Art Academy of Cincinnati
Cincinnati, Ohio · Private Nonprofit · 34.5% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 9/100 · Poor Value
Art Academy of Cincinnati posts an ROI score of 9 out of 100, landing it firmly in the Poor Value tier. The numbers tell a stark story: median earnings six years after entry sit at just $25,700, and the federal Scorecard reports a paybackPeriodYears of 999 -- our convention for 'earnings never recoup the cost of attendance.' With a debt-to-earnings ratio of 1.051, typical graduates owe more in student debt ($27,000 median) than they earn in a full year of work. Net price is $34,253 against a $41,375 sticker, producing a $137,012 four-year all-in cost that is hard to defend on financial grounds alone. The completion rate of 41.3% is the most damaging input -- fewer than half of entering students finish, meaning most enrollees absorb cost and debt without earning the credential. The 58% three-year repayment rate confirms that many alumni struggle to make progress on loans. This is a small, mission-driven art school, not a value-optimized investment, and the federal data reflects that. Families considering AAC should treat the financial outcome as a known headwind rather than a surprise.
The data raises concerns about Art Academy of Cincinnati
These metrics fall below the thresholds most financial advisors recommend for a sound college investment. Review them carefully before committing.
- ROI Score9/100 - Poor Value tier (below 45). Most 4-year schools we track score 60 or higher.
- Debt-to-earnings1.05 - Advisors recommend total student debt stay below one year of salary (ratio under 1.0).
- Payback period>50 years - Graduates earn at or near the level of high school completers — the cost may not recoup within a working career.
Art Academy of Cincinnati
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $41,375/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $41,375/yr |
| Average net price | $34,253/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $137,012 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $34,368 |
| Median earnings (6yr post-entry) | $25,700 |
| Median debt at graduation | $27,000 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $286 |
| Estimated payback period | >50 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 41.3% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 205 |
Data as of 2024-2025. Source: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education).
The Full Financial Picture
The sticker price at Art Academy of Cincinnati is $41,375/year. But sticker price isn't what most students pay. After grants, scholarships, and financial aid, the average student pays a net price of $34,253/year, or roughly $137,012 over four years.
That net price varies significantly by family income. The lowest-income families (under $30,000/year) pay an average of $33,835/year, while families earning over $110,000 pay $36,786/year.
The median graduate leaves with $27,000 in federal loan debt, translating to an estimated monthly payment of $286 on a standard 10-year repayment plan. Against median earnings of $34,368 ten years out, the debt-to-earnings ratio is 1.05 - above the recommended threshold where total debt should not exceed first-year salary.
Net Price by Family Income
What families actually pay after grants and scholarships, by income bracket.
| Family Income | Avg Net Price/Year |
|---|---|
| $0 - $30,000 | $33,835 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $26,702 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $34,052 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $41,927 |
| $110,001+ | $36,786 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families earning $0-$30,000 face a net price of $33,835 -- nearly the school's full net price average and well above what need-based aid typically covers at better-endowed peers. With median earnings at $25,700 six years out, this bracket is the most exposed: borrowing the four-year gap is likely, and repayment will be slow. Maximize Pell, state grants, and external scholarships before committing.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
The $30,001-$48,000 bracket pays the lowest net price at $26,702, the only price point where the math is meaningfully better than sticker. Even so, a four-year cost north of $107,000 against $25,700 median earnings makes outcomes shaky. This bracket sees the most aid leverage and should compare aid offers against in-state public alternatives carefully.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Brackets above $48,000 actually pay more than lower-income peers -- $34,052, $41,927, and $36,786 across the three upper tiers. The $75,001-$110,000 tier paying $41,927 (above the $41,375 sticker) is anomalous and likely reflects merit-aid distribution skewed toward portfolio quality rather than income. Higher-income families should treat AAC as a near-full-pay decision.
Earnings by Major
Top 2 most popular majors at Art Academy of Cincinnati with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Design and Applied Arts | $42,224 | F |
| Fine and Studio Arts | $31,166 | F |
Earnings reflect median 4-year post-completion (or 1-year where 4-year unavailable). Grades based on debt-to-earnings ratio.
Program Analysis
Why these programs deliver their earnings outcomes.
