Head-to-head comparison
Colorado Technical University-Colorado Springs vs Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts-Boulder: which has better ROI?
Option A Colorado Springs, CO
Colorado Technical University-Colorado Springs
- Net price / year
- $16,745
- Earnings, 10 years
- $37,180
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Boulder, CO
Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts-Boulder
- Net price / year
- $13,367
- Earnings, 10 years
- $32,001
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Colorado Technical University-Colorado Springs comes closer — median earnings $37,180 against a $66,980 total, vs $32,001 at Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts-Boulder. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Colorado Technical University-Colorado Springs | Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts-Boulder |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $16,745 | $13,367 |
| Total net cost | $66,980 | $53,468 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $37,180 | $32,001 |
| Median debt | $29,832 | $9,653 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$290,580 | -$380,648 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Colorado Technical University-Colorado Springs or Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts-Boulder?
Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts-Boulder, at $13,367 a year after aid versus $16,745 — a gap of $3,378 a year, or $13,512 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 Technical University-Colorado Springs or Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts-Boulder graduates earn more?
Colorado Technical University-Colorado Springs graduates report a median $37,180 ten years after entry, $5,179 more than the $32,001 at Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts-Boulder. 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 Technical University-Colorado Springs or Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts-Boulder?
Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts-Boulder: its completers carry a median $9,653 in federal loans versus $29,832 at Colorado Technical University-Colorado Springs, a difference of $20,179. 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?
48% of students finish at Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts-Boulder, against 19% at Colorado Technical University-Colorado Springs. 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.