Head-to-head comparison
Artistic Nails and Beauty Academy-Tampa vs ATA Career Education: which has better ROI?
Option A Tampa, FL
Artistic Nails and Beauty Academy-Tampa
- Net price / year
- $14,277
- Earnings, 10 years
- $20,948
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Spring Hill, FL
ATA Career Education
- Net price / year
- $28,250
- Earnings, 10 years
- $34,577
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but ATA Career Education comes closer — median earnings $34,577 against a $113,000 total, vs $20,948 at Artistic Nails and Beauty Academy-Tampa. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Artistic Nails and Beauty Academy-Tampa | ATA Career Education |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $14,277 | $28,250 |
| Total net cost | $57,108 | $113,000 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $20,948 | $34,577 |
| Median debt | $6,333 | $21,030 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$605,348 | -$388,660 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Artistic Nails and Beauty Academy-Tampa or ATA Career Education?
Artistic Nails and Beauty Academy-Tampa, at $14,277 a year after aid versus $28,250 — a gap of $13,973 a year, or $55,892 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 Artistic Nails and Beauty Academy-Tampa or ATA Career Education graduates earn more?
ATA Career Education graduates report a median $34,577 ten years after entry, $13,629 more than the $20,948 at Artistic Nails and Beauty Academy-Tampa. 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, Artistic Nails and Beauty Academy-Tampa or ATA Career Education?
Artistic Nails and Beauty Academy-Tampa: its completers carry a median $6,333 in federal loans versus $21,030 at ATA Career Education, a difference of $14,697. 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?
77% of students finish at Artistic Nails and Beauty Academy-Tampa, against 67% at ATA Career Education. 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.