Head-to-head comparison
Douglas J Aveda Institute vs Alpena Community College: which has better ROI?
Option A East Lansing, MI
Douglas J Aveda Institute
- Net price / year
- $25,357
- Earnings, 10 years
- $26,849
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Alpena, MI
Alpena Community College
- Net price / year
- $3,320
- Earnings, 10 years
- $36,442
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Alpena Community College comes closer — median earnings $36,442 against a $6,640 total, vs $26,849 at Douglas J Aveda Institute. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Douglas J Aveda Institute | Alpena Community College |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $25,357 | $3,320 |
| Total net cost | $101,428 | $6,640 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $26,849 | $36,442 |
| Median debt | $6,333 | $9,024 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$531,648 | -$245,000 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Douglas J Aveda Institute or Alpena Community College?
Alpena Community College, at $3,320 a year after aid versus $25,357 — a gap of $22,037 a year, or $94,788 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 Douglas J Aveda Institute or Alpena Community College graduates earn more?
Alpena Community College graduates report a median $36,442 ten years after entry, $9,593 more than the $26,849 at Douglas J Aveda Institute. 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, Douglas J Aveda Institute or Alpena Community College?
Douglas J Aveda Institute: its completers carry a median $6,333 in federal loans versus $9,024 at Alpena Community College, a difference of $2,691. 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?
83% of students finish at Douglas J Aveda Institute, against 52% at Alpena 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.