Head-to-head comparison
College for Creative Studies vs Montcalm 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 Sidney, MI
Montcalm Community College
- Net price / year
- $7,280
- Earnings, 10 years
- $35,499
- 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 $35,499 at Montcalm Community College. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | College for Creative Studies | Montcalm Community College |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $34,617 | $7,280 |
| Total net cost | $138,468 | $14,560 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $44,860 | $35,499 |
| Median debt | $26,000 | $16,500 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$208,468 | -$271,780 |
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 Montcalm Community College?
Montcalm Community College, at $7,280 a year after aid versus $34,617 — a gap of $27,337 a year, or $123,908 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 Montcalm Community College graduates earn more?
College for Creative Studies graduates report a median $44,860 ten years after entry, $9,361 more than the $35,499 at Montcalm 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 Montcalm Community College?
Montcalm Community College: its completers carry a median $16,500 in federal loans versus $26,000 at College for Creative Studies, a difference of $9,500. 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?
71% of students finish at College for Creative Studies, against 31% at Montcalm 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.