Head-to-head comparison
Northland Pioneer College vs Alturas Cosmetology of Arizona LLC: which has better ROI?
Option A Holbrook, AZ
Northland Pioneer College
- Net price / year
- $9,240
- Earnings, 10 years
- $34,199
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Chandler, AZ
Alturas Cosmetology of Arizona LLC
- Net price / year
- $13,257
- Earnings, 10 years
- $27,201
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Northland Pioneer College comes closer — median earnings $34,199 against a $36,960 total, vs $27,201 at Alturas Cosmetology of Arizona LLC. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Northland Pioneer College | Alturas Cosmetology of Arizona LLC |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $9,240 | $13,257 |
| Total net cost | $36,960 | $53,028 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $34,199 | $27,201 |
| Median debt | — | $6,221 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$320,180 | -$476,208 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Northland Pioneer College or Alturas Cosmetology of Arizona LLC?
Northland Pioneer College, at $9,240 a year after aid versus $13,257 — a gap of $4,017 a year, or $16,068 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 Northland Pioneer College or Alturas Cosmetology of Arizona LLC graduates earn more?
Northland Pioneer College graduates report a median $34,199 ten years after entry, $6,998 more than the $27,201 at Alturas Cosmetology of Arizona LLC. 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 graduates more of its students?
77% of students finish at Alturas Cosmetology of Arizona LLC, against 22% at Northland Pioneer 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.