Head-to-head comparison
Ocean County Vocational-Technical School vs American Institute-Somerset: which has better ROI?
Option A Toms River, NJ
Ocean County Vocational-Technical School
- Net price / year
- $10,828
- Earnings, 10 years
- $47,122
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Somerset, NJ
American Institute-Somerset
- Net price / year
- $20,464
- Earnings, 10 years
- $28,710
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Ocean County Vocational-Technical School comes closer — median earnings $47,122 against a $43,312 total, vs $28,710 at American Institute-Somerset. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Ocean County Vocational-Technical School | American Institute-Somerset |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $10,828 | $20,464 |
| Total net cost | $43,312 | $81,856 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $47,122 | $28,710 |
| Median debt | $5,500 | $11,979 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$68,072 | -$474,856 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Ocean County Vocational-Technical School or American Institute-Somerset?
Ocean County Vocational-Technical School, at $10,828 a year after aid versus $20,464 — a gap of $9,636 a year, or $38,544 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 Ocean County Vocational-Technical School or American Institute-Somerset graduates earn more?
Ocean County Vocational-Technical School graduates report a median $47,122 ten years after entry, $18,412 more than the $28,710 at American Institute-Somerset. 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, Ocean County Vocational-Technical School or American Institute-Somerset?
Ocean County Vocational-Technical School: its completers carry a median $5,500 in federal loans versus $11,979 at American Institute-Somerset, a difference of $6,479. 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?
65% of students finish at Ocean County Vocational-Technical School, against 56% at American Institute-Somerset. 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.