Metropolitan Community College-Kansas City vs Academy of Hair Design-Springfield: which has better ROI?
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Metropolitan Community College-Kansas City comes closer — median earnings $40,796 against a $16,796 total, vs $25,129 at Academy of Hair Design-Springfield. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Metropolitan Community College-Kansas City | Academy of Hair Design-Springfield |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $8,398 | $15,904 |
| Total net cost | $16,796 | $63,616 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $40,796 | $25,129 |
| Median debt | $10,073 | $9,500 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$168,076 | -$528,236 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
Which is cheaper, Metropolitan Community College-Kansas City or Academy of Hair Design-Springfield?
Metropolitan Community College-Kansas City, at $8,398 a year after aid versus $15,904 — a gap of $7,506 a year, or $46,820 across the full degree. These are net prices after grants and scholarships, not sticker prices, so they reflect what an aided student pays.
Do Metropolitan Community College-Kansas City or Academy of Hair Design-Springfield graduates earn more?
Metropolitan Community College-Kansas City graduates report a median $40,796 ten years after entry, $15,667 more than the $25,129 at Academy of Hair Design-Springfield. 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, Metropolitan Community College-Kansas City or Academy of Hair Design-Springfield?
Academy of Hair Design-Springfield: its completers carry a median $9,500 in federal loans versus $10,073 at Metropolitan Community College-Kansas City, a difference of $573. The figure counts students who finished; it excludes private loans and anyone who left before graduating.
Which graduates more of its students?
64% of students finish at Academy of Hair Design-Springfield, against 34% at Metropolitan Community College-Kansas City. 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.