Head-to-head comparison
Belmont College vs ATA College-Cincinnati: which has better ROI?
Option A St Clairsville, OH
Belmont College
- Net price / year
- $6,995
- Earnings, 10 years
- $35,329
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Cincinnati, OH
ATA College-Cincinnati
- Net price / year
- $27,055
- Earnings, 10 years
- $34,577
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Belmont College comes closer — median earnings $35,329 against a $13,990 total, vs $34,577 at ATA College-Cincinnati. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Belmont College | ATA College-Cincinnati |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $6,995 | $27,055 |
| Total net cost | $13,990 | $108,220 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $35,329 | $34,577 |
| Median debt | $8,747 | $21,030 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$274,610 | -$383,880 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Belmont College or ATA College-Cincinnati?
Belmont College, at $6,995 a year after aid versus $27,055 — a gap of $20,060 a year, or $94,230 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 Belmont College or ATA College-Cincinnati graduates earn more?
Belmont College graduates report a median $35,329 ten years after entry, $752 more than the $34,577 at ATA College-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, Belmont College or ATA College-Cincinnati?
Belmont College: its completers carry a median $8,747 in federal loans versus $21,030 at ATA College-Cincinnati, a difference of $12,283. 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?
63% of students finish at ATA College-Cincinnati, against 43% at Belmont 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.