Head-to-head comparison
Southeastern Louisiana University vs Ayers Career College: which has better ROI?
Option A Hammond, LA
Southeastern Louisiana University
- Net price / year
- $13,154
- Earnings, 10 years
- $46,482
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Shreveport, LA
Ayers Career College
- Net price / year
- $18,439
- Earnings, 10 years
- $29,935
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Southeastern Louisiana University comes closer — median earnings $46,482 against a $52,616 total, vs $29,935 at Ayers Career College. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Southeastern Louisiana University | Ayers Career College |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $13,154 | $18,439 |
| Total net cost | $52,616 | $73,756 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $46,482 | $29,935 |
| Median debt | $22,113 | $9,500 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$90,176 | -$442,256 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Southeastern Louisiana University or Ayers Career College?
Southeastern Louisiana University, at $13,154 a year after aid versus $18,439 — a gap of $5,285 a year, or $21,140 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 Southeastern Louisiana University or Ayers Career College graduates earn more?
Southeastern Louisiana University graduates report a median $46,482 ten years after entry, $16,547 more than the $29,935 at Ayers Career College. 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, Southeastern Louisiana University or Ayers Career College?
Ayers Career College: its completers carry a median $9,500 in federal loans versus $22,113 at Southeastern Louisiana University, a difference of $12,613. 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?
68% of students finish at Ayers Career College, against 45% at Southeastern Louisiana University. 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.