Head-to-head comparison
Auburn Career Center vs Paul Mitchell the School-Columbus: which has better ROI?
Option A Concord Twp, OH
Auburn Career Center
- Net price / year
- $12,051
- Earnings, 10 years
- $37,032
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Columbus, OH
Paul Mitchell the School-Columbus
- Net price / year
- $27,398
- Earnings, 10 years
- $37,609
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Auburn Career Center comes closer — median earnings $37,032 against a $48,204 total, vs $37,609 at Paul Mitchell the School-Columbus. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Auburn Career Center | Paul Mitchell the School-Columbus |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $12,051 | $27,398 |
| Total net cost | $48,204 | $109,592 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $37,032 | $37,609 |
| Median debt | $6,365 | $9,833 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$274,764 | -$324,612 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Auburn Career Center or Paul Mitchell the School-Columbus?
Auburn Career Center, at $12,051 a year after aid versus $27,398 — a gap of $15,347 a year, or $61,388 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 Auburn Career Center or Paul Mitchell the School-Columbus graduates earn more?
Paul Mitchell the School-Columbus graduates report a median $37,609 ten years after entry, $577 more than the $37,032 at Auburn Career Center. 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, Auburn Career Center or Paul Mitchell the School-Columbus?
Auburn Career Center: its completers carry a median $6,365 in federal loans versus $9,833 at Paul Mitchell the School-Columbus, a difference of $3,468. 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?
81% of students finish at Paul Mitchell the School-Columbus, against 69% at Auburn Career Center. 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.