Head-to-head comparison
Academy of Art University vs Cerro Coso Community College: which has better ROI?
Option A San Francisco, CA
Academy of Art University
- Net price / year
- $40,613
- Earnings, 10 years
- $39,008
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Ridgecrest, CA
Cerro Coso Community College
- Net price / year
- $18,306
- Earnings, 10 years
- $34,963
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Cerro Coso Community College comes closer — median earnings $34,963 against a $36,612 total, vs $39,008 at Academy of Art University. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Academy of Art University | Cerro Coso Community College |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $40,613 | $18,306 |
| Total net cost | $162,452 | $36,612 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $39,008 | $34,963 |
| Median debt | $31,000 | — |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$349,492 | -$304,552 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Academy of Art University or Cerro Coso Community College?
Cerro Coso Community College, at $18,306 a year after aid versus $40,613 — a gap of $22,307 a year, or $125,840 across the full degree. These are net prices after grants and scholarships, not sticker prices, so they reflect what an aided student pays.
The short answer
Do Academy of Art University or Cerro Coso Community College graduates earn more?
Academy of Art University graduates report a median $39,008 ten years after entry, $4,045 more than the $34,963 at Cerro Coso Community College. 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.
The short answer
Which graduates more of its students?
34% of students finish at Academy of Art University, against 25% at Cerro Coso 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.