Head-to-head comparison
Atlantic Cape Community College vs Lincoln Technical Institute-South Plainfield: which has better ROI?
Option A Mays Landing, NJ
Atlantic Cape Community College
- Net price / year
- $8,392
- Earnings, 10 years
- $34,241
- Payback
- No payback
Option B South Plainfield, NJ
Lincoln Technical Institute-South Plainfield
- Net price / year
- $31,575
- Earnings, 10 years
- $46,396
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Lincoln Technical Institute-South Plainfield comes closer — median earnings $46,396 against a $126,300 total, vs $34,241 at Atlantic Cape Community College. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Atlantic Cape Community College | Lincoln Technical Institute-South Plainfield |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $8,392 | $31,575 |
| Total net cost | $16,784 | $126,300 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $34,241 | $46,396 |
| Median debt | $9,500 | $11,730 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$299,164 | -$165,580 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Atlantic Cape Community College or Lincoln Technical Institute-South Plainfield?
Atlantic Cape Community College, at $8,392 a year after aid versus $31,575 — a gap of $23,183 a year, or $109,516 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 Atlantic Cape Community College or Lincoln Technical Institute-South Plainfield graduates earn more?
Lincoln Technical Institute-South Plainfield graduates report a median $46,396 ten years after entry, $12,155 more than the $34,241 at Atlantic Cape 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, Atlantic Cape Community College or Lincoln Technical Institute-South Plainfield?
Atlantic Cape Community College: its completers carry a median $9,500 in federal loans versus $11,730 at Lincoln Technical Institute-South Plainfield, a difference of $2,230. 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?
77% of students finish at Lincoln Technical Institute-South Plainfield, against 30% at Atlantic Cape 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.