Arlington Career Institute — ROI, Cost & Payback
Arlington Career Institute charges a net price of $24,633/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $98,532. Median earnings ten years after entry are $36,674, below the $48,360 high-school baseline, so on this institution-wide metric the degree does not clear its cost. Program choice is what changes that. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
On institution-wide earnings, Arlington Career Institute does not clear its cost — it ranks #158 of 213 Texas colleges we track by ROI. The specific program you pick moves this more than the school average.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $24,633/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $98,532 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $36,674 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$11,686/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $8,347 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$332,252 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Arlington Career Institute's own numbers. Net price $24,633 × 4 years = $98,532 total. Median earnings $36,674 fall $11,686 short of the $48,360 high-school baseline, so the premium this formula divides by is not positive and no break-even year exists on institution-wide pay. A programme here earning $58,360 would clear the $98,532 bill in about 9.9 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Arlington Career Institute students graduate with?
A median $8,347 in federal loans among completers, or 23% of the $36,674 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Arlington Career Institute students graduate?
72% finish their degree. Spread the $98,532 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $136,850 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Arlington Career Institute expensive compared with other Texas colleges?
Its $24,633 net price runs $5,274 above the $19,359 median across the 213 Texas colleges we profile, or $21,096 more across the full degree.