Head-to-head comparison
Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts-Boulder vs Pueblo Community College: 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 Pueblo, CO
Pueblo Community College
- Net price / year
- $12,045
- Earnings, 10 years
- $37,434
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Pueblo Community College comes closer — median earnings $37,434 against a $48,180 total, vs $32,001 at Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts-Boulder. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts-Boulder | Pueblo Community College |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $13,367 | $12,045 |
| Total net cost | $53,468 | $48,180 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $32,001 | $37,434 |
| Median debt | $9,653 | $10,000 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$380,648 | -$266,700 |
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 Pueblo Community College?
Pueblo Community College, at $12,045 a year after aid versus $13,367 — a gap of $1,322 a year, or $5,288 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 Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts-Boulder or Pueblo Community College graduates earn more?
Pueblo Community College graduates report a median $37,434 ten years after entry, $5,433 more than the $32,001 at Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts-Boulder. 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 Pueblo Community College?
Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts-Boulder: its completers carry a median $9,653 in federal loans versus $10,000 at Pueblo Community College, a difference of $347. 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?
48% of students finish at Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts-Boulder, against 31% at Pueblo 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.