Head-to-head comparison
Apex Technical School vs Clinton Community College: which has better ROI?
Option A Long Island City, NY
Apex Technical School
- Net price / year
- $14,826
- Earnings, 10 years
- $41,093
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Plattsburgh, NY
Clinton Community College
- Net price / year
- $9,112
- Earnings, 10 years
- $39,246
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Clinton Community College comes closer — median earnings $39,246 against a $18,224 total, vs $41,093 at Apex Technical School. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Apex Technical School | Clinton Community College |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $14,826 | $9,112 |
| Total net cost | $59,304 | $18,224 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $41,093 | $39,246 |
| Median debt | $9,500 | $13,250 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$204,644 | -$200,504 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Apex Technical School or Clinton Community College?
Clinton Community College, at $9,112 a year after aid versus $14,826 — a gap of $5,714 a year, or $41,080 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 Apex Technical School or Clinton Community College graduates earn more?
Apex Technical School graduates report a median $41,093 ten years after entry, $1,847 more than the $39,246 at Clinton Community 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, Apex Technical School or Clinton Community College?
Apex Technical School: its completers carry a median $9,500 in federal loans versus $13,250 at Clinton Community College, a difference of $3,750. 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?
78% of students finish at Apex Technical School, against 37% at Clinton Community 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.