Keep in mind, a lot of people base this on what "they paid", sometimes 5 years ago, sometimes 10, 15, and on and on. Inflation and costs of equipment/instruction keep the prices rising, so what was the going rate a few years back may not be relevant. There are also advantages and disadvantages to "mom and pop" part 61 schools. Sometimes a crusty old instructor is a wealth of knowledge, sometimes they are a wealth of outdated information and technique. Sometimes you get used to passing over airworthiness concerns, and so on. If your goal is an airline, usually more stringent, disciplined and standardized schools are better, not necessarily "faster" ones, but ones that require you to be on your game and actually meet all of the standards (and give you the instruction to do so). When you get to the airline, you will be expected to be a "self starter" and understand how to meet the standards. For some, this is a wake-up call that goes over like a lead balloon. For others, it's just more of what they've already experienced and they are good to go. It's hard to make overall statements and rules here, no path is necessarily better than the other.