Head-to-head comparison
Apex Technical School vs Manhattan School of Music: 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 New York, NY
Manhattan School of Music
- Net price / year
- $51,754
- Earnings, 10 years
- $26,878
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Apex Technical School comes closer — median earnings $41,093 against a $59,304 total, vs $26,878 at Manhattan School of Music. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Apex Technical School | Manhattan School of Music |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $14,826 | $51,754 |
| Total net cost | $59,304 | $207,016 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $41,093 | $26,878 |
| Median debt | $9,500 | $26,994 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$204,644 | -$636,656 |
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 Manhattan School of Music?
Apex Technical School, at $14,826 a year after aid versus $51,754 — a gap of $36,928 a year, or $147,712 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 Manhattan School of Music graduates earn more?
Apex Technical School graduates report a median $41,093 ten years after entry, $14,215 more than the $26,878 at Manhattan School of Music. 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 Manhattan School of Music?
Apex Technical School: its completers carry a median $9,500 in federal loans versus $26,994 at Manhattan School of Music, a difference of $17,494. 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 Manhattan School of Music, against 78% at Apex Technical School. 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.