Head-to-head comparison
CUNY Borough of Manhattan Community College vs American Musical and Dramatic Academy: which has better ROI?
Option A New York, NY
CUNY Borough of Manhattan Community College
- Net price / year
- $4,976
- Earnings, 10 years
- $42,306
- Payback
- No payback
Option B New York, NY
American Musical and Dramatic Academy
- Net price / year
- $41,416
- Earnings, 10 years
- $26,975
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but CUNY Borough of Manhattan Community College comes closer — median earnings $42,306 against a $9,952 total, vs $26,975 at American Musical and Dramatic Academy. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | CUNY Borough of Manhattan Community College | American Musical and Dramatic Academy |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $4,976 | $41,416 |
| Total net cost | $9,952 | $165,664 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $42,306 | $26,975 |
| Median debt | $7,574 | $15,250 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$131,032 | -$593,364 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, CUNY Borough of Manhattan Community College or American Musical and Dramatic Academy?
CUNY Borough of Manhattan Community College, at $4,976 a year after aid versus $41,416 — a gap of $36,440 a year, or $155,712 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 CUNY Borough of Manhattan Community College or American Musical and Dramatic Academy graduates earn more?
CUNY Borough of Manhattan Community College graduates report a median $42,306 ten years after entry, $15,331 more than the $26,975 at American Musical and Dramatic Academy. 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, CUNY Borough of Manhattan Community College or American Musical and Dramatic Academy?
CUNY Borough of Manhattan Community College: its completers carry a median $7,574 in federal loans versus $15,250 at American Musical and Dramatic Academy, a difference of $7,676. 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?
72% of students finish at American Musical and Dramatic Academy, against 25% at CUNY Borough of Manhattan 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.