Head-to-head comparison
Academy of Art University vs Los Angeles College of Music: 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 Pasadena, CA
Los Angeles College of Music
- Net price / year
- $43,590
- Earnings, 10 years
- $31,758
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Academy of Art University comes closer — median earnings $39,008 against a $162,452 total, vs $31,758 at Los Angeles College of Music. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Academy of Art University | Los Angeles College of Music |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $40,613 | $43,590 |
| Total net cost | $162,452 | $174,360 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $39,008 | $31,758 |
| Median debt | $31,000 | $27,938 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$349,492 | -$506,400 |
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 Los Angeles College of Music?
Academy of Art University, at $40,613 a year after aid versus $43,590 — a gap of $2,977 a year, or $11,908 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 Los Angeles College of Music graduates earn more?
Academy of Art University graduates report a median $39,008 ten years after entry, $7,250 more than the $31,758 at Los Angeles College of Music. 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 leaves students with less debt, Academy of Art University or Los Angeles College of Music?
Los Angeles College of Music: its completers carry a median $27,938 in federal loans versus $31,000 at Academy of Art University, a difference of $3,062. The figure counts students who finished; it excludes private loans and anyone who left before graduating.
The short answer
Which graduates more of its students?
41% of students finish at Los Angeles College of Music, against 34% at Academy of Art University. 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.