Head-to-head comparison
Lake Technical College vs ATA Career Education: which has better ROI?
Option A Eustis, FL
Lake Technical College
- Net price / year
- $16,252
- Earnings, 10 years
- $32,793
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Spring Hill, FL
ATA Career Education
- Net price / year
- $28,250
- Earnings, 10 years
- $34,577
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Lake Technical College comes closer — median earnings $32,793 against a $65,008 total, vs $34,577 at ATA Career Education. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Lake Technical College | ATA Career Education |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $16,252 | $28,250 |
| Total net cost | $65,008 | $113,000 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $32,793 | $34,577 |
| Median debt | — | $21,030 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$376,348 | -$388,660 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Lake Technical College or ATA Career Education?
Lake Technical College, at $16,252 a year after aid versus $28,250 — a gap of $11,998 a year, or $47,992 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 Lake Technical College or ATA Career Education graduates earn more?
ATA Career Education graduates report a median $34,577 ten years after entry, $1,784 more than the $32,793 at Lake Technical 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 graduates more of its students?
67% of students finish at ATA Career Education, against 47% at Lake Technical 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.