Head-to-head comparison
Aveda Fredric's Institute-Cincinnati vs Polaris Career Center: which has better ROI?
Option A West Chester, OH
Aveda Fredric's Institute-Cincinnati
- Net price / year
- $24,430
- Earnings, 10 years
- $30,468
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Middleburg Heights, OH
Polaris Career Center
- Net price / year
- $9,931
- Earnings, 10 years
- $38,718
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Polaris Career Center comes closer — median earnings $38,718 against a $39,724 total, vs $30,468 at Aveda Fredric's Institute-Cincinnati. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Aveda Fredric's Institute-Cincinnati | Polaris Career Center |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $24,430 | $9,931 |
| Total net cost | $97,720 | $39,724 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $30,468 | $38,718 |
| Median debt | $7,917 | $6,365 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$455,560 | -$232,564 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Aveda Fredric's Institute-Cincinnati or Polaris Career Center?
Polaris Career Center, at $9,931 a year after aid versus $24,430 — a gap of $14,499 a year, or $57,996 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 Aveda Fredric's Institute-Cincinnati or Polaris Career Center graduates earn more?
Polaris Career Center graduates report a median $38,718 ten years after entry, $8,250 more than the $30,468 at Aveda Fredric's Institute-Cincinnati. 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, Aveda Fredric's Institute-Cincinnati or Polaris Career Center?
Polaris Career Center: its completers carry a median $6,365 in federal loans versus $7,917 at Aveda Fredric's Institute-Cincinnati, a difference of $1,552. 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?
80% of students finish at Aveda Fredric's Institute-Cincinnati, against 77% at Polaris 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.