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Arkansas Baptist College vs Career Academy of Hair Design: which has better ROI?

Private nonprofit, Little Rock AR · vs · Private for-profit, Springdale AR

The verdict

Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Arkansas Baptist College comes closer — median earnings $28,418 against a $42,508 total, vs $21,567 at Career Academy of Hair Design. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)

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Head to head
MeasureArkansas Baptist CollegeCareer Academy of Hair Design
Net price / yr$10,627$12,728
Total net cost$42,508$50,912
Median earnings, 10 yrs$28,418$21,567
Median debt$25,375$6,365
Payback
20-year net return-$441,348-$586,772

College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.

Which is cheaper, Arkansas Baptist College or Career Academy of Hair Design?

Arkansas Baptist College, at $10,627 a year after aid versus $12,728 — a gap of $2,101 a year, or $8,404 across the full degree. These are net prices after grants and scholarships, not sticker prices, so they reflect what an aided student pays.

Do Arkansas Baptist College or Career Academy of Hair Design graduates earn more?

Arkansas Baptist College graduates report a median $28,418 ten years after entry, $6,851 more than the $21,567 at Career Academy of Hair Design. 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.

Which leaves students with less debt, Arkansas Baptist College or Career Academy of Hair Design?

Career Academy of Hair Design: its completers carry a median $6,365 in federal loans versus $25,375 at Arkansas Baptist College, a difference of $19,010. The figure counts students who finished; it excludes private loans and anyone who left before graduating.

Which graduates more of its students?

73% of students finish at Career Academy of Hair Design, against 7% at Arkansas Baptist 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.

Arkansas Baptist College vs Career Academy of Hair Design: frequently asked questions

Is Arkansas Baptist College or Career Academy of Hair Design a better value?
Arkansas Baptist College comes closer, but neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings — the field you study decides it here more than the school.
Which is cheaper, Arkansas Baptist College or Career Academy of Hair Design?
Arkansas Baptist College: $10,627/yr net price after aid versus $12,728/yr at Career Academy of Hair Design — a difference of $2,101 a year, or about $8,404 over four years.
Do Arkansas Baptist College or Career Academy of Hair Design graduates earn more?
Arkansas Baptist College graduates earn a median $28,418 ten years after entry, versus $21,567 at Career Academy of Hair Design — a $6,851 gap. This blends every major, so a specific field can flip it.