Head-to-head comparison
Mildred Elley School-Albany Campus vs Aveda Arts & Sciences Institute-New York: which has better ROI?
Option A Albany, NY
Mildred Elley School-Albany Campus
- Net price / year
- $24,241
- Earnings, 10 years
- $38,830
- Payback
- No payback
Option B New York, NY
Aveda Arts & Sciences Institute-New York
- Net price / year
- $21,623
- Earnings, 10 years
- $28,013
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Mildred Elley School-Albany Campus comes closer — median earnings $38,830 against a $96,964 total, vs $28,013 at Aveda Arts & Sciences Institute-New York. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Mildred Elley School-Albany Campus | Aveda Arts & Sciences Institute-New York |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $24,241 | $21,623 |
| Total net cost | $96,964 | $86,492 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $38,830 | $28,013 |
| Median debt | $19,000 | $6,129 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$287,564 | -$493,432 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Mildred Elley School-Albany Campus or Aveda Arts & Sciences Institute-New York?
Aveda Arts & Sciences Institute-New York, at $21,623 a year after aid versus $24,241 — a gap of $2,618 a year, or $10,472 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 Mildred Elley School-Albany Campus or Aveda Arts & Sciences Institute-New York graduates earn more?
Mildred Elley School-Albany Campus graduates report a median $38,830 ten years after entry, $10,817 more than the $28,013 at Aveda Arts & Sciences Institute-New York. 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, Mildred Elley School-Albany Campus or Aveda Arts & Sciences Institute-New York?
Aveda Arts & Sciences Institute-New York: its completers carry a median $6,129 in federal loans versus $19,000 at Mildred Elley School-Albany Campus, a difference of $12,871. 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?
80% of students finish at Aveda Arts & Sciences Institute-New York, against 37% at Mildred Elley School-Albany Campus. 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.