Head-to-head comparison
SUNY Adirondack vs Atelier Esthetique Institute of Esthetics: which has better ROI?
Option A Queensbury, NY
SUNY Adirondack
- Net price / year
- $10,389
- Earnings, 10 years
- $41,267
- Payback
- No payback
Option B New York, NY
Atelier Esthetique Institute of Esthetics
- Net price / year
- $16,070
- Earnings, 10 years
- $40,826
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but SUNY Adirondack comes closer — median earnings $41,267 against a $20,778 total, vs $40,826 at Atelier Esthetique Institute of Esthetics. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | SUNY Adirondack | Atelier Esthetique Institute of Esthetics |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $10,389 | $16,070 |
| Total net cost | $20,778 | $64,280 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $41,267 | $40,826 |
| Median debt | $14,345 | $5,846 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$162,638 | -$214,960 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, SUNY Adirondack or Atelier Esthetique Institute of Esthetics?
SUNY Adirondack, at $10,389 a year after aid versus $16,070 — a gap of $5,681 a year, or $43,502 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 SUNY Adirondack or Atelier Esthetique Institute of Esthetics graduates earn more?
SUNY Adirondack graduates report a median $41,267 ten years after entry, $441 more than the $40,826 at Atelier Esthetique Institute of Esthetics. 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, SUNY Adirondack or Atelier Esthetique Institute of Esthetics?
Atelier Esthetique Institute of Esthetics: its completers carry a median $5,846 in federal loans versus $14,345 at SUNY Adirondack, a difference of $8,499. 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?
57% of students finish at Atelier Esthetique Institute of Esthetics, against 37% at SUNY Adirondack. 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.