Head-to-head comparison
Allen County Community College vs Z Hair Academy: which has better ROI?
Option A Iola, KS
Allen County Community College
- Net price / year
- $8,642
- Earnings, 10 years
- $40,059
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Overland Park, KS
Z Hair Academy
- Net price / year
- $18,893
- Earnings, 10 years
- $27,346
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Allen County Community College comes closer — median earnings $40,059 against a $17,284 total, vs $27,346 at Z Hair Academy. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Allen County Community College | Z Hair Academy |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $8,642 | $18,893 |
| Total net cost | $17,284 | $75,572 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $40,059 | $27,346 |
| Median debt | $6,954 | $9,833 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$183,304 | -$495,852 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Allen County Community College or Z Hair Academy?
Allen County Community College, at $8,642 a year after aid versus $18,893 — a gap of $10,251 a year, or $58,288 across the full degree. These are net prices after grants and scholarships, not sticker prices, so they reflect what an aided student pays.
The short answer
Do Allen County Community College or Z Hair Academy graduates earn more?
Allen County Community College graduates report a median $40,059 ten years after entry, $12,713 more than the $27,346 at Z Hair Academy. 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.
The short answer
Which leaves students with less debt, Allen County Community College or Z Hair Academy?
Allen County Community College: its completers carry a median $6,954 in federal loans versus $9,833 at Z Hair Academy, a difference of $2,879. The figure counts students who finished; it excludes private loans and anyone who left before graduating.
The short answer
Which graduates more of its students?
74% of students finish at Z Hair Academy, against 37% at Allen County 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.