Empire Beauty School-Tucson — ROI, Cost & Payback
Empire Beauty School-Tucson charges a net price of $17,013/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $68,052. Median earnings ten years after entry are $25,073, 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, Empire Beauty School-Tucson does not clear its cost — it ranks #61 of 63 Arizona colleges we track by ROI. The specific program you pick moves this more than the school average.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $17,013/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $68,052 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $25,073 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$23,287/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $13,000 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$533,792 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Empire Beauty School-Tucson's own numbers. Net price $17,013 × 4 years = $68,052 total. Median earnings $25,073 fall $23,287 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 $68,052 bill in about 6.8 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Empire Beauty School-Tucson students graduate with?
A median $13,000 in federal loans among completers, or 52% of the $25,073 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Empire Beauty School-Tucson students graduate?
83% finish their degree. Spread the $68,052 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $81,990 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Empire Beauty School-Tucson expensive compared with other Arizona colleges?
Its $17,013 net price runs $426 below the $17,439 median across the 63 Arizona colleges we profile, and $1,704 less across the full degree.