College ROI

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Art Center College of Design

Pasadena, CA 2,017 Undergrads 77.8% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$75,649
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$48,661
After Aid
Median Earnings
$74,009
4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$48,661
Peer Midpoint: $20,081
Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$74,009
Peer Midpoint: $60,428
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$71,958
Peer Midpoint: $53,763
Graduation Rate77.8%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Average Starting Age22.8
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients23.3%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time88.6%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS66.2%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
74.5%
SAT Avg
-
SAT Reading
25th: --75th: -
SAT Math
25th: --75th: -
ACT Composite
25th: --75th: -

ROI Sensitivity Analysis
Assuming 4 Years to Graduation

This analysis tests three cost scenarios (Scholarship, Average Net Price, Full Sticker Price) to show how college costs impact your long-term return compared to the average student and a high school graduate.

Lifetime Value Added (NPV)

Institution Lifetime NPV
Vs Median Peer
Vs HS Grad
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
+$644k
+$178k
+$160k
Median Cost$49k/yr
+$469k
+$3k
-$15k
Full Cost$76k/yr
+$372k
-$95k
-$112k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
29
∞
Median Cost$49k/yr
Never
-9%
Full Cost$76k/yr
Never
-41%
Analysis Assumptions:
  • Starting Salary: Estimated from the 4-year post-graduation median earnings (assuming 2% annual growth from graduation).
  • Comparisons: "Vs Median Peer" compares to the median student nationwide in a similar level program. "Vs HS Grad" compares to a median high school graduate.
  • Break-Even: The age at which the college investment net income exceeds the median high school graduate's lifetime earnings.
  • NPV: Net Present Value of all future earnings minus costs and taxes, discounted at 7.8%.

Social Impact ROINew

Measures the societal return on a donor's investment. Calculated as the incremental pre-tax lifetime earnings vs. HS grad, divided by the tax-adjusted donation cost.

Donor Return14%

Gov. Pell Grant ROINew

Measures the government's return on Pell Grants via increased tax revenue. Calculated as the portion of incremental lifetime taxes (discounted at 5.4%) attributed to the Pell Grant investment.

Taxpayer Return-61%
Important Note: Your ROI with any major will depend on the cost you pay to attend the program, and your starting salary. Both vary significantly across institutions. We encourage you to explore the ROI of a specific program variant by selecting the Program title of the credential level you are interested in. You will then have a more detailed return analysis for programs at specific institutions. We also encourage you to use the ROI calculator, or for more sophisticated analysis, the Guided ROI Interview, with your specific estimates of cost and salary.

Program ROI Analysis

Bachelor's Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$77,401
Natl Median: $70,074
Lifetime Value Added
+$11k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $58,894
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$31,000
Earnings (4yr)
$76,093
Natl Median: $51,490
Lifetime Value Added
+$941
Median Debt
$35,636
Earnings (4yr)
$92,293
Natl Median: $89,619
Lifetime Value Added
+$125k
Median Debt
$28,750
Earnings (4yr)
$49,933
Natl Median: $43,765
Lifetime Value Added
-$206k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$33,073
Natl Median: $41,367
Lifetime Value Added
-$351k
Median Debt
$37,000
Earnings (2yr)
$38,289
Natl Median: $43,283
Lifetime Value Added
-$292k
Median Debt
$50,250
Earnings (4yr)
$90,188
Natl Median: $82,073
Lifetime Value Added
+$109k

Master's Degrees

Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $77,466
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $120,083
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $70,073
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $125,651
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$11,851
Natl Median: $51,486
Lifetime Value Added
-$676k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$30,188
Natl Median: $49,079
Lifetime Value Added
-$492k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $117,775
Lifetime Value Added
N/A

Note: Lifetime Value Added is the Net Present Value (NPV) of estimated career earnings relative to a median high school graduate (for undergraduate programs) or a median bachelor's degree holder (for graduate programs), accounting for this institution's average cost and taxes. Computed over a career to retirement age.

For graduate programs (Master's, Doctoral, etc.), the calculation assumes a starting age of 22 (after undergraduate completion) and does not include the sunk costs of prior degrees. It represents the value added of the graduate decision moving forward. Note that the institution's average undergraduate net price is used as a proxy for annual cost, which may differ from actual graduate tuition. These Lifetime Value Added results for graduate degrees should not be compared with those for Undergraduate Certificates, Associates or Bachelors.

Completers Only: Federal median earnings data strictly reflects outcomes for students who successfully graduated. Students who do not complete their degree typically earn significantly less and face higher risks of debt default.