Head-to-head comparison
South College vs Brillare Beauty Institute: which has better ROI?
Option A Knoxville, TN
South College
- Net price / year
- $17,858
- Earnings, 10 years
- $36,642
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Cleveland, TN
Brillare Beauty Institute
- Net price / year
- $17,894
- Earnings, 10 years
- $24,728
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but South College comes closer — median earnings $36,642 against a $35,716 total, vs $24,728 at Brillare Beauty Institute. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | South College | Brillare Beauty Institute |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $17,858 | $17,894 |
| Total net cost | $35,716 | $71,576 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $36,642 | $24,728 |
| Median debt | $18,668 | $7,479 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$270,076 | -$544,216 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, South College or Brillare Beauty Institute?
South College, at $17,858 a year after aid versus $17,894 — a gap of $36 a year, or $35,860 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 South College or Brillare Beauty Institute graduates earn more?
South College graduates report a median $36,642 ten years after entry, $11,914 more than the $24,728 at Brillare Beauty Institute. 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, South College or Brillare Beauty Institute?
Brillare Beauty Institute: its completers carry a median $7,479 in federal loans versus $18,668 at South College, a difference of $11,189. 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 Brillare Beauty Institute, against 42% at South 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.