Head-to-head comparison
College for Creative Studies vs Alpena Community College: which has better ROI?
Option A Detroit, MI
College for Creative Studies
- Net price / year
- $34,617
- Earnings, 10 years
- $44,860
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Alpena, MI
Alpena Community College
- Net price / year
- $3,320
- Earnings, 10 years
- $36,442
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but College for Creative Studies comes closer — median earnings $44,860 against a $138,468 total, vs $36,442 at Alpena Community College. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | College for Creative Studies | Alpena Community College |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $34,617 | $3,320 |
| Total net cost | $138,468 | $6,640 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $44,860 | $36,442 |
| Median debt | $26,000 | $9,024 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$208,468 | -$245,000 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, College for Creative Studies or Alpena Community College?
Alpena Community College, at $3,320 a year after aid versus $34,617 — a gap of $31,297 a year, or $131,828 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 College for Creative Studies or Alpena Community College graduates earn more?
College for Creative Studies graduates report a median $44,860 ten years after entry, $8,418 more than the $36,442 at Alpena 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 leaves students with less debt, College for Creative Studies or Alpena Community College?
Alpena Community College: its completers carry a median $9,024 in federal loans versus $26,000 at College for Creative Studies, a difference of $16,976. 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?
71% of students finish at College for Creative Studies, against 52% at Alpena 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.