Head-to-head comparison
Central Texas College vs Arlington Career Institute: which has better ROI?
Option A Killeen, TX
Central Texas College
- Net price / year
- $10,265
- Earnings, 10 years
- $40,995
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Arlington, TX
Arlington Career Institute
- Net price / year
- $24,633
- Earnings, 10 years
- $36,674
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Central Texas College comes closer — median earnings $40,995 against a $20,530 total, vs $36,674 at Arlington Career Institute. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Central Texas College | Arlington Career Institute |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $10,265 | $24,633 |
| Total net cost | $20,530 | $98,532 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $40,995 | $36,674 |
| Median debt | $6,750 | $8,347 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$167,830 | -$332,252 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Central Texas College or Arlington Career Institute?
Central Texas College, at $10,265 a year after aid versus $24,633 — a gap of $14,368 a year, or $78,002 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 Central Texas College or Arlington Career Institute graduates earn more?
Central Texas College graduates report a median $40,995 ten years after entry, $4,321 more than the $36,674 at Arlington 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, Central Texas College or Arlington Career Institute?
Central Texas College: its completers carry a median $6,750 in federal loans versus $8,347 at Arlington Career Institute, a difference of $1,597. 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?
72% of students finish at Arlington Career Institute, against 11% at Central Texas College. 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.