Head-to-head comparison
Baker College vs Douglas J Aveda Institute: which has better ROI?
Option A Owosso, MI
Baker College
- Net price / year
- $13,157
- Earnings, 10 years
- $35,833
- Payback
- No payback
Option B East Lansing, MI
Douglas J Aveda Institute
- Net price / year
- $25,357
- Earnings, 10 years
- $26,849
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Baker College comes closer — median earnings $35,833 against a $52,628 total, vs $26,849 at Douglas J Aveda Institute. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Baker College | Douglas J Aveda Institute |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $13,157 | $25,357 |
| Total net cost | $52,628 | $101,428 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $35,833 | $26,849 |
| Median debt | $25,000 | $6,333 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$303,168 | -$531,648 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Baker College or Douglas J Aveda Institute?
Baker College, at $13,157 a year after aid versus $25,357 — a gap of $12,200 a year, or $48,800 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 Baker College or Douglas J Aveda Institute graduates earn more?
Baker College graduates report a median $35,833 ten years after entry, $8,984 more than the $26,849 at Douglas J Aveda Institute. 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, Baker College or Douglas J Aveda Institute?
Douglas J Aveda Institute: its completers carry a median $6,333 in federal loans versus $25,000 at Baker College, a difference of $18,667. 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?
83% of students finish at Douglas J Aveda Institute, against 36% at Baker 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.