Head-to-head comparison
Amarillo College vs Aviation Institute of Maintenance-Dallas: which has better ROI?
Option A Amarillo, TX
Amarillo College
- Net price / year
- $4,600
- Earnings, 10 years
- $41,302
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Irving, TX
Aviation Institute of Maintenance-Dallas
- Net price / year
- $27,139
- Earnings, 10 years
- $42,375
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Amarillo College comes closer — median earnings $41,302 against a $9,200 total, vs $42,375 at Aviation Institute of Maintenance-Dallas. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Amarillo College | Aviation Institute of Maintenance-Dallas |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $4,600 | $27,139 |
| Total net cost | $9,200 | $108,556 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $41,302 | $42,375 |
| Median debt | $15,000 | $32,229 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$150,360 | -$228,256 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Amarillo College or Aviation Institute of Maintenance-Dallas?
Amarillo College, at $4,600 a year after aid versus $27,139 — a gap of $22,539 a year, or $99,356 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 Amarillo College or Aviation Institute of Maintenance-Dallas graduates earn more?
Aviation Institute of Maintenance-Dallas graduates report a median $42,375 ten years after entry, $1,073 more than the $41,302 at Amarillo 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.
The short answer
Which leaves students with less debt, Amarillo College or Aviation Institute of Maintenance-Dallas?
Amarillo College: its completers carry a median $15,000 in federal loans versus $32,229 at Aviation Institute of Maintenance-Dallas, a difference of $17,229. 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?
53% of students finish at Aviation Institute of Maintenance-Dallas, against 32% at Amarillo 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.