yes — 5 of 15 alternatives offer comparable or higher median earnings at a lower net price. Green Country Technology Center costs $1,062 (saving $528) with median earnings of $51,375.
What is the cheapest alternative to North Florida Technical College?
The most affordable similar school is Western Technology Center at $-1,072, saving $2,662 compared to North Florida Technical College. It has a 72% similarity score.
How do alternative schools' earnings compare?
The 15 alternatives have an average median earnings of $33,405 compared to North Florida Technical College's $31,683. On average, alternatives match or exceed this school's earnings. Individual results vary — check the comparison table above.

Disclaimer: This information is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. Data is sourced from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Consult a qualified professional before making decisions based on this data.