Head-to-head comparison
Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts-Boulder vs Paul Mitchell the School-Colorado Springs: which has better ROI?
Option A Boulder, CO
Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts-Boulder
- Net price / year
- $13,367
- Earnings, 10 years
- $32,001
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Colorado Springs, CO
Paul Mitchell the School-Colorado Springs
- Net price / year
- $22,022
- Earnings, 10 years
- $27,683
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts-Boulder comes closer — median earnings $32,001 against a $53,468 total, vs $27,683 at Paul Mitchell the School-Colorado Springs. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts-Boulder | Paul Mitchell the School-Colorado Springs |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $13,367 | $22,022 |
| Total net cost | $53,468 | $88,088 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $32,001 | $27,683 |
| Median debt | $9,653 | $7,667 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$380,648 | -$501,628 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts-Boulder or Paul Mitchell the School-Colorado Springs?
Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts-Boulder, at $13,367 a year after aid versus $22,022 — a gap of $8,655 a year, or $34,620 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 Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts-Boulder or Paul Mitchell the School-Colorado Springs graduates earn more?
Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts-Boulder graduates report a median $32,001 ten years after entry, $4,318 more than the $27,683 at Paul Mitchell the School-Colorado Springs. 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, Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts-Boulder or Paul Mitchell the School-Colorado Springs?
Paul Mitchell the School-Colorado Springs: its completers carry a median $7,667 in federal loans versus $9,653 at Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts-Boulder, a difference of $1,986. 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?
85% of students finish at Paul Mitchell the School-Colorado Springs, against 48% at Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts-Boulder. 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.