Head-to-head comparison
Three Rivers College vs Academy of Hair Design-Springfield: which has better ROI?
Option A Poplar Bluff, MO
Three Rivers College
- Net price / year
- $8,496
- Earnings, 10 years
- $32,442
- 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 Three Rivers College comes closer — median earnings $32,442 against a $16,992 total, vs $25,129 at Academy of Hair Design-Springfield. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Three Rivers College | Academy of Hair Design-Springfield |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $8,496 | $15,904 |
| Total net cost | $16,992 | $63,616 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $32,442 | $25,129 |
| Median debt | $10,000 | $9,500 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$335,352 | -$528,236 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Three Rivers College or Academy of Hair Design-Springfield?
Three Rivers College, at $8,496 a year after aid versus $15,904 — a gap of $7,408 a year, or $46,624 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 Three Rivers College or Academy of Hair Design-Springfield graduates earn more?
Three Rivers College graduates report a median $32,442 ten years after entry, $7,313 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, Three Rivers College or Academy of Hair Design-Springfield?
Academy of Hair Design-Springfield: its completers carry a median $9,500 in federal loans versus $10,000 at Three Rivers College, a difference of $500. 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 33% at Three Rivers College. 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.