Head-to-head comparison
Paul Mitchell the School-Springfield vs Academy of Hair Design-Springfield: which has better ROI?
Option A Springfield, MO
Paul Mitchell the School-Springfield
- Net price / year
- $16,926
- Earnings, 10 years
- $25,931
- 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 Paul Mitchell the School-Springfield comes closer — median earnings $25,931 against a $67,704 total, vs $25,129 at Academy of Hair Design-Springfield. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Paul Mitchell the School-Springfield | Academy of Hair Design-Springfield |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $16,926 | $15,904 |
| Total net cost | $67,704 | $63,616 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $25,931 | $25,129 |
| Median debt | $7,917 | $9,500 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$516,284 | -$528,236 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Paul Mitchell the School-Springfield or Academy of Hair Design-Springfield?
Academy of Hair Design-Springfield, at $15,904 a year after aid versus $16,926 — a gap of $1,022 a year, or $4,088 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 Paul Mitchell the School-Springfield or Academy of Hair Design-Springfield graduates earn more?
Paul Mitchell the School-Springfield graduates report a median $25,931 ten years after entry, $802 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, Paul Mitchell the School-Springfield or Academy of Hair Design-Springfield?
Paul Mitchell the School-Springfield: its completers carry a median $7,917 in federal loans versus $9,500 at Academy of Hair Design-Springfield, a difference of $1,583. 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 Paul Mitchell the School-Springfield, against 64% at Academy of Hair Design-Springfield. 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.