Head-to-head comparison
Ringling College of Art and Design vs Academy for Nursing and Health Occupations: which has better ROI?
Option A Sarasota, FL
Ringling College of Art and Design
- Net price / year
- $57,742
- Earnings, 10 years
- $43,325
- Payback
- No payback
Option B West Palm Beach, FL
Academy for Nursing and Health Occupations
- Net price / year
- $30,381
- Earnings, 10 years
- $47,039
- Payback
- No payback
Neither clears its cost on institution-wide earnings, but Academy for Nursing and Health Occupations comes closer — median earnings $47,039 against a $60,762 total, vs $43,325 at Ringling College of Art and Design. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Ringling College of Art and Design | Academy for Nursing and Health Occupations |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $57,742 | $30,381 |
| Total net cost | $230,968 | $60,762 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $43,325 | $47,039 |
| Median debt | $27,000 | $20,293 |
| Payback | — | — |
| 20-year net return | -$331,668 | -$87,182 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
The short answer
Which is cheaper, Ringling College of Art and Design or Academy for Nursing and Health Occupations?
Academy for Nursing and Health Occupations, at $30,381 a year after aid versus $57,742 — a gap of $27,361 a year, or $170,206 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 Ringling College of Art and Design or Academy for Nursing and Health Occupations graduates earn more?
Academy for Nursing and Health Occupations graduates report a median $47,039 ten years after entry, $3,714 more than the $43,325 at Ringling College of Art and Design. 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, Ringling College of Art and Design or Academy for Nursing and Health Occupations?
Academy for Nursing and Health Occupations: its completers carry a median $20,293 in federal loans versus $27,000 at Ringling College of Art and Design, a difference of $6,707. 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 Ringling College of Art and Design, against 42% at Academy for Nursing and Health Occupations. 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.