Head-to-head comparison
Central Ohio Technical College vs Art Academy of Cincinnati: which has better ROI?
Option A Newark, OH
Central Ohio Technical College
- Net price / year
- $9,948
- Earnings, 10 years
- $39,168
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Cincinnati, OH
Art Academy of Cincinnati
- Net price / year
- $34,253
- Earnings, 10 years
- $34,368
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Central Ohio Technical College comes closer — median earnings $39,168 against a $19,896 total, vs $34,368 at Art Academy of Cincinnati. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Central Ohio Technical College | Art Academy of Cincinnati |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $9,948 | $34,253 |
| Total net cost | $19,896 | $137,012 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $39,168 | $34,368 |
| Median debt | $12,072 | $27,000 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$203,736 | -$416,852 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Central Ohio Technical College or Art Academy of Cincinnati?
Central Ohio Technical College, at $9,948 a year after aid versus $34,253 — a gap of $24,305 a year, or $117,116 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 Central Ohio Technical College or Art Academy of Cincinnati graduates earn more?
Central Ohio Technical College graduates report a median $39,168 ten years after entry, $4,800 more than the $34,368 at Art Academy of Cincinnati. 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, Central Ohio Technical College or Art Academy of Cincinnati?
Central Ohio Technical College: its completers carry a median $12,072 in federal loans versus $27,000 at Art Academy of Cincinnati, a difference of $14,928. 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 Art Academy of Cincinnati, against 30% at Central Ohio Technical 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.