Head-to-head comparison
Prism Career Institute-Philadelphia vs Aviation Institute of Maintenance-Philadelphia: which has better ROI?
Option A Philadelphia, PA
Prism Career Institute-Philadelphia
- Net price / year
- $29,960
- Earnings, 10 years
- $32,473
- 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 Aviation Institute of Maintenance-Philadelphia comes closer — median earnings $42,785 against a $101,748 total, vs $32,473 at Prism Career Institute-Philadelphia. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Prism Career Institute-Philadelphia | Aviation Institute of Maintenance-Philadelphia |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $29,960 | $25,437 |
| Total net cost | $119,840 | $101,748 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $32,473 | $42,785 |
| Median debt | $17,200 | $32,397 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$437,580 | -$213,248 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Prism Career Institute-Philadelphia or Aviation Institute of Maintenance-Philadelphia?
Aviation Institute of Maintenance-Philadelphia, at $25,437 a year after aid versus $29,960 — a gap of $4,523 a year, or $18,092 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 Prism Career Institute-Philadelphia or Aviation Institute of Maintenance-Philadelphia graduates earn more?
Aviation Institute of Maintenance-Philadelphia graduates report a median $42,785 ten years after entry, $10,312 more than the $32,473 at Prism Career Institute-Philadelphia. 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, Prism Career Institute-Philadelphia or Aviation Institute of Maintenance-Philadelphia?
Prism Career Institute-Philadelphia: its completers carry a median $17,200 in federal loans versus $32,397 at Aviation Institute of Maintenance-Philadelphia, a difference of $15,197. 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 55% at Prism Career Institute-Philadelphia. 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.