Head-to-head comparison
Cisco College vs Arlington Career Institute: which has better ROI?
Option A Cisco, TX
Cisco College
- Net price / year
- $9,624
- Earnings, 10 years
- $39,092
- 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 Cisco College comes closer — median earnings $39,092 against a $38,496 total, vs $36,674 at Arlington Career Institute. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Cisco College | Arlington Career Institute |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $9,624 | $24,633 |
| Total net cost | $38,496 | $98,532 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $39,092 | $36,674 |
| Median debt | $9,500 | $8,347 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$223,856 | -$332,252 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Cisco College or Arlington Career Institute?
Cisco College, at $9,624 a year after aid versus $24,633 — a gap of $15,009 a year, or $60,036 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 Cisco College or Arlington Career Institute graduates earn more?
Cisco College graduates report a median $39,092 ten years after entry, $2,418 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, Cisco College or Arlington Career Institute?
Arlington Career Institute: its completers carry a median $8,347 in federal loans versus $9,500 at Cisco College, a difference of $1,153. 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 30% at Cisco 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.