Head-to-head comparison
Bay Mills Community College vs Empire Beauty School-Michigan: which has better ROI?
Option A Brimley, MI
Bay Mills Community College
- Net price / year
- $3,073
- Earnings, 10 years
- $30,048
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Grand Rapids, MI
Empire Beauty School-Michigan
- Net price / year
- $17,021
- Earnings, 10 years
- $22,377
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Bay Mills Community College comes closer — median earnings $30,048 against a $12,292 total, vs $22,377 at Empire Beauty School-Michigan. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Bay Mills Community College | Empire Beauty School-Michigan |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $3,073 | $17,021 |
| Total net cost | $12,292 | $68,084 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $30,048 | $22,377 |
| Median debt | — | $10,667 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$378,532 | -$587,744 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Bay Mills Community College or Empire Beauty School-Michigan?
Bay Mills Community College, at $3,073 a year after aid versus $17,021 — a gap of $13,948 a year, or $55,792 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 Bay Mills Community College or Empire Beauty School-Michigan graduates earn more?
Bay Mills Community College graduates report a median $30,048 ten years after entry, $7,671 more than the $22,377 at Empire Beauty School-Michigan. 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 graduates more of its students?
57% of students finish at Empire Beauty School-Michigan, against 30% at Bay Mills 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.