Front Range Community College vs Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts-Boulder: which has better ROI?
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Front Range Community College comes closer — median earnings $45,910 against a $52,124 total, vs $32,001 at Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts-Boulder. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Front Range Community College | Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts-Boulder |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $13,031 | $13,367 |
| Total net cost | $52,124 | $53,468 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $45,910 | $32,001 |
| Median debt | $12,251 | $9,653 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$101,124 | -$380,648 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
Which is cheaper, Front Range Community College or Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts-Boulder?
Front Range Community College, at $13,031 a year after aid versus $13,367 — a gap of $336 a year, or $1,344 across the full degree. These are net prices after grants and scholarships, not sticker prices, so they reflect what an aided student pays.
Do Front Range Community College or Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts-Boulder graduates earn more?
Front Range Community College graduates report a median $45,910 ten years after entry, $13,909 more than the $32,001 at Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts-Boulder. 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, Front Range Community College or Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts-Boulder?
Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts-Boulder: its completers carry a median $9,653 in federal loans versus $12,251 at Front Range Community College, a difference of $2,598. The figure counts students who finished; it excludes private loans and anyone who left before graduating.
Which graduates more of its students?
48% of students finish at Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts-Boulder, against 35% at Front Range Community 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.