Head-to-head comparison
Cuyahoga Community College District vs Aveda Institute-Columbus: which has better ROI?
Option A Cleveland, OH
Cuyahoga Community College District
- Net price / year
- $4,266
- Earnings, 10 years
- $35,654
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Columbus, OH
Aveda Institute-Columbus
- Net price / year
- $20,800
- Earnings, 10 years
- $30,231
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Cuyahoga Community College District comes closer — median earnings $35,654 against a $17,064 total, vs $30,231 at Aveda Institute-Columbus. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Cuyahoga Community College District | Aveda Institute-Columbus |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $4,266 | $20,800 |
| Total net cost | $17,064 | $83,200 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $35,654 | $30,231 |
| Median debt | $8,150 | $6,333 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$271,184 | -$445,780 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Cuyahoga Community College District or Aveda Institute-Columbus?
Cuyahoga Community College District, at $4,266 a year after aid versus $20,800 — a gap of $16,534 a year, or $66,136 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 Cuyahoga Community College District or Aveda Institute-Columbus graduates earn more?
Cuyahoga Community College District graduates report a median $35,654 ten years after entry, $5,423 more than the $30,231 at Aveda Institute-Columbus. 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, Cuyahoga Community College District or Aveda Institute-Columbus?
Aveda Institute-Columbus: its completers carry a median $6,333 in federal loans versus $8,150 at Cuyahoga Community College District, a difference of $1,817. 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?
74% of students finish at Aveda Institute-Columbus, against 31% at Cuyahoga Community College District. 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.