Head-to-head comparison
IBMC College vs Aveda Institute-Denver: which has better ROI?
Option A Fort Collins, CO
IBMC College
- Net price / year
- $34,590
- Earnings, 10 years
- $34,432
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Denver, CO
Aveda Institute-Denver
- Net price / year
- $20,167
- Earnings, 10 years
- $38,020
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Aveda Institute-Denver comes closer — median earnings $38,020 against a $80,668 total, vs $34,432 at IBMC College. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | IBMC College | Aveda Institute-Denver |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $34,590 | $20,167 |
| Total net cost | $138,360 | $80,668 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $34,432 | $38,020 |
| Median debt | $8,750 | $9,829 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$416,920 | -$287,468 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, IBMC College or Aveda Institute-Denver?
Aveda Institute-Denver, at $20,167 a year after aid versus $34,590 — a gap of $14,423 a year, or $57,692 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 IBMC College or Aveda Institute-Denver graduates earn more?
Aveda Institute-Denver graduates report a median $38,020 ten years after entry, $3,588 more than the $34,432 at IBMC College. 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, IBMC College or Aveda Institute-Denver?
IBMC College: its completers carry a median $8,750 in federal loans versus $9,829 at Aveda Institute-Denver, a difference of $1,079. 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?
86% of students finish at IBMC College, against 84% at Aveda Institute-Denver. 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.