Head-to-head comparison
Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College vs Aviation Institute of Maintenance-Charlotte: which has better ROI?
Option A Asheville, NC
Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College
- Net price / year
- $11,602
- Earnings, 10 years
- $36,048
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Charlotte, NC
Aviation Institute of Maintenance-Charlotte
- Net price / year
- $25,733
- Earnings, 10 years
- $42,759
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Aviation Institute of Maintenance-Charlotte comes closer — median earnings $42,759 against a $102,932 total, vs $36,048 at Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College | Aviation Institute of Maintenance-Charlotte |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $11,602 | $25,733 |
| Total net cost | $46,408 | $102,932 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $36,048 | $42,759 |
| Median debt | $15,528 | $29,773 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$292,648 | -$214,952 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College or Aviation Institute of Maintenance-Charlotte?
Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College, at $11,602 a year after aid versus $25,733 — a gap of $14,131 a year, or $56,524 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 Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College or Aviation Institute of Maintenance-Charlotte graduates earn more?
Aviation Institute of Maintenance-Charlotte graduates report a median $42,759 ten years after entry, $6,711 more than the $36,048 at Asheville-Buncombe Technical 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, Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College or Aviation Institute of Maintenance-Charlotte?
Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College: its completers carry a median $15,528 in federal loans versus $29,773 at Aviation Institute of Maintenance-Charlotte, a difference of $14,245. 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?
70% of students finish at Aviation Institute of Maintenance-Charlotte, against 40% at Asheville-Buncombe Technical 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.