Head-to-head comparison
Pikes Peak State College vs Arapahoe Community College: which has better ROI?
Option A Colorado Springs, CO
Pikes Peak State College
- Net price / year
- $6,007
- Earnings, 10 years
- $40,796
- Payback
- No payback
Option B Littleton, CO
Arapahoe Community College
- Net price / year
- $11,571
- Earnings, 10 years
- $48,341
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Arapahoe Community College comes closer — median earnings $48,341 against a $46,284 total, vs $40,796 at Pikes Peak State College. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Pikes Peak State College | Arapahoe Community College |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $6,007 | $11,571 |
| Total net cost | $12,014 | $46,284 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $40,796 | $48,341 |
| Median debt | $9,000 | $11,884 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$163,294 | -$46,664 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Pikes Peak State College or Arapahoe Community College?
Pikes Peak State College, at $6,007 a year after aid versus $11,571 — a gap of $5,564 a year, or $34,270 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 Pikes Peak State College or Arapahoe Community College graduates earn more?
Arapahoe Community College graduates report a median $48,341 ten years after entry, $7,545 more than the $40,796 at Pikes Peak State 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, Pikes Peak State College or Arapahoe Community College?
Pikes Peak State College: its completers carry a median $9,000 in federal loans versus $11,884 at Arapahoe Community College, a difference of $2,884. 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?
29% of students finish at Arapahoe Community College, against 21% at Pikes Peak State 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.