Head-to-head comparison
Carroll Community College vs Hair Academy: which has better ROI?
Option A Westminster, MD
Carroll Community College
- Net price / year
- $2,725
- Earnings, 10 years
- $44,349
- Payback
- No payback
Option B New Carrollton, MD
Hair Academy
- Net price / year
- $20,565
- Earnings, 10 years
- $20,953
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Carroll Community College comes closer — median earnings $44,349 against a $5,450 total, vs $20,953 at Hair Academy. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Carroll Community College | Hair Academy |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $2,725 | $20,565 |
| Total net cost | $5,450 | $82,260 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $44,349 | $20,953 |
| Median debt | $11,750 | $13,000 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$85,670 | -$630,400 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Carroll Community College or Hair Academy?
Carroll Community College, at $2,725 a year after aid versus $20,565 — a gap of $17,840 a year, or $76,810 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 Carroll Community College or Hair Academy graduates earn more?
Carroll Community College graduates report a median $44,349 ten years after entry, $23,396 more than the $20,953 at Hair Academy. 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, Carroll Community College or Hair Academy?
Carroll Community College: its completers carry a median $11,750 in federal loans versus $13,000 at Hair Academy, a difference of $1,250. 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?
61% of students finish at Hair Academy, against 39% at Carroll 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.