Pasadena City College vs Art Center College of Design: which has better ROI?
Art Center College of Design has the better ROI: it clears its 4-year net cost of $194,644 in 8.2 years versus not at all at Pasadena City College, on median earnings of $71,958 vs $43,937 ten years out. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
| Measure | Pasadena City College | Art Center College of Design |
|---|---|---|
| Net price / yr | $3,864 | $48,661 |
| Total net cost | $7,728 | $194,644 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs | $43,937 | $71,958 |
| Median debt | $6,651 | $31,000 |
| Payback | — | 8.2 yrs |
| 20-year net return | -$96,188 | $277,316 |
College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · payback and returns are our math. Figures blend all majors.
Which is cheaper, Pasadena City College or Art Center College of Design?
Pasadena City College, at $3,864 a year after aid versus $48,661 — a gap of $44,797 a year, or $186,916 across the full degree. These are net prices after grants and scholarships, not sticker prices, so they reflect what an aided student pays.
Do Pasadena City College or Art Center College of Design graduates earn more?
Art Center College of Design graduates report a median $71,958 ten years after entry, $28,021 more than the $43,937 at Pasadena City 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.
Which leaves students with less debt, Pasadena City College or Art Center College of Design?
Pasadena City College: its completers carry a median $6,651 in federal loans versus $31,000 at Art Center College of Design, a difference of $24,349. The figure counts students who finished; it excludes private loans and anyone who left before graduating.
Which graduates more of its students?
79% of students finish at Art Center College of Design, against 48% at Pasadena City 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.