Head-to-head comparison
Hillsborough College vs Artistic Nails and Beauty Academy-Tampa: which has better ROI?
Option A Tampa, FL
Hillsborough College
- Net price / year
- $3,861
- Earnings, 10 years
- $40,782
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Tampa, FL
Artistic Nails and Beauty Academy-Tampa
- Net price / year
- $14,277
- Earnings, 10 years
- $20,948
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Hillsborough College comes closer — median earnings $40,782 against a $15,444 total, vs $20,948 at Artistic Nails and Beauty Academy-Tampa. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Hillsborough College | Artistic Nails and Beauty Academy-Tampa |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $3,861 | $14,277 |
| Total net cost | $15,444 | $57,108 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $40,782 | $20,948 |
| Median debt | $9,762 | $6,333 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$167,004 | -$605,348 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Hillsborough College or Artistic Nails and Beauty Academy-Tampa?
Hillsborough College, at $3,861 a year after aid versus $14,277 — a gap of $10,416 a year, or $41,664 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 Hillsborough College or Artistic Nails and Beauty Academy-Tampa graduates earn more?
Hillsborough College graduates report a median $40,782 ten years after entry, $19,834 more than the $20,948 at Artistic Nails and Beauty Academy-Tampa. 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, Hillsborough College or Artistic Nails and Beauty Academy-Tampa?
Artistic Nails and Beauty Academy-Tampa: its completers carry a median $6,333 in federal loans versus $9,762 at Hillsborough College, a difference of $3,429. 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 Artistic Nails and Beauty Academy-Tampa, against 34% at Hillsborough 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.