Design and Applied Arts
Design and Applied Arts is the larger of AAC's two reported programs with 21 graduates. First-year median earnings of $20,921 are well below a living wage in most metros, and four-year out earnings of $42,224 show the slow income ramp typical of design careers. Median debt of $27,000 against year-one earnings yields a debt-to-earnings ratio of 1.291, earning an ROI grade of F. Graduates pursuing freelance illustration, graphic design, or studio practice should expect 4-6 years before earnings catch up to debt service comfortably.
Fine and Studio Arts
Fine and Studio Arts graduates just 9 students per year. First-year earnings of $13,252 are among the lowest reported in the Scorecard for any four-year program, and four-year out earnings of $31,166 remain modest. With a debt-to-earnings ratio of 2.037 -- meaning debt is more than double first-year earnings -- this program also receives an F. Career paths in studio fine arts (painting, sculpture, photography) typically depend on supplemental income, gallery representation, or graduate study, none of which the early-career earnings figures capture.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Nat'l Avg |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 55.1% | 52.0% |
| 3-year repayment | 58.0% | 62.0% |
| 5-year repayment | 58.8% | 68.0% |
| 7-year repayment | 64.0% | 72.0% |
Completion Rate
Admissions Snapshot
| Acceptance rate | 34.5% |
| Enrollment | 205 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 50.6% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $5,527 |
AAC reports a 34.5% admission rate, which is moderately selective on paper but largely a function of self-selection -- prospective students typically arrive with a strong portfolio focus rather than competing on test scores. SAT and ACT mid-ranges are not reported in current Scorecard data, consistent with the school's portfolio-driven review. Admit rate alone does not explain the 41% completion rate; cost and earnings outcomes likely drive attrition more than academic mismatch.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
Among AAC's named peers, Montserrat College of Art is the most directly comparable -- another small, private art school facing similar earnings ceilings in fine and applied arts careers. Ashland University, a comprehensive Ohio private, generally posts stronger completion and earnings figures because of its broader program mix including business and nursing. Allegheny Wesleyan College and Great Lakes Christian College are tiny, faith-based institutions whose ROI profiles also struggle with low earnings outcomes. Saint Augustine's University, an HBCU in North Carolina, faces its own completion challenges. AAC's score of 9 sits within the bottom band shared by several of these peers, reflecting structural earnings limits in arts and small-college economics rather than a school-specific failure.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Art Academy of Cincinnati (this school) | 9 | $34,253 | $34,368 |
| California College of ASU | 14 | $17,683 | $42,014 |
| Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts | 14 | $42,454 | $29,881 |
| Montserrat College of Art | 13 | $33,216 | $33,022 |
| Pacific Northwest College of Art | 7 | $35,785 | $34,883 |
| Nossi College of Art and Design | 6 | $24,044 | $35,113 |
Who Thrives Here
AAC enrolls just 205 students, with a Pell Grant rate of 50.6% -- meaning roughly half of undergraduates come from lower-income households and qualify for need-based federal aid. This is a very small, urban, studio-intensive environment in Cincinnati's Over-the-Rhine arts district. The right student here is one with a clear creative vocation, realistic expectations about post-graduation earnings in design and fine arts, and ideally either substantial scholarship support or family resources that limit borrowing. Students who borrow at the median $27,000 will face debt-to-earnings ratios above 1.0 in the early career, which is a difficult financial position regardless of artistic merit.
The Verdict: The Numbers Don't Add Up
The financial data raises serious concerns about Art Academy of Cincinnati. With a net cost of $34,253 per year and median graduate earnings of only $34,368 ten years out, the estimated payback period exceeds >50 years. For most students, the financial return does not justify the cost.
Areas of concern include weak earnings relative to cost and a 41.3% graduation rate and high debt relative to what graduates earn and concerning loan repayment rates and a long payback period.
Median debt of $27,000 against $34,368 in earnings is concerning. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.79 exceeds the commonly recommended threshold. Major choice is critical here.
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Data: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education)
Vintage: 2024-2025 · Last updated: 2026-03-25
Earnings reflect median outcomes for all federal financial aid recipients. Individual results vary by major, effort, and career path.