Boston Architectural College
Boston, Massachusetts · Private Nonprofit
ROI Score: 43/100 · Poor Value
Boston Architectural College earns a 43/100 ROI score and a Poor Value tier -- a result that requires context. BAC is a unique institution: a private, professional architecture school with a longstanding tradition of pairing rigorous design education with concurrent paid practice (the 'concurrent learning' model where students work in architecture firms while studying). Median earnings six years after entry are $40,200, climbing to $62,123 by year ten. The earnings premium of 26.2% is solid (58/100). Net price averages $25,865 against a $27,470 sticker -- limited institutional aid. Total four-year cost is $103,460, but BAC's program is typically 5+ years for the full B.Arch credential. Median federal debt is $37,250 -- the highest in this batch -- producing a brutal 0.927 debt-to-earnings ratio (the school's worst sub-score at 7/100). The implied payback period is 9 years, helped by reasonable mid-career earnings. Completion is 31.6%, very weak -- though BAC's working-student population means many take longer than 6 years to complete (Scorecard's measurement window) and aren't captured as completers. Repayment is 77% three-year, decent but falling to 55% five-year. Honest read: BAC's specialized architecture pipeline produces real career outcomes for students who complete, but the debt load is severe, and only a third of starters finish on standard timelines. Prospective architecture students should compare against Northeastern's co-op architecture program or a state-school B.Arch.
The data raises concerns about Boston Architectural College
These metrics fall below the thresholds most financial advisors recommend for a sound college investment. Review them carefully before committing.
- ROI Score43/100 - Poor Value tier (below 45). Most 4-year schools we track score 60 or higher.
- 6-year graduation rate31.6% - Well below the 60% national average. Non-completion is the fastest route to negative ROI.
Boston Architectural College
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $27,470/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $27,470/yr |
| Average net price | $25,865/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $103,460 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $62,123 |
| Median earnings (6yr post-entry) | $40,200 |
| Median debt at graduation | $37,250 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $395 |
| Estimated payback period | 9 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 31.6% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 280 |
Data as of 2024-2025. Source: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education).
The Full Financial Picture
The sticker price at Boston Architectural College is $27,470/year. But sticker price isn't what most students pay. After grants, scholarships, and financial aid, the average student pays a net price of $25,865/year, or roughly $103,460 over four years.
That net price varies significantly by family income. The lowest-income families (under $30,000/year) pay an average of $24,056/year, while families earning over $110,000 pay N/A/year.
The median graduate leaves with $37,250 in federal loan debt, translating to an estimated monthly payment of $395 on a standard 10-year repayment plan. Against median earnings of $62,123 ten years out, the debt-to-earnings ratio is 0.93 - within the recommended range but worth monitoring.
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 | $24,056 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $14,348 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $30,097 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $34,343 |
| $110,001+ | N/A |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families earning under $30,000 pay $24,056 net price. Note bracket inversion: the $30K-$48K bracket pays $14,348, dramatically less than the lowest-income bracket -- a major data anomaly. This pattern is unusual and likely reflects small-cohort statistical noise (BAC's tiny enrollment) plus targeted scholarship programs. Pell-eligible families should run BAC's own net-price calculator rather than rely on aggregated brackets.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
Middle-income brackets pay $14,348 ($30K-$48K), $30,097 ($48K-$75K), and $34,343 ($75K-$110K). The aid curve zigzags with the inversion noted above, then rises sharply -- families just above the $30K-$48K range face the steepest cliff in the school's aid structure. The $48K-$75K bracket pays $30K+ net, expensive for a 5-year program.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
The $110K+ bracket is null -- not enough students at this income level enroll to produce reliable bracket data, consistent with BAC's working-adult demographic. Families considering BAC at high income should run the net-price calculator. With $62,123 ten-year median earnings, the financial case for BAC at $30K+ annual net cost relies on the architecture-licensure career payoff.
Earnings by Major
Top 1 most popular majors at Boston Architectural College with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Architecture | $82,268 | D |
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.
Architecture
Architecture is BAC's entire program. Graduates earn $55,079 one year out and $82,268 four years out -- reasonable architecture-career trajectories given Massachusetts and Boston firm wages. Median debt is $53,192 (well above the school median because architecture students borrow more heavily than the working-adult cohort), producing a brutal 0.966 debt-to-earnings ratio (D grade). 16 graduates per cohort. The architecture profession's structural reality -- long path to licensure, capped early-career wages -- makes this debt level financially difficult. Students should pursue this credential only with a clear path to licensure and ideally with concurrent employment to limit borrowing.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Nat'l Avg |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 76.8% | 52.0% |
| 3-year repayment | 76.5% | 62.0% |
| 5-year repayment | 54.7% | 68.0% |
| 7-year repayment | 63.2% | 72.0% |
Completion Rate
Admissions Snapshot
| Enrollment | 280 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 28.8% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $7,127 |
BAC's admission rate is not reported in current Scorecard data, consistent with portfolio-based admissions where small applicant pools and rolling decisions produce reporting gaps. SAT and ACT mid-ranges are also not reported because the school evaluates portfolios rather than test scores. The 31.6% completion rate is weak by any measure but partially reflects the unusual concurrent-learning model: students who work full-time while studying often take 7-10 years to complete, falling outside the 6-year measurement window.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
BAC's peer set is largely irrelevant: it includes American International College, Amherst College, John Paul the Great Catholic University, Methodist College, and Warner Pacific University -- none of which are architecture schools. Amherst is wildly mis-categorized in this list (a top-10 liberal arts college). More appropriate comparators would be other architecture-focused institutions like Pratt Institute, Rhode Island School of Design (architecture program), or California College of the Arts. Within professional architecture education BAC is mid-pack on cost and below average on completion.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boston Architectural College (this school) | 43 | $25,865 | $62,123 |
| Amherst College | 90 | $23,367 | $77,644 |
| Methodist College | 46 | $41,787 | $69,800 |
| John Paul the Great Catholic University | 46 | $34,666 | $56,930 |
| Warner Pacific University | 43 | $25,629 | $55,204 |
| American International College | 38 | $23,274 | $53,124 |
Who Thrives Here
BAC enrolls just 280 undergraduates with a 28.8% Pell rate. The student body is heavily working-adult and career-changer professionals already employed in design or construction fields, drawn by BAC's unique work-while-studying model and NAAB-accredited B.Arch credential. The fit profile is narrow but clear: students with active employment in architecture or related design fields who can leverage BAC's concurrent-learning structure. Traditional 18-year-old architecture aspirants would do better at university B.Arch programs (Northeastern, Syracuse, Cornell) where the cohort experience and structured curriculum produce stronger completion rates.
The Verdict: The Numbers Don't Add Up
The financial data raises serious concerns about Boston Architectural College. With a net cost of $25,865 per year and median graduate earnings of only $62,123 ten years out, the estimated payback period exceeds 9 years. For most students, the financial return does not justify the cost.
Areas of concern include a 31.6% graduation rate and high debt relative to what graduates earn.
Median debt of $37,250 against $62,123 in earnings is reasonable, though major choice matters significantly. Students in higher-earning programs will see better returns.
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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.