Head-to-head comparison
Columbus State Community College vs Art Academy of Cincinnati: which has better ROI?
Option A Columbus, OH
Columbus State Community College
- Net price / year
- $8,400
- Earnings, 10 years
- $39,435
- 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 State Community College comes closer — median earnings $39,435 against a $33,600 total, vs $34,368 at Art Academy of Cincinnati. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Columbus State Community College | Art Academy of Cincinnati |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $8,400 | $34,253 |
| Total net cost | $33,600 | $137,012 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $39,435 | $34,368 |
| Median debt | $8,749 | $27,000 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$212,100 | -$416,852 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Columbus State Community College or Art Academy of Cincinnati?
Columbus State Community College, at $8,400 a year after aid versus $34,253 — a gap of $25,853 a year, or $103,412 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 State Community College or Art Academy of Cincinnati graduates earn more?
Columbus State Community College graduates report a median $39,435 ten years after entry, $5,067 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 State Community College or Art Academy of Cincinnati?
Columbus State Community College: its completers carry a median $8,749 in federal loans versus $27,000 at Art Academy of Cincinnati, a difference of $18,251. 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?
41% of students finish at Art Academy of Cincinnati, against 28% at Columbus State 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.