Head-to-head comparison
Genesis Career College-Cookeville vs Brillare Beauty Institute: which has better ROI?
Option A Cookeville, TN
Genesis Career College-Cookeville
- Net price / year
- $12,321
- Earnings, 10 years
- $22,652
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Cleveland, TN
Brillare Beauty Institute
- Net price / year
- $17,894
- Earnings, 10 years
- $24,728
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Brillare Beauty Institute comes closer — median earnings $24,728 against a $71,576 total, vs $22,652 at Genesis Career College-Cookeville. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Genesis Career College-Cookeville | Brillare Beauty Institute |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $12,321 | $17,894 |
| Total net cost | $49,284 | $71,576 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $22,652 | $24,728 |
| Median debt | $6,343 | $7,479 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$563,444 | -$544,216 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Genesis Career College-Cookeville or Brillare Beauty Institute?
Genesis Career College-Cookeville, at $12,321 a year after aid versus $17,894 — a gap of $5,573 a year, or $22,292 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 Genesis Career College-Cookeville or Brillare Beauty Institute graduates earn more?
Brillare Beauty Institute graduates report a median $24,728 ten years after entry, $2,076 more than the $22,652 at Genesis Career College-Cookeville. 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, Genesis Career College-Cookeville or Brillare Beauty Institute?
Genesis Career College-Cookeville: its completers carry a median $6,343 in federal loans versus $7,479 at Brillare Beauty Institute, a difference of $1,136. 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?
84% of students finish at Brillare Beauty Institute, against 54% at Genesis Career College-Cookeville. 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.