Head-to-head comparison
Pennsylvania Highlands Community College vs Aviation Institute of Maintenance-Philadelphia: which has better ROI?
Option A Johnstown, PA
Pennsylvania Highlands Community College
- Net price / year
- $6,200
- Earnings, 10 years
- $38,752
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Philadelphia, PA
Aviation Institute of Maintenance-Philadelphia
- Net price / year
- $25,437
- Earnings, 10 years
- $42,785
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Pennsylvania Highlands Community College comes closer — median earnings $38,752 against a $12,400 total, vs $42,785 at Aviation Institute of Maintenance-Philadelphia. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Pennsylvania Highlands Community College | Aviation Institute of Maintenance-Philadelphia |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $6,200 | $25,437 |
| Total net cost | $12,400 | $101,748 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $38,752 | $42,785 |
| Median debt | $11,000 | $32,397 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$204,560 | -$213,248 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Pennsylvania Highlands Community College or Aviation Institute of Maintenance-Philadelphia?
Pennsylvania Highlands Community College, at $6,200 a year after aid versus $25,437 — a gap of $19,237 a year, or $89,348 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 Pennsylvania Highlands Community College or Aviation Institute of Maintenance-Philadelphia graduates earn more?
Aviation Institute of Maintenance-Philadelphia graduates report a median $42,785 ten years after entry, $4,033 more than the $38,752 at Pennsylvania Highlands 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, Pennsylvania Highlands Community College or Aviation Institute of Maintenance-Philadelphia?
Pennsylvania Highlands Community College: its completers carry a median $11,000 in federal loans versus $32,397 at Aviation Institute of Maintenance-Philadelphia, a difference of $21,397. 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?
63% of students finish at Aviation Institute of Maintenance-Philadelphia, against 38% at Pennsylvania Highlands 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.