Career Academy of Hair Design — ROI, Cost & Payback
Career Academy of Hair Design charges a net price of $12,728/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $50,912. Median earnings ten years after entry are $21,567, below the $48,360 high-school baseline, so on this institution-wide metric the degree does not clear its cost. Program choice is what changes that. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
On institution-wide earnings, Career Academy of Hair Design does not clear its cost — it ranks #47 of 47 Arkansas colleges we track by ROI. The specific program you pick moves this more than the school average.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $12,728/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $50,912 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $21,567 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$26,793/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $6,365 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$586,772 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Career Academy of Hair Design's own numbers. Net price $12,728 × 4 years = $50,912 total. Median earnings $21,567 fall $26,793 short of the $48,360 high-school baseline, so the premium this formula divides by is not positive and no break-even year exists on institution-wide pay. A programme here earning $58,360 would clear the $50,912 bill in about 5.1 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Career Academy of Hair Design students graduate with?
A median $6,365 in federal loans among completers, or 30% of the $21,567 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Career Academy of Hair Design students graduate?
73% finish their degree. Spread the $50,912 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $69,742 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Career Academy of Hair Design expensive compared with other Arkansas colleges?
Its $12,728 net price runs $362 above the $12,366 median across the 47 Arkansas colleges we profile, or $1,448 more across the full degree.