Head-to-head comparison
Anoka-Ramsey Community College vs Minneapolis College of Art and Design: which has better ROI?
Option A Coon Rapids, MN
Anoka-Ramsey Community College
- Net price / year
- $16,434
- Earnings, 10 years
- $48,342
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Minneapolis, MN
Minneapolis College of Art and Design
- Net price / year
- $29,926
- Earnings, 10 years
- $40,873
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Anoka-Ramsey Community College comes closer — median earnings $48,342 against a $32,868 total, vs $40,873 at Minneapolis College of Art and Design. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Anoka-Ramsey Community College | Minneapolis College of Art and Design |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $16,434 | $29,926 |
| Total net cost | $32,868 | $119,704 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $48,342 | $40,873 |
| Median debt | $13,500 | $27,000 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$33,228 | -$269,444 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Anoka-Ramsey Community College or Minneapolis College of Art and Design?
Anoka-Ramsey Community College, at $16,434 a year after aid versus $29,926 — a gap of $13,492 a year, or $86,836 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 Anoka-Ramsey Community College or Minneapolis College of Art and Design graduates earn more?
Anoka-Ramsey Community College graduates report a median $48,342 ten years after entry, $7,469 more than the $40,873 at Minneapolis College of Art and Design. 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, Anoka-Ramsey Community College or Minneapolis College of Art and Design?
Anoka-Ramsey Community College: its completers carry a median $13,500 in federal loans versus $27,000 at Minneapolis College of Art and Design, a difference of $13,500. 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?
51% of students finish at Minneapolis College of Art and Design, against 30% at Anoka-Ramsey 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.