Head-to-head comparison
Pima Medical Institute-Colorado Springs vs Aveda Institute-Denver: which has better ROI?
Option A Colorado Springs, CO
Pima Medical Institute-Colorado Springs
- Net price / year
- $26,848
- Earnings, 10 years
- $38,673
- 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 Aveda Institute-Denver comes closer — median earnings $38,020 against a $80,668 total, vs $38,673 at Pima Medical Institute-Colorado Springs. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Pima Medical Institute-Colorado Springs | Aveda Institute-Denver |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $26,848 | $20,167 |
| Total net cost | $107,392 | $80,668 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $38,673 | $38,020 |
| Median debt | $9,500 | $9,829 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$301,132 | -$287,468 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Pima Medical Institute-Colorado Springs or Aveda Institute-Denver?
Aveda Institute-Denver, at $20,167 a year after aid versus $26,848 — a gap of $6,681 a year, or $26,724 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 Pima Medical Institute-Colorado Springs or Aveda Institute-Denver graduates earn more?
Pima Medical Institute-Colorado Springs graduates report a median $38,673 ten years after entry, $653 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, Pima Medical Institute-Colorado Springs or Aveda Institute-Denver?
Pima Medical Institute-Colorado Springs: its completers carry a median $9,500 in federal loans versus $9,829 at Aveda Institute-Denver, a difference of $329. 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 68% at Pima Medical Institute-Colorado Springs. 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.