Head-to-head comparison
St Louis College of Health Careers-Fenton vs Academy of Hair Design-Springfield: which has better ROI?
Option A Fenton, MO
St Louis College of Health Careers-Fenton
- Net price / year
- $24,395
- Earnings, 10 years
- $32,217
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Springfield, MO
Academy of Hair Design-Springfield
- Net price / year
- $15,904
- Earnings, 10 years
- $25,129
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but St Louis College of Health Careers-Fenton comes closer — median earnings $32,217 against a $48,790 total, vs $25,129 at Academy of Hair Design-Springfield. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | St Louis College of Health Careers-Fenton | Academy of Hair Design-Springfield |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $24,395 | $15,904 |
| Total net cost | $48,790 | $63,616 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $32,217 | $25,129 |
| Median debt | $11,750 | $9,500 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$371,650 | -$528,236 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, St Louis College of Health Careers-Fenton or Academy of Hair Design-Springfield?
Academy of Hair Design-Springfield, at $15,904 a year after aid versus $24,395 — a gap of $8,491 a year, or $14,826 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 St Louis College of Health Careers-Fenton or Academy of Hair Design-Springfield graduates earn more?
St Louis College of Health Careers-Fenton graduates report a median $32,217 ten years after entry, $7,088 more than the $25,129 at Academy of Hair Design-Springfield. 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, St Louis College of Health Careers-Fenton or Academy of Hair Design-Springfield?
Academy of Hair Design-Springfield: its completers carry a median $9,500 in federal loans versus $11,750 at St Louis College of Health Careers-Fenton, a difference of $2,250. 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?
64% of students finish at Academy of Hair Design-Springfield, against 59% at St Louis College of Health Careers-Fenton. 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.