Head-to-head comparison
Academy of Art University vs Lassen 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 Susanville, CA
Lassen Community College
- Net price / year
- $12,517
- Earnings, 10 years
- $35,994
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Lassen Community College comes closer — median earnings $35,994 against a $25,034 total, vs $39,008 at Academy of Art University. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Academy of Art University | Lassen Community College |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $40,613 | $12,517 |
| Total net cost | $162,452 | $25,034 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $39,008 | $35,994 |
| Median debt | $31,000 | — |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$349,492 | -$272,354 |
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 Lassen Community College?
Lassen Community College, at $12,517 a year after aid versus $40,613 — a gap of $28,096 a year, or $137,418 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 Lassen Community College graduates earn more?
Academy of Art University graduates report a median $39,008 ten years after entry, $3,014 more than the $35,994 at Lassen 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 31% at Lassen 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.