Head-to-head comparison
Pikes Peak State College vs Aveda Institute-Denver: which has better ROI?
Option A Colorado Springs, CO
Pikes Peak State College
- Net price / year
- $6,007
- Earnings, 10 years
- $40,796
- 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 Pikes Peak State College comes closer — median earnings $40,796 against a $12,014 total, vs $38,020 at Aveda Institute-Denver. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Pikes Peak State College | Aveda Institute-Denver |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $6,007 | $20,167 |
| Total net cost | $12,014 | $80,668 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $40,796 | $38,020 |
| Median debt | $9,000 | $9,829 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$163,294 | -$287,468 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Pikes Peak State College or Aveda Institute-Denver?
Pikes Peak State College, at $6,007 a year after aid versus $20,167 — a gap of $14,160 a year, or $68,654 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 Pikes Peak State College or Aveda Institute-Denver graduates earn more?
Pikes Peak State College graduates report a median $40,796 ten years after entry, $2,776 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, Pikes Peak State College or Aveda Institute-Denver?
Pikes Peak State College: its completers carry a median $9,000 in federal loans versus $9,829 at Aveda Institute-Denver, a difference of $829. 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 21% at Pikes Peak State 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.