Head-to-head comparison
Eckerd College vs Aviation Institute of Maintenance-Orlando: which has better ROI?
Option A Saint Petersburg, FL
Eckerd College
- Net price / year
- $38,071
- Earnings, 10 years
- $51,819
- Payback
- 44 yrs
Option B Casselberry, FL
Aviation Institute of Maintenance-Orlando
- Net price / year
- $24,995
- Earnings, 10 years
- $53,341
- Payback
- 20.1 yrs
Aviation Institute of Maintenance-Orlando has the better ROI: it clears its 4-year net cost of $99,980 in 20.1 years versus 44 years at Eckerd College, on median earnings of $53,341 vs $51,819 ten years out. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Eckerd College | Aviation Institute of Maintenance-Orlando |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $38,071 | $24,995 |
| Total net cost | $152,284 | $99,980 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $51,819 | $53,341 |
| Median debt | $27,000 | $31,301 |
| Payback | 44 yrs | 20.1 yrs |
| 20-year net return | -$83,104 | -$360 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Eckerd College or Aviation Institute of Maintenance-Orlando?
Aviation Institute of Maintenance-Orlando, at $24,995 a year after aid versus $38,071 — a gap of $13,076 a year, or $52,304 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 Eckerd College or Aviation Institute of Maintenance-Orlando graduates earn more?
Aviation Institute of Maintenance-Orlando graduates report a median $53,341 ten years after entry, $1,522 more than the $51,819 at Eckerd College. 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, Eckerd College or Aviation Institute of Maintenance-Orlando?
Eckerd College: its completers carry a median $27,000 in federal loans versus $31,301 at Aviation Institute of Maintenance-Orlando, a difference of $4,301. 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?
83% of students finish at Aviation Institute of Maintenance-Orlando, against 66% at Eckerd 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.