Head-to-head comparison
Pickens Technical College vs Aveda Institute-Denver: which has better ROI?
Option A Aurora, CO
Pickens Technical College
- Net price / year
- $6,600
- Earnings, 10 years
- $39,210
- 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 Pickens Technical College comes closer — median earnings $39,210 against a $26,400 total, vs $38,020 at Aveda Institute-Denver. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Pickens Technical College | Aveda Institute-Denver |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $6,600 | $20,167 |
| Total net cost | $26,400 | $80,668 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $39,210 | $38,020 |
| Median debt | — | $9,829 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$209,400 | -$287,468 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Pickens Technical College or Aveda Institute-Denver?
Pickens Technical College, at $6,600 a year after aid versus $20,167 — a gap of $13,567 a year, or $54,268 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 Pickens Technical College or Aveda Institute-Denver graduates earn more?
Pickens Technical College graduates report a median $39,210 ten years after entry, $1,190 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 graduates more of its students?
84% of students finish at Aveda Institute-Denver, against 76% at Pickens Technical 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.