Head-to-head comparison
Missouri Southern State University vs Academy of Hair Design-Springfield: which has better ROI?
Option A Joplin, MO
Missouri Southern State University
- Net price / year
- $12,007
- Earnings, 10 years
- $42,620
- 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 Missouri Southern State University comes closer — median earnings $42,620 against a $48,028 total, vs $25,129 at Academy of Hair Design-Springfield. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Missouri Southern State University | Academy of Hair Design-Springfield |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $12,007 | $15,904 |
| Total net cost | $48,028 | $63,616 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $42,620 | $25,129 |
| Median debt | $19,174 | $9,500 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$162,828 | -$528,236 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Missouri Southern State University or Academy of Hair Design-Springfield?
Missouri Southern State University, at $12,007 a year after aid versus $15,904 — a gap of $3,897 a year, or $15,588 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 Missouri Southern State University or Academy of Hair Design-Springfield graduates earn more?
Missouri Southern State University graduates report a median $42,620 ten years after entry, $17,491 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, Missouri Southern State University or Academy of Hair Design-Springfield?
Academy of Hair Design-Springfield: its completers carry a median $9,500 in federal loans versus $19,174 at Missouri Southern State University, a difference of $9,674. 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 42% at Missouri Southern State University. 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.