Head-to-head comparison
Aviation Institute of Maintenance-Charlotte vs Martin Community College: which has better ROI?
Option A Charlotte, NC
Aviation Institute of Maintenance-Charlotte
- Net price / year
- $25,733
- Earnings, 10 years
- $42,759
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Williamston, NC
Martin Community College
- Net price / year
- $2,676
- Earnings, 10 years
- $26,016
- 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 $26,016 at Martin Community College. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Aviation Institute of Maintenance-Charlotte | Martin Community College |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $25,733 | $2,676 |
| Total net cost | $102,932 | $10,704 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $42,759 | $26,016 |
| Median debt | $29,773 | — |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$214,952 | -$457,584 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Aviation Institute of Maintenance-Charlotte or Martin Community College?
Martin Community College, at $2,676 a year after aid versus $25,733 — a gap of $23,057 a year, or $92,228 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 Aviation Institute of Maintenance-Charlotte or Martin Community College graduates earn more?
Aviation Institute of Maintenance-Charlotte graduates report a median $42,759 ten years after entry, $16,743 more than the $26,016 at Martin 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 graduates more of its students?
70% of students finish at Aviation Institute of Maintenance-Charlotte, against 39% at Martin 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.