Head-to-head comparison
Southern Careers Institute-Austin vs Arlington Career Institute: which has better ROI?
Option A Austin, TX
Southern Careers Institute-Austin
- Net price / year
- $25,660
- Earnings, 10 years
- $27,035
- 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 Arlington Career Institute comes closer — median earnings $36,674 against a $98,532 total, vs $27,035 at Southern Careers Institute-Austin. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Southern Careers Institute-Austin | Arlington Career Institute |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $25,660 | $24,633 |
| Total net cost | $102,640 | $98,532 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $27,035 | $36,674 |
| Median debt | $8,708 | $8,347 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$529,140 | -$332,252 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Southern Careers Institute-Austin or Arlington Career Institute?
Arlington Career Institute, at $24,633 a year after aid versus $25,660 — a gap of $1,027 a year, or $4,108 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 Southern Careers Institute-Austin or Arlington Career Institute graduates earn more?
Arlington Career Institute graduates report a median $36,674 ten years after entry, $9,639 more than the $27,035 at Southern Careers Institute-Austin. 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, Southern Careers Institute-Austin or Arlington Career Institute?
Arlington Career Institute: its completers carry a median $8,347 in federal loans versus $8,708 at Southern Careers Institute-Austin, a difference of $361. 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 53% at Southern Careers Institute-Austin. 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.