Head-to-head comparison
Athens Technical College vs Paine College: which has better ROI?
Option A Athens, GA
Athens Technical College
- Net price / year
- $6,949
- Earnings, 10 years
- $35,951
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Augusta, GA
Paine College
- Net price / year
- $16,670
- Earnings, 10 years
- $33,338
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Athens Technical College comes closer — median earnings $35,951 against a $27,796 total, vs $33,338 at Paine College. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Athens Technical College | Paine College |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $6,949 | $16,670 |
| Total net cost | $27,796 | $66,680 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $35,951 | $33,338 |
| Median debt | — | — |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$275,976 | -$367,120 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Athens Technical College or Paine College?
Athens Technical College, at $6,949 a year after aid versus $16,670 — a gap of $9,721 a year, or $38,884 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 Athens Technical College or Paine College graduates earn more?
Athens Technical College graduates report a median $35,951 ten years after entry, $2,613 more than the $33,338 at Paine 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 graduates more of its students?
51% of students finish at Athens Technical College, against 14% at Paine 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.