Head-to-head comparison
College for Creative Studies vs Gogebic 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 Ironwood, MI
Gogebic Community College
- Net price / year
- $5,397
- Earnings, 10 years
- $40,950
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Gogebic Community College comes closer — median earnings $40,950 against a $10,794 total, vs $44,860 at College for Creative Studies. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | College for Creative Studies | Gogebic Community College |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $34,617 | $5,397 |
| Total net cost | $138,468 | $10,794 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $44,860 | $40,950 |
| Median debt | $26,000 | $10,925 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$208,468 | -$158,994 |
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 Gogebic Community College?
Gogebic Community College, at $5,397 a year after aid versus $34,617 — a gap of $29,220 a year, or $127,674 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 Gogebic Community College graduates earn more?
College for Creative Studies graduates report a median $44,860 ten years after entry, $3,910 more than the $40,950 at Gogebic 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 Gogebic Community College?
Gogebic Community College: its completers carry a median $10,925 in federal loans versus $26,000 at College for Creative Studies, a difference of $15,075. 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 36% at Gogebic 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.