Head-to-head comparison
The College of Westchester vs Aveda Arts & Sciences Institute-New York: which has better ROI?
Option A White Plains, NY
The College of Westchester
- Net price / year
- $16,296
- Earnings, 10 years
- $42,215
- 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 The College of Westchester comes closer — median earnings $42,215 against a $65,184 total, vs $28,013 at Aveda Arts & Sciences Institute-New York. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | The College of Westchester | Aveda Arts & Sciences Institute-New York |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $16,296 | $21,623 |
| Total net cost | $65,184 | $86,492 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $42,215 | $28,013 |
| Median debt | $26,967 | $6,129 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$188,084 | -$493,432 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, The College of Westchester or Aveda Arts & Sciences Institute-New York?
The College of Westchester, at $16,296 a year after aid versus $21,623 — a gap of $5,327 a year, or $21,308 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 The College of Westchester or Aveda Arts & Sciences Institute-New York graduates earn more?
The College of Westchester graduates report a median $42,215 ten years after entry, $14,202 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, The College of Westchester or Aveda Arts & Sciences Institute-New York?
Aveda Arts & Sciences Institute-New York: its completers carry a median $6,129 in federal loans versus $26,967 at The College of Westchester, a difference of $20,838. 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 38% at The College of Westchester. 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.