Head-to-head comparison
Academy of Art University vs Compton 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 Compton, CA
Compton College
- Net price / year
- $12,647
- Earnings, 10 years
- $34,181
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Compton College comes closer — median earnings $34,181 against a $25,294 total, vs $39,008 at Academy of Art University. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Academy of Art University | Compton College |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $40,613 | $12,647 |
| Total net cost | $162,452 | $25,294 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $39,008 | $34,181 |
| Median debt | $31,000 | — |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$349,492 | -$308,874 |
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 Compton College?
Compton College, at $12,647 a year after aid versus $40,613 — a gap of $27,966 a year, or $137,158 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 Compton College graduates earn more?
Academy of Art University graduates report a median $39,008 ten years after entry, $4,827 more than the $34,181 at Compton 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 27% at Compton 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.