Head-to-head comparison
Apex Technical School vs Empire Beauty School-Manhattan: which has better ROI?
Option A Long Island City, NY
Apex Technical School
- Net price / year
- $14,826
- Earnings, 10 years
- $41,093
- Payback
- No payback
Option B New York, NY
Empire Beauty School-Manhattan
- Net price / year
- $18,892
- Earnings, 10 years
- $24,022
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Apex Technical School comes closer — median earnings $41,093 against a $59,304 total, vs $24,022 at Empire Beauty School-Manhattan. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Apex Technical School | Empire Beauty School-Manhattan |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $14,826 | $18,892 |
| Total net cost | $59,304 | $75,568 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $41,093 | $24,022 |
| Median debt | $9,500 | $10,667 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$204,644 | -$562,328 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Apex Technical School or Empire Beauty School-Manhattan?
Apex Technical School, at $14,826 a year after aid versus $18,892 — a gap of $4,066 a year, or $16,264 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 Apex Technical School or Empire Beauty School-Manhattan graduates earn more?
Apex Technical School graduates report a median $41,093 ten years after entry, $17,071 more than the $24,022 at Empire Beauty School-Manhattan. 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, Apex Technical School or Empire Beauty School-Manhattan?
Apex Technical School: its completers carry a median $9,500 in federal loans versus $10,667 at Empire Beauty School-Manhattan, a difference of $1,167. 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?
78% of students finish at Apex Technical School, against 51% at Empire Beauty School-Manhattan. 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.