Head-to-head comparison
Otero College vs Aveda Institute-Denver: which has better ROI?
Option A La Junta, CO
Otero College
- Net price / year
- $11,103
- Earnings, 10 years
- $39,018
- 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 Otero College comes closer — median earnings $39,018 against a $44,412 total, vs $38,020 at Aveda Institute-Denver. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Otero College | Aveda Institute-Denver |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $11,103 | $20,167 |
| Total net cost | $44,412 | $80,668 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $39,018 | $38,020 |
| Median debt | $10,250 | $9,829 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$231,252 | -$287,468 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Otero College or Aveda Institute-Denver?
Otero College, at $11,103 a year after aid versus $20,167 — a gap of $9,064 a year, or $36,256 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 Otero College or Aveda Institute-Denver graduates earn more?
Otero College graduates report a median $39,018 ten years after entry, $998 more than the $38,020 at Aveda Institute-Denver. 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, Otero College or Aveda Institute-Denver?
Aveda Institute-Denver: its completers carry a median $9,829 in federal loans versus $10,250 at Otero College, a difference of $421. 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?
84% of students finish at Aveda Institute-Denver, against 38% at Otero 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.