Head-to-head comparison
Pinellas Technical College-Clearwater vs ATA Career Education: which has better ROI?
Option A Clearwater, FL
Pinellas Technical College-Clearwater
- Net price / year
- $21,932
- Earnings, 10 years
- $34,627
- 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 Pinellas Technical College-Clearwater comes closer — median earnings $34,627 against a $87,728 total, vs $34,577 at ATA Career Education. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Pinellas Technical College-Clearwater | ATA Career Education |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $21,932 | $28,250 |
| Total net cost | $87,728 | $113,000 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $34,627 | $34,577 |
| Median debt | — | $21,030 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$362,388 | -$388,660 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Pinellas Technical College-Clearwater or ATA Career Education?
Pinellas Technical College-Clearwater, at $21,932 a year after aid versus $28,250 — a gap of $6,318 a year, or $25,272 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 Pinellas Technical College-Clearwater or ATA Career Education graduates earn more?
Pinellas Technical College-Clearwater graduates report a median $34,627 ten years after entry, $50 more than the $34,577 at ATA Career Education. 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 52% at Pinellas Technical College-Clearwater. 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.