Head-to-head comparison
Southern University at New Orleans vs Ayers Career College: which has better ROI?
Option A New Orleans, LA
Southern University at New Orleans
- Net price / year
- $14,810
- Earnings, 10 years
- $34,042
- 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 Southern University at New Orleans comes closer — median earnings $34,042 against a $59,240 total, vs $29,935 at Ayers Career College. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Southern University at New Orleans | Ayers Career College |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $14,810 | $18,439 |
| Total net cost | $59,240 | $73,756 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $34,042 | $29,935 |
| Median debt | $31,000 | $9,500 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$345,600 | -$442,256 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Southern University at New Orleans or Ayers Career College?
Southern University at New Orleans, at $14,810 a year after aid versus $18,439 — a gap of $3,629 a year, or $14,516 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 Southern University at New Orleans or Ayers Career College graduates earn more?
Southern University at New Orleans graduates report a median $34,042 ten years after entry, $4,107 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, Southern University at New Orleans or Ayers Career College?
Ayers Career College: its completers carry a median $9,500 in federal loans versus $31,000 at Southern University at New Orleans, a difference of $21,500. 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 13% at Southern University at New Orleans. 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.