2026 data College Scorecard official source

Affordable Alternatives to Dawn Career Institute LLC

Open-data reference.

We found 8 schools structurally similar to Dawn Career Institute LLC that cost less. 8 offer comparable or better earnings outcomes.

Your School

Dawn Career Institute LLC

Newark, Delaware · Private For-Profit

$14,839
Net Price
$30,429
Median Earnings (10yr)
N/A
Acceptance Rate
N/A
Graduation Rate

What the IPEDS & College Scorecard Data Shows for Alternatives to Dawn Career Institute LLC

Dawn Career Institute LLC posts an average net price of $14,839 after grants and scholarships, the IPEDS-derived figure used to anchor this alternatives search. We screened institutions in the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System for colleges that report a lower net price and share structural similarity with Dawn Career Institute LLC across six dimensions — ownership sector, Carnegie classification, undergraduate enrollment, admission rate, graduate earnings, and completion rate. 8 institutions cleared a 40-percent similarity threshold.

The maximum possible savings across this list is $5,730, achieved by HCA Florida Mercy Hospital School of Practical Nursing at $9,109. Of greater interest to ROI-focused applicants: 8 of the 8 alternatives also report median 10-year earnings at or above Dawn Career Institute LLC’s $30,429, meaning lower cost is not paired with lower earnings. The mean median-earnings figure across alternatives is $69,115.

The similarity scoring treats enrollment size, Carnegie classification, and ownership sector as high-weight features because those structural attributes correlate most strongly with student experience and post-graduation outcomes in the College Scorecard literature. Admission rate and graduation rate enter as secondary features, while net price drives the cost-ranking that determines which institutions appear. Net price is an IPEDS-reported figure calculated as the average cost of attendance minus institutional and federal grants for first-time, full-time undergraduates receiving Title IV aid — so it already accounts for the aid a typical admitted student would receive. That makes it a more honest cost comparison than sticker-price tuition alone.

Similar Schools That Cost Less

8
Alternatives Found
$5,730
Max Savings
8
Better Value Options
55%
Best Match

Top 5 alternatives by 10-yr earnings

Top 5 alternatives by 10-yr earnings Horizontal bar chart of the top 5 items by value (USD). Top 5 alternatives by 10-yr earnings Top 5 1. Pennsylvania State Universit $63k 2. HCA Florida Mercy Hospital S $72k 3. University of Connecticut-Av $74k 4. University of Connecticut-Wa $74k 5. Trinity Health System School $72k Compared to Dawn Career Institute LLC: $30k.

Source: U.S. Department of Education — College Scorecard Institution-level earnings + cost-of-attendance file · 2024 (latest release) Median 10-year earnings reflect federal-aid recipients only; net price reflects sticker price minus average grants/scholarships.

School Net Price Savings Earnings (10yr) Graduation Similarity
Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Fayette- Eberly
Lemont Furnace, PA · Public Better Value
$14,596 -$243 $63,435 36.1% 55%
HCA Florida Mercy Hospital School of Practical Nursing
Miami, FL · Private For-Profit Better Value
$9,109 -$5,730 $72,275 N/A 53%
University of Connecticut-Avery Point
Groton, CT · Public Better Value
$13,807 -$1,032 $73,997 59.1% 49%
University of Connecticut-Waterbury Campus
Waterbury, CT · Public Better Value
$10,875 -$3,964 $73,997 56.1% 40%
Trinity Health System School of Nursing
Steubenville, OH · Private Nonprofit Better Value
$9,825 -$5,014 $71,660 N/A 40%
Marion S Whelan School of Nursing of Geneva General Hospital
Geneva, NY · Private Nonprofit Better Value
$14,370 -$469 $70,771 N/A 40%
Eastern Suffolk BOCES
Riverhead, NY · Public Better Value
$10,121 -$4,718 $63,394 N/A 40%
Eastern Suffolk BOCES
Oakdale, NY · Public Better Value
$11,330 -$3,509 $63,394 N/A 40%

How We Match Schools

Our similarity engine compares schools across six dimensions: institution type (Carnegie classification), ownership (public/private), enrollment size, admission selectivity, graduate earnings, and completion rates. Each dimension is weighted by its impact on student outcomes.

Only schools with a lower average net price than Dawn Career Institute LLC are shown. Schools marked "Better Value" have comparable or higher median earnings at a lower cost.

Data source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Earnings are median values 10 years after enrollment, drawn from U.S. Treasury tax records. Net price is the average cost after grants and scholarships for first-time, full-time students, as reported through IPEDS.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are cheaper alternatives to Dawn Career Institute LLC?
We found 8 schools similar to Dawn Career Institute LLC that cost less. The closest match is Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Fayette- Eberly with 55% similarity and a net price of $14,596.
What is the ROI of attending Dawn Career Institute LLC?
Dawn Career Institute LLC has an average net price of $14,839. Graduates earn a median of $30,429 ten years after enrollment. The earnings-to-cost ratio is 2.1x.
Are there schools with better outcomes than Dawn Career Institute LLC for less money?
Yes — 8 of 8 alternatives offer comparable or higher median earnings at a lower net price. Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Fayette- Eberly costs $14,596 (saving $243) with median earnings of $63,435.
What is the cheapest alternative to Dawn Career Institute LLC?
The most affordable similar school is HCA Florida Mercy Hospital School of Practical Nursing at $9,109, saving $5,730 compared to Dawn Career Institute LLC. It has a 53% similarity score.
How do alternative schools' earnings compare?
The 8 alternatives have an average median earnings of $69,115 compared to Dawn Career Institute LLC's $30,429. On average, alternatives match or exceed this school's earnings. Individual results vary — check the comparison table above.

Disclaimer: This information is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. Data is sourced from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Consult a qualified professional before making decisions based on this data.