Head-to-head comparison
Cecil College vs Maryland Institute College of Art: which has better ROI?
Option A North East, MD
Cecil College
- Net price / year
- $9,658
- Earnings, 10 years
- $43,952
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Baltimore, MD
Maryland Institute College of Art
- Net price / year
- $42,729
- Earnings, 10 years
- $45,212
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Cecil College comes closer — median earnings $43,952 against a $19,316 total, vs $45,212 at Maryland Institute College of Art. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Cecil College | Maryland Institute College of Art |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $9,658 | $42,729 |
| Total net cost | $19,316 | $170,916 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $43,952 | $45,212 |
| Median debt | $9,536 | $26,500 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$107,476 | -$233,876 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Cecil College or Maryland Institute College of Art?
Cecil College, at $9,658 a year after aid versus $42,729 — a gap of $33,071 a year, or $151,600 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 Cecil College or Maryland Institute College of Art graduates earn more?
Maryland Institute College of Art graduates report a median $45,212 ten years after entry, $1,260 more than the $43,952 at Cecil 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 leaves students with less debt, Cecil College or Maryland Institute College of Art?
Cecil College: its completers carry a median $9,536 in federal loans versus $26,500 at Maryland Institute College of Art, a difference of $16,964. 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?
72% of students finish at Maryland Institute College of Art, against 37% at Cecil 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.