Head-to-head comparison
Metropolitan Community College-Kansas City vs Academy of Hair Design-Springfield: which has better ROI?
Option A Kansas City, MO
Metropolitan Community College-Kansas City
- Net price / year
- $8,398
- Earnings, 10 years
- $40,796
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Springfield, MO
Academy of Hair Design-Springfield
- Net price / year
- $15,904
- Earnings, 10 years
- $25,129
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Metropolitan Community College-Kansas City comes closer — median earnings $40,796 against a $16,796 total, vs $25,129 at Academy of Hair Design-Springfield. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Metropolitan Community College-Kansas City | Academy of Hair Design-Springfield |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $8,398 | $15,904 |
| Total net cost | $16,796 | $63,616 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $40,796 | $25,129 |
| Median debt | $10,073 | $9,500 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$168,076 | -$528,236 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Metropolitan Community College-Kansas City or Academy of Hair Design-Springfield?
Metropolitan Community College-Kansas City, at $8,398 a year after aid versus $15,904 — a gap of $7,506 a year, or $46,820 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 Metropolitan Community College-Kansas City or Academy of Hair Design-Springfield graduates earn more?
Metropolitan Community College-Kansas City graduates report a median $40,796 ten years after entry, $15,667 more than the $25,129 at Academy of Hair Design-Springfield. 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, Metropolitan Community College-Kansas City or Academy of Hair Design-Springfield?
Academy of Hair Design-Springfield: its completers carry a median $9,500 in federal loans versus $10,073 at Metropolitan Community College-Kansas City, a difference of $573. 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?
64% of students finish at Academy of Hair Design-Springfield, against 34% at Metropolitan Community College-Kansas 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.