Truckee Meadows Community College vs Aviation Institute of Maintenance-Las Vegas: which has better ROI?
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Aviation Institute of Maintenance-Las Vegas comes closer — median earnings $48,191 against a $104,712 total, vs $44,573 at Truckee Meadows Community College. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Truckee Meadows Community College | Aviation Institute of Maintenance-Las Vegas |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $8,312 | $26,178 |
| Total net cost | $33,248 | $104,712 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $44,573 | $48,191 |
| Median debt | $11,000 | $31,500 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$108,988 | -$108,092 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
Which is cheaper, Truckee Meadows Community College or Aviation Institute of Maintenance-Las Vegas?
Truckee Meadows Community College, at $8,312 a year after aid versus $26,178 — a gap of $17,866 a year, or $71,464 across the full degree. These are net prices after grants and scholarships, not sticker prices, so they reflect what an aided student pays.
Do Truckee Meadows Community College or Aviation Institute of Maintenance-Las Vegas graduates earn more?
Aviation Institute of Maintenance-Las Vegas graduates report a median $48,191 ten years after entry, $3,618 more than the $44,573 at Truckee Meadows 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, Truckee Meadows Community College or Aviation Institute of Maintenance-Las Vegas?
Truckee Meadows Community College: its completers carry a median $11,000 in federal loans versus $31,500 at Aviation Institute of Maintenance-Las Vegas, a difference of $20,500. The figure counts students who finished; it excludes private loans and anyone who left before graduating.
Which graduates more of its students?
80% of students finish at Aviation Institute of Maintenance-Las Vegas, against 32% at Truckee Meadows 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.