Head-to-head comparison
CUNY LaGuardia Community College vs Atelier Esthetique Institute of Esthetics: which has better ROI?
Option A Long Island City, NY
CUNY LaGuardia Community College
- Net price / year
- $6,120
- Earnings, 10 years
- $41,653
- 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 LaGuardia Community College comes closer — median earnings $41,653 against a $12,240 total, vs $40,826 at Atelier Esthetique Institute of Esthetics. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | CUNY LaGuardia Community College | Atelier Esthetique Institute of Esthetics |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $6,120 | $16,070 |
| Total net cost | $12,240 | $64,280 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $41,653 | $40,826 |
| Median debt | $7,407 | $5,846 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$146,380 | -$214,960 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, CUNY LaGuardia Community College or Atelier Esthetique Institute of Esthetics?
CUNY LaGuardia Community College, at $6,120 a year after aid versus $16,070 — a gap of $9,950 a year, or $52,040 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 LaGuardia Community College or Atelier Esthetique Institute of Esthetics graduates earn more?
CUNY LaGuardia Community College graduates report a median $41,653 ten years after entry, $827 more than the $40,826 at Atelier Esthetique Institute of Esthetics. 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 LaGuardia Community College or Atelier Esthetique Institute of Esthetics?
Atelier Esthetique Institute of Esthetics: its completers carry a median $5,846 in federal loans versus $7,407 at CUNY LaGuardia Community College, a difference of $1,561. 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 24% at CUNY LaGuardia 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.