Head-to-head comparison
Empire Beauty School-Center City Philadelphia vs Bryn Athyn College of the New Church: which has better ROI?
Option A Philadelphia, PA
Empire Beauty School-Center City Philadelphia
- Net price / year
- $17,520
- Earnings, 10 years
- $22,377
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Bryn Athyn, PA
Bryn Athyn College of the New Church
- Net price / year
- $20,586
- Earnings, 10 years
- $40,457
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Bryn Athyn College of the New Church comes closer — median earnings $40,457 against a $82,344 total, vs $22,377 at Empire Beauty School-Center City Philadelphia. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Empire Beauty School-Center City Philadelphia | Bryn Athyn College of the New Church |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $17,520 | $20,586 |
| Total net cost | $70,080 | $82,344 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $22,377 | $40,457 |
| Median debt | $10,667 | $22,250 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$589,740 | -$240,404 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Empire Beauty School-Center City Philadelphia or Bryn Athyn College of the New Church?
Empire Beauty School-Center City Philadelphia, at $17,520 a year after aid versus $20,586 — a gap of $3,066 a year, or $12,264 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 Empire Beauty School-Center City Philadelphia or Bryn Athyn College of the New Church graduates earn more?
Bryn Athyn College of the New Church graduates report a median $40,457 ten years after entry, $18,080 more than the $22,377 at Empire Beauty School-Center City Philadelphia. 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, Empire Beauty School-Center City Philadelphia or Bryn Athyn College of the New Church?
Empire Beauty School-Center City Philadelphia: its completers carry a median $10,667 in federal loans versus $22,250 at Bryn Athyn College of the New Church, a difference of $11,583. 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?
68% of students finish at Bryn Athyn College of the New Church, against 36% at Empire Beauty School-Center City Philadelphia. 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.