Head-to-head comparison
Mountain Gateway Community College vs Advanced Technology Institute: which has better ROI?
Option A Clifton Forge, VA
Mountain Gateway Community College
- Net price / year
- $4,861
- Earnings, 10 years
- $34,293
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Virginia Beach, VA
Advanced Technology Institute
- Net price / year
- $16,358
- Earnings, 10 years
- $46,342
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Advanced Technology Institute comes closer — median earnings $46,342 against a $65,432 total, vs $34,293 at Mountain Gateway Community College. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Mountain Gateway Community College | Advanced Technology Institute |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $4,861 | $16,358 |
| Total net cost | $19,444 | $65,432 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $34,293 | $46,342 |
| Median debt | $9,182 | $14,873 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$300,784 | -$105,792 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Mountain Gateway Community College or Advanced Technology Institute?
Mountain Gateway Community College, at $4,861 a year after aid versus $16,358 — a gap of $11,497 a year, or $45,988 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 Mountain Gateway Community College or Advanced Technology Institute graduates earn more?
Advanced Technology Institute graduates report a median $46,342 ten years after entry, $12,049 more than the $34,293 at Mountain Gateway 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 leaves students with less debt, Mountain Gateway Community College or Advanced Technology Institute?
Mountain Gateway Community College: its completers carry a median $9,182 in federal loans versus $14,873 at Advanced Technology Institute, a difference of $5,691. 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?
79% of students finish at Advanced Technology Institute, against 38% at Mountain Gateway 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.