Head-to-head comparison
Montgomery Community College vs Aviation Institute of Maintenance-Charlotte: which has better ROI?
Option A Troy, NC
Montgomery Community College
- Net price / year
- $13,832
- Earnings, 10 years
- $32,742
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Charlotte, NC
Aviation Institute of Maintenance-Charlotte
- Net price / year
- $25,733
- Earnings, 10 years
- $42,759
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Aviation Institute of Maintenance-Charlotte comes closer — median earnings $42,759 against a $102,932 total, vs $32,742 at Montgomery Community College. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Montgomery Community College | Aviation Institute of Maintenance-Charlotte |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $13,832 | $25,733 |
| Total net cost | $55,328 | $102,932 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $32,742 | $42,759 |
| Median debt | — | $29,773 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$367,688 | -$214,952 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Montgomery Community College or Aviation Institute of Maintenance-Charlotte?
Montgomery Community College, at $13,832 a year after aid versus $25,733 — a gap of $11,901 a year, or $47,604 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 Montgomery Community College or Aviation Institute of Maintenance-Charlotte graduates earn more?
Aviation Institute of Maintenance-Charlotte graduates report a median $42,759 ten years after entry, $10,017 more than the $32,742 at Montgomery Community 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?
84% of students finish at Montgomery Community College, against 70% at Aviation Institute of Maintenance-Charlotte. 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.