Head-to-head comparison
Ayers Career College vs Paul Mitchell the School-Baton Rouge: which has better ROI?
Option A Shreveport, LA
Ayers Career College
- Net price / year
- $18,439
- Earnings, 10 years
- $29,935
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Baton Rouge, LA
Paul Mitchell the School-Baton Rouge
- Net price / year
- $23,488
- Earnings, 10 years
- $25,699
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Ayers Career College comes closer — median earnings $29,935 against a $73,756 total, vs $25,699 at Paul Mitchell the School-Baton Rouge. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Ayers Career College | Paul Mitchell the School-Baton Rouge |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $18,439 | $23,488 |
| Total net cost | $73,756 | $93,952 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $29,935 | $25,699 |
| Median debt | $9,500 | $9,833 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$442,256 | -$547,172 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Ayers Career College or Paul Mitchell the School-Baton Rouge?
Ayers Career College, at $18,439 a year after aid versus $23,488 — a gap of $5,049 a year, or $20,196 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 Ayers Career College or Paul Mitchell the School-Baton Rouge graduates earn more?
Ayers Career College graduates report a median $29,935 ten years after entry, $4,236 more than the $25,699 at Paul Mitchell the School-Baton Rouge. 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, Ayers Career College or Paul Mitchell the School-Baton Rouge?
Ayers Career College: its completers carry a median $9,500 in federal loans versus $9,833 at Paul Mitchell the School-Baton Rouge, a difference of $333. 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?
75% of students finish at Paul Mitchell the School-Baton Rouge, against 68% at Ayers Career 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.