Head-to-head comparison
Raritan Valley Community College vs American Institute-Clifton: which has better ROI?
Option A Branchburg, NJ
Raritan Valley Community College
- Net price / year
- $6,778
- Earnings, 10 years
- $48,145
- Payback
- No payback
Option B CLIFTON, NJ
American Institute-Clifton
- Net price / year
- $20,371
- Earnings, 10 years
- $28,710
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Raritan Valley Community College comes closer — median earnings $48,145 against a $13,556 total, vs $28,710 at American Institute-Clifton. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Raritan Valley Community College | American Institute-Clifton |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $6,778 | $20,371 |
| Total net cost | $13,556 | $81,484 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $48,145 | $28,710 |
| Median debt | $10,500 | $11,979 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$17,856 | -$474,484 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Raritan Valley Community College or American Institute-Clifton?
Raritan Valley Community College, at $6,778 a year after aid versus $20,371 — a gap of $13,593 a year, or $67,928 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 Raritan Valley Community College or American Institute-Clifton graduates earn more?
Raritan Valley Community College graduates report a median $48,145 ten years after entry, $19,435 more than the $28,710 at American Institute-Clifton. 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, Raritan Valley Community College or American Institute-Clifton?
Raritan Valley Community College: its completers carry a median $10,500 in federal loans versus $11,979 at American Institute-Clifton, a difference of $1,479. 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?
57% of students finish at American Institute-Clifton, against 31% at Raritan Valley 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.