Tidewater Tech-Trades vs Aviation Institute of Maintenance-Manassas: which has better ROI?
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Aviation Institute of Maintenance-Manassas comes closer — median earnings $46,441 against a $109,280 total, vs $31,657 at Tidewater Tech-Trades. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Tidewater Tech-Trades | Aviation Institute of Maintenance-Manassas |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $26,366 | $27,320 |
| Total net cost | $105,464 | $109,280 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $31,657 | $46,441 |
| Median debt | $9,500 | $31,959 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$439,524 | -$147,660 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
Which is cheaper, Tidewater Tech-Trades or Aviation Institute of Maintenance-Manassas?
Tidewater Tech-Trades, at $26,366 a year after aid versus $27,320 — a gap of $954 a year, or $3,816 across the full degree. These are net prices after grants and scholarships, not sticker prices, so they reflect what an aided student pays.
Do Tidewater Tech-Trades or Aviation Institute of Maintenance-Manassas graduates earn more?
Aviation Institute of Maintenance-Manassas graduates report a median $46,441 ten years after entry, $14,784 more than the $31,657 at Tidewater Tech-Trades. 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, Tidewater Tech-Trades or Aviation Institute of Maintenance-Manassas?
Tidewater Tech-Trades: its completers carry a median $9,500 in federal loans versus $31,959 at Aviation Institute of Maintenance-Manassas, a difference of $22,459. The figure counts students who finished; it excludes private loans and anyone who left before graduating.
Which graduates more of its students?
82% of students finish at Aviation Institute of Maintenance-Manassas, against 71% at Tidewater Tech-Trades. 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.