Head-to-head comparison
Aviation Institute of Maintenance-Charlotte vs Southeastern College-Charlotte: 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 Charlotte, NC
Southeastern College-Charlotte
- Net price / year
- $30,611
- Earnings, 10 years
- $31,548
- 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 $31,548 at Southeastern College-Charlotte. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Aviation Institute of Maintenance-Charlotte | Southeastern College-Charlotte |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $25,733 | $30,611 |
| Total net cost | $102,932 | $122,444 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $42,759 | $31,548 |
| Median debt | $29,773 | $9,500 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$214,952 | -$458,684 |
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 Southeastern College-Charlotte?
Aviation Institute of Maintenance-Charlotte, at $25,733 a year after aid versus $30,611 — a gap of $4,878 a year, or $19,512 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 Southeastern College-Charlotte graduates earn more?
Aviation Institute of Maintenance-Charlotte graduates report a median $42,759 ten years after entry, $11,211 more than the $31,548 at Southeastern College-Charlotte. 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, Aviation Institute of Maintenance-Charlotte or Southeastern College-Charlotte?
Southeastern College-Charlotte: its completers carry a median $9,500 in federal loans versus $29,773 at Aviation Institute of Maintenance-Charlotte, a difference of $20,273. 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 Southeastern College-Charlotte, against 70% at Aviation Institute of Maintenance-Charlotte. 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.