Celebrity School of Beauty vs ATA Career Education: which has better ROI?
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but ATA Career Education comes closer — median earnings $34,577 against a $113,000 total, vs $15,626 at Celebrity School of Beauty. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Celebrity School of Beauty | ATA Career Education |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $28,762 | $28,250 |
| Total net cost | $115,048 | $113,000 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $15,626 | $34,577 |
| Median debt | $6,333 | $21,030 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$769,728 | -$388,660 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
Which is cheaper, Celebrity School of Beauty or ATA Career Education?
ATA Career Education, at $28,250 a year after aid versus $28,762 — a gap of $512 a year, or $2,048 across the full degree. These are net prices after grants and scholarships, not sticker prices, so they reflect what an aided student pays.
Do Celebrity School of Beauty or ATA Career Education graduates earn more?
ATA Career Education graduates report a median $34,577 ten years after entry, $18,951 more than the $15,626 at Celebrity School of Beauty. 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, Celebrity School of Beauty or ATA Career Education?
Celebrity School of Beauty: its completers carry a median $6,333 in federal loans versus $21,030 at ATA Career Education, a difference of $14,697. The figure counts students who finished; it excludes private loans and anyone who left before graduating.
Which graduates more of its students?
71% of students finish at Celebrity School of Beauty, against 67% at ATA Career Education. 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.