Head-to-head comparison
Lackawanna College vs Aviation Institute of Maintenance-Philadelphia: which has better ROI?
Option A Scranton, PA
Lackawanna College
- Net price / year
- $19,951
- Earnings, 10 years
- $41,000
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Philadelphia, PA
Aviation Institute of Maintenance-Philadelphia
- Net price / year
- $25,437
- Earnings, 10 years
- $42,785
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Lackawanna College comes closer — median earnings $41,000 against a $39,902 total, vs $42,785 at Aviation Institute of Maintenance-Philadelphia. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Lackawanna College | Aviation Institute of Maintenance-Philadelphia |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $19,951 | $25,437 |
| Total net cost | $39,902 | $101,748 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $41,000 | $42,785 |
| Median debt | $18,075 | $32,397 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$187,102 | -$213,248 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Lackawanna College or Aviation Institute of Maintenance-Philadelphia?
Lackawanna College, at $19,951 a year after aid versus $25,437 — a gap of $5,486 a year, or $61,846 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 Lackawanna College or Aviation Institute of Maintenance-Philadelphia graduates earn more?
Aviation Institute of Maintenance-Philadelphia graduates report a median $42,785 ten years after entry, $1,785 more than the $41,000 at Lackawanna 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, Lackawanna College or Aviation Institute of Maintenance-Philadelphia?
Lackawanna College: its completers carry a median $18,075 in federal loans versus $32,397 at Aviation Institute of Maintenance-Philadelphia, a difference of $14,322. 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?
63% of students finish at Aviation Institute of Maintenance-Philadelphia, against 37% at Lackawanna 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.