Head-to-head comparison
El Camino Community College District vs Academy of Art University: which has better ROI?
Option A Torrance, CA
El Camino Community College District
- Net price / year
- $5,968
- Earnings, 10 years
- $41,589
- Payback
- No payback
Option B San Francisco, CA
Academy of Art University
- Net price / year
- $40,613
- Earnings, 10 years
- $39,008
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but El Camino Community College District comes closer — median earnings $41,589 against a $11,936 total, vs $39,008 at Academy of Art University. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | El Camino Community College District | Academy of Art University |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $5,968 | $40,613 |
| Total net cost | $11,936 | $162,452 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $41,589 | $39,008 |
| Median debt | — | $31,000 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$147,356 | -$349,492 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, El Camino Community College District or Academy of Art University?
El Camino Community College District, at $5,968 a year after aid versus $40,613 — a gap of $34,645 a year, or $150,516 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 El Camino Community College District or Academy of Art University graduates earn more?
El Camino Community College District graduates report a median $41,589 ten years after entry, $2,581 more than the $39,008 at Academy of Art University. 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 graduates more of its students?
42% of students finish at El Camino Community College District, against 34% at Academy of Art University. 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.