Head-to-head comparison
Empire Beauty School-Manhattan vs Atelier Esthetique Institute of Esthetics: which has better ROI?
Option A New York, NY
Empire Beauty School-Manhattan
- Net price / year
- $18,892
- Earnings, 10 years
- $24,022
- 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 Atelier Esthetique Institute of Esthetics comes closer — median earnings $40,826 against a $64,280 total, vs $24,022 at Empire Beauty School-Manhattan. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Empire Beauty School-Manhattan | Atelier Esthetique Institute of Esthetics |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $18,892 | $16,070 |
| Total net cost | $75,568 | $64,280 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $24,022 | $40,826 |
| Median debt | $10,667 | $5,846 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$562,328 | -$214,960 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Empire Beauty School-Manhattan or Atelier Esthetique Institute of Esthetics?
Atelier Esthetique Institute of Esthetics, at $16,070 a year after aid versus $18,892 — a gap of $2,822 a year, or $11,288 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-Manhattan or Atelier Esthetique Institute of Esthetics graduates earn more?
Atelier Esthetique Institute of Esthetics graduates report a median $40,826 ten years after entry, $16,804 more than the $24,022 at Empire Beauty School-Manhattan. 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-Manhattan or Atelier Esthetique Institute of Esthetics?
Atelier Esthetique Institute of Esthetics: its completers carry a median $5,846 in federal loans versus $10,667 at Empire Beauty School-Manhattan, a difference of $4,821. 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 51% at Empire Beauty School-Manhattan. 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.