Head-to-head comparison
Rappahannock Community College vs Aviation Institute of Maintenance-Norfolk: which has better ROI?
Option A Glenns, VA
Rappahannock Community College
- Net price / year
- $4,343
- Earnings, 10 years
- $36,121
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Norfolk, VA
Aviation Institute of Maintenance-Norfolk
- Net price / year
- $23,046
- Earnings, 10 years
- $44,173
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Aviation Institute of Maintenance-Norfolk comes closer — median earnings $44,173 against a $92,184 total, vs $36,121 at Rappahannock Community College. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Rappahannock Community College | Aviation Institute of Maintenance-Norfolk |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $4,343 | $23,046 |
| Total net cost | $17,372 | $92,184 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $36,121 | $44,173 |
| Median debt | — | $29,375 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$262,152 | -$175,924 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Rappahannock Community College or Aviation Institute of Maintenance-Norfolk?
Rappahannock Community College, at $4,343 a year after aid versus $23,046 — a gap of $18,703 a year, or $74,812 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 Rappahannock Community College or Aviation Institute of Maintenance-Norfolk graduates earn more?
Aviation Institute of Maintenance-Norfolk graduates report a median $44,173 ten years after entry, $8,052 more than the $36,121 at Rappahannock 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 graduates more of its students?
79% of students finish at Aviation Institute of Maintenance-Norfolk, against 45% at Rappahannock 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.