Head-to-head comparison
Aviation Institute of Maintenance-Philadelphia vs Lancaster County Career and Technology Center: 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 Willow Street, PA
Lancaster County Career and Technology Center
- Net price / year
- $17,505
- Earnings, 10 years
- $44,566
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Lancaster County Career and Technology Center comes closer — median earnings $44,566 against a $70,020 total, vs $42,785 at Aviation Institute of Maintenance-Philadelphia. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Aviation Institute of Maintenance-Philadelphia | Lancaster County Career and Technology Center |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $25,437 | $17,505 |
| Total net cost | $101,748 | $70,020 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $42,785 | $44,566 |
| Median debt | $32,397 | $15,250 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$213,248 | -$145,900 |
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 Lancaster County Career and Technology Center?
Lancaster County Career and Technology Center, at $17,505 a year after aid versus $25,437 — a gap of $7,932 a year, or $31,728 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 Lancaster County Career and Technology Center graduates earn more?
Lancaster County Career and Technology Center graduates report a median $44,566 ten years after entry, $1,781 more than the $42,785 at Aviation Institute of Maintenance-Philadelphia. 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 Lancaster County Career and Technology Center?
Lancaster County Career and Technology Center: its completers carry a median $15,250 in federal loans versus $32,397 at Aviation Institute of Maintenance-Philadelphia, a difference of $17,147. 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?
91% of students finish at Lancaster County Career and Technology Center, 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.