Head-to-head comparison
Aviation Institute of Maintenance-Philadelphia vs South Hills School of Business & Technology: 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 State College, PA
South Hills School of Business & Technology
- Net price / year
- $19,673
- Earnings, 10 years
- $35,539
- 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 $35,539 at South Hills School of Business & Technology. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Aviation Institute of Maintenance-Philadelphia | South Hills School of Business & Technology |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $25,437 | $19,673 |
| Total net cost | $101,748 | $39,346 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $42,785 | $35,539 |
| Median debt | $32,397 | $16,000 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$213,248 | -$295,766 |
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 South Hills School of Business & Technology?
South Hills School of Business & Technology, at $19,673 a year after aid versus $25,437 — a gap of $5,764 a year, or $62,402 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 South Hills School of Business & Technology graduates earn more?
Aviation Institute of Maintenance-Philadelphia graduates report a median $42,785 ten years after entry, $7,246 more than the $35,539 at South Hills School of Business & Technology. 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 South Hills School of Business & Technology?
South Hills School of Business & Technology: its completers carry a median $16,000 in federal loans versus $32,397 at Aviation Institute of Maintenance-Philadelphia, a difference of $16,397. 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?
73% of students finish at South Hills School of Business & Technology, 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.