Head-to-head comparison
Oakland Community College vs College for Creative Studies: which has better ROI?
Option A Auburn Hills, MI
Oakland Community College
- Net price / year
- $5,777
- Earnings, 10 years
- $37,395
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Detroit, MI
College for Creative Studies
- Net price / year
- $34,617
- Earnings, 10 years
- $44,860
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but College for Creative Studies comes closer — median earnings $44,860 against a $138,468 total, vs $37,395 at Oakland Community College. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Oakland Community College | College for Creative Studies |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $5,777 | $34,617 |
| Total net cost | $11,554 | $138,468 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $37,395 | $44,860 |
| Median debt | $9,105 | $26,000 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$230,854 | -$208,468 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Oakland Community College or College for Creative Studies?
Oakland Community College, at $5,777 a year after aid versus $34,617 — a gap of $28,840 a year, or $126,914 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 Oakland Community College or College for Creative Studies graduates earn more?
College for Creative Studies graduates report a median $44,860 ten years after entry, $7,465 more than the $37,395 at Oakland Community College. 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, Oakland Community College or College for Creative Studies?
Oakland Community College: its completers carry a median $9,105 in federal loans versus $26,000 at College for Creative Studies, a difference of $16,895. 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?
71% of students finish at College for Creative Studies, against 21% at Oakland 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.