Head-to-head comparison
Pima Medical Institute-Houston vs Arlington Career Institute: which has better ROI?
Option A Houston, TX
Pima Medical Institute-Houston
- Net price / year
- $21,396
- Earnings, 10 years
- $38,673
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Arlington, TX
Arlington Career Institute
- Net price / year
- $24,633
- Earnings, 10 years
- $36,674
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Pima Medical Institute-Houston comes closer — median earnings $38,673 against a $85,584 total, vs $36,674 at Arlington Career Institute. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Pima Medical Institute-Houston | Arlington Career Institute |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $21,396 | $24,633 |
| Total net cost | $85,584 | $98,532 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $38,673 | $36,674 |
| Median debt | $9,500 | $8,347 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$279,324 | -$332,252 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Pima Medical Institute-Houston or Arlington Career Institute?
Pima Medical Institute-Houston, at $21,396 a year after aid versus $24,633 — a gap of $3,237 a year, or $12,948 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 Pima Medical Institute-Houston or Arlington Career Institute graduates earn more?
Pima Medical Institute-Houston graduates report a median $38,673 ten years after entry, $1,999 more than the $36,674 at Arlington Career Institute. 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, Pima Medical Institute-Houston or Arlington Career Institute?
Arlington Career Institute: its completers carry a median $8,347 in federal loans versus $9,500 at Pima Medical Institute-Houston, a difference of $1,153. 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?
72% of students finish at Arlington Career Institute, against 71% at Pima Medical Institute-Houston. 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.