Head-to-head comparison
Colorado Mesa University vs Aveda Institute-Denver: which has better ROI?
Option A Grand Junction, CO
Colorado Mesa University
- Net price / year
- $15,103
- Earnings, 10 years
- $45,823
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Denver, CO
Aveda Institute-Denver
- Net price / year
- $20,167
- Earnings, 10 years
- $38,020
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Colorado Mesa University comes closer — median earnings $45,823 against a $60,412 total, vs $38,020 at Aveda Institute-Denver. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Colorado Mesa University | Aveda Institute-Denver |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $15,103 | $20,167 |
| Total net cost | $60,412 | $80,668 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $45,823 | $38,020 |
| Median debt | $22,000 | $9,829 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$111,152 | -$287,468 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Colorado Mesa University or Aveda Institute-Denver?
Colorado Mesa University, at $15,103 a year after aid versus $20,167 — a gap of $5,064 a year, or $20,256 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 Colorado Mesa University or Aveda Institute-Denver graduates earn more?
Colorado Mesa University graduates report a median $45,823 ten years after entry, $7,803 more than the $38,020 at Aveda Institute-Denver. 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, Colorado Mesa University or Aveda Institute-Denver?
Aveda Institute-Denver: its completers carry a median $9,829 in federal loans versus $22,000 at Colorado Mesa University, a difference of $12,171. 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?
84% of students finish at Aveda Institute-Denver, against 41% at Colorado Mesa University. 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.