Head-to-head comparison
SUNY College at Potsdam vs Aveda Arts & Sciences Institute-New York: which has better ROI?
Option A Potsdam, NY
SUNY College at Potsdam
- Net price / year
- $13,624
- Earnings, 10 years
- $47,866
- Payback
- No payback
Option B New York, NY
Aveda Arts & Sciences Institute-New York
- Net price / year
- $21,623
- Earnings, 10 years
- $28,013
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but SUNY College at Potsdam comes closer — median earnings $47,866 against a $54,496 total, vs $28,013 at Aveda Arts & Sciences Institute-New York. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | SUNY College at Potsdam | Aveda Arts & Sciences Institute-New York |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $13,624 | $21,623 |
| Total net cost | $54,496 | $86,492 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $47,866 | $28,013 |
| Median debt | $24,250 | $6,129 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$64,376 | -$493,432 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, SUNY College at Potsdam or Aveda Arts & Sciences Institute-New York?
SUNY College at Potsdam, at $13,624 a year after aid versus $21,623 — a gap of $7,999 a year, or $31,996 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 College at Potsdam or Aveda Arts & Sciences Institute-New York graduates earn more?
SUNY College at Potsdam graduates report a median $47,866 ten years after entry, $19,853 more than the $28,013 at Aveda Arts & Sciences Institute-New York. 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 College at Potsdam or Aveda Arts & Sciences Institute-New York?
Aveda Arts & Sciences Institute-New York: its completers carry a median $6,129 in federal loans versus $24,250 at SUNY College at Potsdam, a difference of $18,121. 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?
80% of students finish at Aveda Arts & Sciences Institute-New York, against 45% at SUNY College at Potsdam. 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.