College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
Back to Colleges

Fashion Institute of Technology

New York, NY 7,637 Undergrads 85.3% Grad Rate
Share
Total Cost
$26,838
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$19,095
After Aid
Median Earnings
$59,839
4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$19,095
Peer Midpoint: $20,081
Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)Completers only after graduation
$59,839
Peer Midpoint: $60,428
Earnings (10yr Post-Enroll)All enrolled after enrollment
$62,696
Peer Midpoint: $53,763
Graduation Rate85.3%
Peer Midpoint: 58.9%
Average Starting Age21.3
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients33.2%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time90.1%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS71.5%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
60.2%
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
+$534k
+$68k
+$50k
Median Cost$19k/yr
+$466k
-$1k
-$19k
Full Cost$27k/yr
+$438k
-$29k
-$47k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
38
Median Cost$19k/yr
Never
-27%
Full Cost$27k/yr
Never
-48%
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 Return10%

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-49%
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

Associate's Degrees

Apparel and Textiles
AssocCIP: 1909
Median Debt
$11,000
Earnings (4yr)
$58,876
Natl Median: $45,422
Lifetime Value Added
+$99k
Median Debt
$12,000
Earnings (4yr)
$51,622
Natl Median: $48,733
Lifetime Value Added
+$29k
Median Debt
$11,640
Earnings (4yr)
$45,096
Natl Median: $38,127
Lifetime Value Added
-$36k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$31,862
Natl Median: $33,186
Lifetime Value Added
-$170k
Fine and Studio Arts
AssocCIP: 5007
Median Debt
$12,000
Earnings (4yr)
$30,454
Natl Median: $31,650
Lifetime Value Added
-$184k
Marketing
AssocCIP: 5214
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $44,264
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$11,000
Earnings (4yr)
$54,879
Natl Median: $53,309
Lifetime Value Added
+$60k
Median Debt
$10,500
Earnings (4yr)
$60,504
Natl Median: $53,002
Lifetime Value Added
+$114k

Bachelor's Degrees

Median Debt
$19,500
Earnings (4yr)
$71,139
Natl Median: $57,640
Lifetime Value Added
+$69k
Arts, Entertainment, and Media Management
BachCIP: 5010
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
$53,710
Natl Median: $48,240
Lifetime Value Added
-$69k
Median Debt
$23,033
Earnings (4yr)
$60,882
Natl Median: $51,490
Lifetime Value Added
-$10k
Median Debt
$19,028
Earnings (4yr)
$49,627
Natl Median: $61,027
Lifetime Value Added
-$103k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $43,765
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$25,500
Earnings (4yr)
$39,930
Natl Median: $41,367
Lifetime Value Added
-$185k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$14,627
Natl Median: $43,283
Lifetime Value Added
-$403k
Marketing
BachCIP: 5214
Median Debt
$15,500
Earnings (4yr)
$67,002
Natl Median: $69,303
Lifetime Value Added
+$38k
Median Debt
$20,500
Earnings (4yr)
$69,954
Natl Median: $63,560
Lifetime Value Added
+$60k
Median Debt
$19,905
Earnings (4yr)
$70,727
Natl Median: $59,631
Lifetime Value Added
+$66k

Master's Degrees

Arts, Entertainment, and Media Management
MastCIP: 5010
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $59,685
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (2yr)
$39,369
Natl Median: $70,073
Lifetime Value Added
-$330k
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $49,079
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $97,121
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
$41,000
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $53,692
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $120,246
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.