Head-to-head comparison
GateWay Community College-Central City vs Alturas Cosmetology of Arizona LLC: which has better ROI?
Option A Phoenix, AZ
GateWay Community College-Central City
- Net price / year
- $14,438
- Earnings, 10 years
- $46,147
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Chandler, AZ
Alturas Cosmetology of Arizona LLC
- Net price / year
- $13,257
- Earnings, 10 years
- $27,201
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but GateWay Community College-Central City comes closer — median earnings $46,147 against a $57,752 total, vs $27,201 at Alturas Cosmetology of Arizona LLC. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | GateWay Community College-Central City | Alturas Cosmetology of Arizona LLC |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $14,438 | $13,257 |
| Total net cost | $57,752 | $53,028 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $46,147 | $27,201 |
| Median debt | $6,750 | $6,221 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$102,012 | -$476,208 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, GateWay Community College-Central City or Alturas Cosmetology of Arizona LLC?
Alturas Cosmetology of Arizona LLC, at $13,257 a year after aid versus $14,438 — a gap of $1,181 a year, or $4,724 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 GateWay Community College-Central City or Alturas Cosmetology of Arizona LLC graduates earn more?
GateWay Community College-Central City graduates report a median $46,147 ten years after entry, $18,946 more than the $27,201 at Alturas Cosmetology of Arizona LLC. 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, GateWay Community College-Central City or Alturas Cosmetology of Arizona LLC?
Alturas Cosmetology of Arizona LLC: its completers carry a median $6,221 in federal loans versus $6,750 at GateWay Community College-Central City, a difference of $529. 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?
77% of students finish at Alturas Cosmetology of Arizona LLC, against 55% at GateWay Community College-Central City. 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.