Head-to-head comparison
Orange Technical College-South Campus vs ATA Career Education: which has better ROI?
Option A Orlando, FL
Orange Technical College-South Campus
- Net price / year
- $9,215
- Earnings, 10 years
- $33,350
- 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 Orange Technical College-South Campus comes closer — median earnings $33,350 against a $36,860 total, vs $34,577 at ATA Career Education. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Orange Technical College-South Campus | ATA Career Education |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $9,215 | $28,250 |
| Total net cost | $36,860 | $113,000 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $33,350 | $34,577 |
| Median debt | — | $21,030 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$337,060 | -$388,660 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Orange Technical College-South Campus or ATA Career Education?
Orange Technical College-South Campus, at $9,215 a year after aid versus $28,250 — a gap of $19,035 a year, or $76,140 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 Orange Technical College-South Campus or ATA Career Education graduates earn more?
ATA Career Education graduates report a median $34,577 ten years after entry, $1,227 more than the $33,350 at Orange Technical College-South Campus. 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 35% at Orange Technical College-South Campus. 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.