Head-to-head comparison
CUNY Hostos Community College vs Atelier Esthetique Institute of Esthetics: which has better ROI?
Option A Bronx, NY
CUNY Hostos Community College
- Net price / year
- $5,297
- Earnings, 10 years
- $40,485
- Payback
- No payback
Option B New York, NY
Atelier Esthetique Institute of Esthetics
- Net price / year
- $16,070
- Earnings, 10 years
- $40,826
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but CUNY Hostos Community College comes closer — median earnings $40,485 against a $10,594 total, vs $40,826 at Atelier Esthetique Institute of Esthetics. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | CUNY Hostos Community College | Atelier Esthetique Institute of Esthetics |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $5,297 | $16,070 |
| Total net cost | $10,594 | $64,280 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $40,485 | $40,826 |
| Median debt | $8,442 | $5,846 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$168,094 | -$214,960 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, CUNY Hostos Community College or Atelier Esthetique Institute of Esthetics?
CUNY Hostos Community College, at $5,297 a year after aid versus $16,070 — a gap of $10,773 a year, or $53,686 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 CUNY Hostos Community College or Atelier Esthetique Institute of Esthetics graduates earn more?
Atelier Esthetique Institute of Esthetics graduates report a median $40,826 ten years after entry, $341 more than the $40,485 at CUNY Hostos Community College. 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, CUNY Hostos Community College or Atelier Esthetique Institute of Esthetics?
Atelier Esthetique Institute of Esthetics: its completers carry a median $5,846 in federal loans versus $8,442 at CUNY Hostos Community College, a difference of $2,596. 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?
57% of students finish at Atelier Esthetique Institute of Esthetics, against 16% at CUNY Hostos 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.