Head-to-head comparison
Atlantic Technical College vs Chipola College: which has better ROI?
Option A Coconut Creek, FL
Atlantic Technical College
- Net price / year
- $10,414
- Earnings, 10 years
- $38,560
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Marianna, FL
Chipola College
- Net price / year
- $1,133
- Earnings, 10 years
- $37,378
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Chipola College comes closer — median earnings $37,378 against a $4,532 total, vs $38,560 at Atlantic Technical College. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Atlantic Technical College | Chipola College |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $10,414 | $1,133 |
| Total net cost | $41,656 | $4,532 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $38,560 | $37,378 |
| Median debt | — | — |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$237,656 | -$224,172 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Atlantic Technical College or Chipola College?
Chipola College, at $1,133 a year after aid versus $10,414 — a gap of $9,281 a year, or $37,124 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 Technical College or Chipola College graduates earn more?
Atlantic Technical College graduates report a median $38,560 ten years after entry, $1,182 more than the $37,378 at Chipola 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?
65% of students finish at Atlantic Technical College, against 53% at Chipola 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.