Head-to-head comparison
Arlington Career Institute vs Miller-Motte College-STVT-McAllen: which has better ROI?
Option A Arlington, TX
Arlington Career Institute
- Net price / year
- $24,633
- Earnings, 10 years
- $36,674
- Payback
- No payback
Option B McAllen, TX
Miller-Motte College-STVT-McAllen
- Net price / year
- $20,008
- Earnings, 10 years
- $31,102
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Arlington Career Institute comes closer — median earnings $36,674 against a $98,532 total, vs $31,102 at Miller-Motte College-STVT-McAllen. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Arlington Career Institute | Miller-Motte College-STVT-McAllen |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $24,633 | $20,008 |
| Total net cost | $98,532 | $80,032 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $36,674 | $31,102 |
| Median debt | $8,347 | $15,917 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$332,252 | -$425,192 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Arlington Career Institute or Miller-Motte College-STVT-McAllen?
Miller-Motte College-STVT-McAllen, at $20,008 a year after aid versus $24,633 — a gap of $4,625 a year, or $18,500 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 Arlington Career Institute or Miller-Motte College-STVT-McAllen graduates earn more?
Arlington Career Institute graduates report a median $36,674 ten years after entry, $5,572 more than the $31,102 at Miller-Motte College-STVT-McAllen. 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, Arlington Career Institute or Miller-Motte College-STVT-McAllen?
Arlington Career Institute: its completers carry a median $8,347 in federal loans versus $15,917 at Miller-Motte College-STVT-McAllen, a difference of $7,570. 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 Miller-Motte College-STVT-McAllen, against 72% at Arlington Career Institute. 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.