Head-to-head comparison
Erie Community College vs Apex Technical School: which has better ROI?
Option A Buffalo, NY
Erie Community College
- Net price / year
- $7,765
- Earnings, 10 years
- $41,228
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Long Island City, NY
Apex Technical School
- Net price / year
- $14,826
- Earnings, 10 years
- $41,093
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Erie Community College comes closer — median earnings $41,228 against a $15,530 total, vs $41,093 at Apex Technical School. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Erie Community College | Apex Technical School |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $7,765 | $14,826 |
| Total net cost | $15,530 | $59,304 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $41,228 | $41,093 |
| Median debt | $9,250 | $9,500 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$158,170 | -$204,644 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Erie Community College or Apex Technical School?
Erie Community College, at $7,765 a year after aid versus $14,826 — a gap of $7,061 a year, or $43,774 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 Erie Community College or Apex Technical School graduates earn more?
Erie Community College graduates report a median $41,228 ten years after entry, $135 more than the $41,093 at Apex Technical School. 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, Erie Community College or Apex Technical School?
Erie Community College: its completers carry a median $9,250 in federal loans versus $9,500 at Apex Technical School, a difference of $250. 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?
78% of students finish at Apex Technical School, against 28% at Erie Community 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.