Head-to-head comparison
Academy of Art University vs Copper Mountain 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 Joshua Tree, CA
Copper Mountain Community College
- Net price / year
- $9,105
- Earnings, 10 years
- $33,281
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Copper Mountain Community College comes closer — median earnings $33,281 against a $18,210 total, vs $39,008 at Academy of Art University. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Academy of Art University | Copper Mountain Community College |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $40,613 | $9,105 |
| Total net cost | $162,452 | $18,210 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $39,008 | $33,281 |
| Median debt | $31,000 | — |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$349,492 | -$319,790 |
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 Copper Mountain Community College?
Copper Mountain Community College, at $9,105 a year after aid versus $40,613 — a gap of $31,508 a year, or $144,242 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 Copper Mountain Community College graduates earn more?
Academy of Art University graduates report a median $39,008 ten years after entry, $5,727 more than the $33,281 at Copper Mountain 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 20% at Copper Mountain 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.