El Paso Community College vs Arlington Career Institute: which has better ROI?
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but El Paso Community College comes closer — median earnings $35,212 against a $6,412 total, vs $36,674 at Arlington Career Institute. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | El Paso Community College | Arlington Career Institute |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $3,206 | $24,633 |
| Total net cost | $6,412 | $98,532 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $35,212 | $36,674 |
| Median debt | $6,566 | $8,347 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$269,372 | -$332,252 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
Which is cheaper, El Paso Community College or Arlington Career Institute?
El Paso Community College, at $3,206 a year after aid versus $24,633 — a gap of $21,427 a year, or $92,120 across the full degree. These are net prices after grants and scholarships, not sticker prices, so they reflect what an aided student pays.
Do El Paso Community College or Arlington Career Institute graduates earn more?
Arlington Career Institute graduates report a median $36,674 ten years after entry, $1,462 more than the $35,212 at El Paso 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.
Which leaves students with less debt, El Paso Community College or Arlington Career Institute?
El Paso Community College: its completers carry a median $6,566 in federal loans versus $8,347 at Arlington Career Institute, a difference of $1,781. The figure counts students who finished; it excludes private loans and anyone who left before graduating.
Which graduates more of its students?
72% of students finish at Arlington Career Institute, against 24% at El Paso 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.