Hollywood Institute of Beauty Careers-West Palm Beach 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 $21,386 at Hollywood Institute of Beauty Careers-West Palm Beach. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Hollywood Institute of Beauty Careers-West Palm Beach | ATA Career Education |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $37,240 | $28,250 |
| Total net cost | $148,960 | $113,000 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $21,386 | $34,577 |
| Median debt | $6,199 | $21,030 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$688,440 | -$388,660 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
Which is cheaper, Hollywood Institute of Beauty Careers-West Palm Beach or ATA Career Education?
ATA Career Education, at $28,250 a year after aid versus $37,240 — a gap of $8,990 a year, or $35,960 across the full degree. These are net prices after grants and scholarships, not sticker prices, so they reflect what an aided student pays.
Do Hollywood Institute of Beauty Careers-West Palm Beach or ATA Career Education graduates earn more?
ATA Career Education graduates report a median $34,577 ten years after entry, $13,191 more than the $21,386 at Hollywood Institute of Beauty Careers-West Palm Beach. 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, Hollywood Institute of Beauty Careers-West Palm Beach or ATA Career Education?
Hollywood Institute of Beauty Careers-West Palm Beach: its completers carry a median $6,199 in federal loans versus $21,030 at ATA Career Education, a difference of $14,831. The figure counts students who finished; it excludes private loans and anyone who left before graduating.
Which graduates more of its students?
83% of students finish at Hollywood Institute of Beauty Careers-West Palm Beach, 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.