Head-to-head comparison
State College of Florida-Manatee-Sarasota vs Artistic Nails and Beauty Academy-Tampa: which has better ROI?
Option A Bradenton, FL
State College of Florida-Manatee-Sarasota
- Net price / year
- $22,356
- Earnings, 10 years
- $40,318
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Tampa, FL
Artistic Nails and Beauty Academy-Tampa
- Net price / year
- $14,277
- Earnings, 10 years
- $20,948
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but State College of Florida-Manatee-Sarasota comes closer — median earnings $40,318 against a $44,712 total, vs $20,948 at Artistic Nails and Beauty Academy-Tampa. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | State College of Florida-Manatee-Sarasota | Artistic Nails and Beauty Academy-Tampa |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $22,356 | $14,277 |
| Total net cost | $44,712 | $57,108 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $40,318 | $20,948 |
| Median debt | $9,000 | $6,333 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$205,552 | -$605,348 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, State College of Florida-Manatee-Sarasota or Artistic Nails and Beauty Academy-Tampa?
Artistic Nails and Beauty Academy-Tampa, at $14,277 a year after aid versus $22,356 — a gap of $8,079 a year, or $12,396 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 State College of Florida-Manatee-Sarasota or Artistic Nails and Beauty Academy-Tampa graduates earn more?
State College of Florida-Manatee-Sarasota graduates report a median $40,318 ten years after entry, $19,370 more than the $20,948 at Artistic Nails and Beauty Academy-Tampa. 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, State College of Florida-Manatee-Sarasota or Artistic Nails and Beauty Academy-Tampa?
Artistic Nails and Beauty Academy-Tampa: its completers carry a median $6,333 in federal loans versus $9,000 at State College of Florida-Manatee-Sarasota, a difference of $2,667. 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?
77% of students finish at Artistic Nails and Beauty Academy-Tampa, against 38% at State College of Florida-Manatee-Sarasota. 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.