Head-to-head comparison
Columbus College of Art & Design vs Auburn Career Center: 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 Concord Twp, OH
Auburn Career Center
- Net price / year
- $12,051
- Earnings, 10 years
- $37,032
- 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 $37,032 at Auburn Career Center. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Columbus College of Art & Design | Auburn Career Center |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $29,439 | $12,051 |
| Total net cost | $117,756 | $48,204 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $40,664 | $37,032 |
| Median debt | $27,000 | $6,365 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$271,676 | -$274,764 |
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 Auburn Career Center?
Auburn Career Center, at $12,051 a year after aid versus $29,439 — a gap of $17,388 a year, or $69,552 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 Auburn Career Center graduates earn more?
Columbus College of Art & Design graduates report a median $40,664 ten years after entry, $3,632 more than the $37,032 at Auburn Career Center. 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 Auburn Career Center?
Auburn Career Center: its completers carry a median $6,365 in federal loans versus $27,000 at Columbus College of Art & Design, a difference of $20,635. 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?
69% of students finish at Auburn Career Center, against 56% at Columbus College of Art & Design. 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.