Head-to-head comparison
Columbus College of Art & Design vs Art Academy of Cincinnati: which has better ROI?
Option A Columbus, OH
Columbus College of Art & Design
- Net price / year
- $29,439
- Earnings, 10 years
- $40,664
- 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 Columbus College of Art & Design comes closer — median earnings $40,664 against a $117,756 total, vs $34,368 at Art Academy of Cincinnati. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Columbus College of Art & Design | Art Academy of Cincinnati |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $29,439 | $34,253 |
| Total net cost | $117,756 | $137,012 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $40,664 | $34,368 |
| Median debt | $27,000 | $27,000 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$271,676 | -$416,852 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Columbus College of Art & Design or Art Academy of Cincinnati?
Columbus College of Art & Design, at $29,439 a year after aid versus $34,253 — a gap of $4,814 a year, or $19,256 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 Columbus College of Art & Design or Art Academy of Cincinnati graduates earn more?
Columbus College of Art & Design graduates report a median $40,664 ten years after entry, $6,296 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, Columbus College of Art & Design or Art Academy of Cincinnati?
Completers at both borrow a median $27,000, so neither school has the debt advantage. That figure covers federal loans of students who finished — borrowers who leave early are not counted, and private loans sit outside it.
The short answer
Which graduates more of its students?
56% of students finish at Columbus College of Art & Design, against 41% at Art Academy of Cincinnati. 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.