Head-to-head comparison
CUNY Medgar Evers College vs American Musical and Dramatic Academy: which has better ROI?
Option A Brooklyn, NY
CUNY Medgar Evers College
- Net price / year
- $5,718
- Earnings, 10 years
- $46,498
- 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 Medgar Evers College comes closer — median earnings $46,498 against a $22,872 total, vs $26,975 at American Musical and Dramatic Academy. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | CUNY Medgar Evers College | American Musical and Dramatic Academy |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $5,718 | $41,416 |
| Total net cost | $22,872 | $165,664 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $46,498 | $26,975 |
| Median debt | $10,988 | $15,250 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$60,112 | -$593,364 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, CUNY Medgar Evers College or American Musical and Dramatic Academy?
CUNY Medgar Evers College, at $5,718 a year after aid versus $41,416 — a gap of $35,698 a year, or $142,792 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 Medgar Evers College or American Musical and Dramatic Academy graduates earn more?
CUNY Medgar Evers College graduates report a median $46,498 ten years after entry, $19,523 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 Medgar Evers College or American Musical and Dramatic Academy?
CUNY Medgar Evers College: its completers carry a median $10,988 in federal loans versus $15,250 at American Musical and Dramatic Academy, a difference of $4,262. 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 20% at CUNY Medgar Evers 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.