Head-to-head comparison
Advanced Technology Institute vs Tidewater Tech-Trades: which has better ROI?
Option A Virginia Beach, VA
Advanced Technology Institute
- Net price / year
- $16,358
- Earnings, 10 years
- $46,342
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Norfolk, VA
Tidewater Tech-Trades
- Net price / year
- $26,366
- Earnings, 10 years
- $31,657
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Advanced Technology Institute comes closer — median earnings $46,342 against a $65,432 total, vs $31,657 at Tidewater Tech-Trades. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Advanced Technology Institute | Tidewater Tech-Trades |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $16,358 | $26,366 |
| Total net cost | $65,432 | $105,464 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $46,342 | $31,657 |
| Median debt | $14,873 | $9,500 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$105,792 | -$439,524 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Advanced Technology Institute or Tidewater Tech-Trades?
Advanced Technology Institute, at $16,358 a year after aid versus $26,366 — a gap of $10,008 a year, or $40,032 across the full degree. These are net prices after grants and scholarships, not sticker prices, so they reflect what an aided student pays.
The short answer
Do Advanced Technology Institute or Tidewater Tech-Trades graduates earn more?
Advanced Technology Institute graduates report a median $46,342 ten years after entry, $14,685 more than the $31,657 at Tidewater Tech-Trades. 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.
The short answer
Which leaves students with less debt, Advanced Technology Institute or Tidewater Tech-Trades?
Tidewater Tech-Trades: its completers carry a median $9,500 in federal loans versus $14,873 at Advanced Technology Institute, a difference of $5,373. The figure counts students who finished; it excludes private loans and anyone who left before graduating.
The short answer
Which graduates more of its students?
79% of students finish at Advanced Technology Institute, against 71% at Tidewater Tech-Trades. 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.