Head-to-head comparison
Aviation Institute of Maintenance-Philadelphia vs CDE Career Institute: which has better ROI?
Option A Philadelphia, PA
Aviation Institute of Maintenance-Philadelphia
- Net price / year
- $25,437
- Earnings, 10 years
- $42,785
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Tannersville, PA
CDE Career Institute
- Net price / year
- $24,554
- Earnings, 10 years
- $30,894
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Aviation Institute of Maintenance-Philadelphia comes closer — median earnings $42,785 against a $101,748 total, vs $30,894 at CDE Career Institute. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Aviation Institute of Maintenance-Philadelphia | CDE Career Institute |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $25,437 | $24,554 |
| Total net cost | $101,748 | $98,216 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $42,785 | $30,894 |
| Median debt | $32,397 | $9,500 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$213,248 | -$447,536 |
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-Philadelphia or CDE Career Institute?
CDE Career Institute, at $24,554 a year after aid versus $25,437 — a gap of $883 a year, or $3,532 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-Philadelphia or CDE Career Institute graduates earn more?
Aviation Institute of Maintenance-Philadelphia graduates report a median $42,785 ten years after entry, $11,891 more than the $30,894 at CDE Career Institute. 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-Philadelphia or CDE Career Institute?
CDE Career Institute: its completers carry a median $9,500 in federal loans versus $32,397 at Aviation Institute of Maintenance-Philadelphia, a difference of $22,897. 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?
63% of students finish at CDE Career Institute, against 63% at Aviation Institute of Maintenance-Philadelphia. 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.