Head-to-head comparison
Columbia College vs Aviation Institute of Maintenance-Kansas City: which has better ROI?
Option A Columbia, MO
Columbia College
- Net price / year
- $22,715
- Earnings, 10 years
- $45,378
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Kansas City, MO
Aviation Institute of Maintenance-Kansas City
- Net price / year
- $26,815
- Earnings, 10 years
- $40,743
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Columbia College comes closer — median earnings $45,378 against a $90,860 total, vs $40,743 at Aviation Institute of Maintenance-Kansas City. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Columbia College | Aviation Institute of Maintenance-Kansas City |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $22,715 | $26,815 |
| Total net cost | $90,860 | $107,260 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $45,378 | $40,743 |
| Median debt | $23,879 | $30,416 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$150,500 | -$259,600 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Columbia College or Aviation Institute of Maintenance-Kansas City?
Columbia College, at $22,715 a year after aid versus $26,815 — a gap of $4,100 a year, or $16,400 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 Columbia College or Aviation Institute of Maintenance-Kansas City graduates earn more?
Columbia College graduates report a median $45,378 ten years after entry, $4,635 more than the $40,743 at Aviation Institute of Maintenance-Kansas City. 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, Columbia College or Aviation Institute of Maintenance-Kansas City?
Columbia College: its completers carry a median $23,879 in federal loans versus $30,416 at Aviation Institute of Maintenance-Kansas City, a difference of $6,537. 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?
71% of students finish at Aviation Institute of Maintenance-Kansas City, against 42% at Columbia 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.