Head-to-head comparison
Aviation Institute of Maintenance-Philadelphia vs Penn Commercial Business/Technical School: 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 Washington, PA
Penn Commercial Business/Technical School
- Net price / year
- $18,350
- Earnings, 10 years
- $31,736
- 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 $31,736 at Penn Commercial Business/Technical School. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Aviation Institute of Maintenance-Philadelphia | Penn Commercial Business/Technical School |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $25,437 | $18,350 |
| Total net cost | $101,748 | $73,400 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $42,785 | $31,736 |
| Median debt | $32,397 | $11,638 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$213,248 | -$405,880 |
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 Penn Commercial Business/Technical School?
Penn Commercial Business/Technical School, at $18,350 a year after aid versus $25,437 — a gap of $7,087 a year, or $28,348 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 Penn Commercial Business/Technical School graduates earn more?
Aviation Institute of Maintenance-Philadelphia graduates report a median $42,785 ten years after entry, $11,049 more than the $31,736 at Penn Commercial Business/Technical School. 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 Penn Commercial Business/Technical School?
Penn Commercial Business/Technical School: its completers carry a median $11,638 in federal loans versus $32,397 at Aviation Institute of Maintenance-Philadelphia, a difference of $20,759. 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?
84% of students finish at Penn Commercial Business/Technical School, 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.