California College of ASU
Los Angeles, California · Private Nonprofit
ROI Score: 14/100 · Poor Value
California College of ASU is a tiny nonprofit film school in Los Angeles, scoring 14 in the Poor Value tier. The structural problem is the mismatch between cost and outcomes. Tuition is $25,186, net price after aid is $17,683, and four-year total runs $70,732. Ten-year median earnings of $42,014 produce only a 9.9 percent earnings premium over a high-school graduate, suggesting graduates are not earning meaningfully more than peers who skipped college. Median federal debt is $25,000 and the debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.929 sits at the edge of unmanageable. Payback runs 30 years. Repayment metrics are especially weak: 33.9 percent at one year, 42.9 percent at three years, climbing to 58.2 percent at seven years - many borrowers struggle to make principal progress even years out. Completion is 37.2 percent. Enrollment is just 71 students total, the smallest in this batch by a wide margin. The 46.3 percent Pell rate suggests low-income students taking on this debt for an art-school credential whose labor-market signal is weak. This is a high-risk enrollment with a 1.38 program-level debt-to-earnings ratio.
The data raises concerns about California College of ASU
These metrics fall below the thresholds most financial advisors recommend for a sound college investment. Review them carefully before committing.
- ROI Score14/100 - Poor Value tier (below 45). Most 4-year schools we track score 60 or higher.
- 6-year graduation rate37.2% - Well below the 60% national average. Non-completion is the fastest route to negative ROI.
- Payback period30 years - Most 4-year schools we track have payback periods of 4-10 years.
California College of ASU
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $25,186/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $25,186/yr |
| Average net price | $17,683/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $70,732 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $42,014 |
| Median earnings (6yr post-entry) | $26,900 |
| Median debt at graduation | $25,000 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $265 |
| Estimated payback period | 30 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 37.2% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 71 |
Data as of 2024-2025. Source: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education).
The Full Financial Picture
The sticker price at California College of ASU is $25,186/year. But sticker price isn't what most students pay. After grants, scholarships, and financial aid, the average student pays a net price of $17,683/year, or roughly $70,732 over four years.
That net price varies significantly by family income. The lowest-income families (under $30,000/year) pay an average of $15,386/year, while families earning over $110,000 pay N/A/year.
The median graduate leaves with $25,000 in federal loan debt, translating to an estimated monthly payment of $265 on a standard 10-year repayment plan. Against median earnings of $42,014 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 | $15,386 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $19,980 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | N/A |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | N/A |
| $110,001+ | N/A |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families under $30,000 pay $15,386 per year net, about $61,500 over four years. Pell ($7,395 max) plus Cal Grant covers a meaningful share, but federal Direct loans still need to fill a substantial gap. Given the negative earnings outcomes for film graduates, this borrowing is high-risk for low-income students who cannot rely on family fallback.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
Households at $30,001 to $48,000 pay $19,980 - higher than the under-$30K bracket. The Pell phase-out drives this jump. Higher income brackets are not reported, indicating effectively no enrollment from $48,001 and above. This is concentrated low-income enrollment funded through Pell plus loans.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Net price for $48,001 and higher income brackets is not reported, meaning California College of ASU essentially does not enroll students from middle or upper-middle income families. The student body is overwhelmingly low-income, which is exactly the demographic least able to absorb a film-school credential's earnings risk.
Earnings by Major
Top 1 most popular majors at California College of ASU with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Film/Video and Photographic Arts | $40,359 | 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.
Film/Video and Photographic Arts
Film/Video and Photographic Arts is the entire program at this school with 75 graduates. The financial picture is brutal: one-year earnings of $20,483 climb to $40,359 by year four, against $28,334 median debt - a 1.383 debt-to-earnings ratio and F grade. LA's film and entertainment industry is intensely competitive and largely networking-driven; the California College of ASU brand does not open the doors that USC, UCLA, AFI, or Chapman do. Students serious about film should weigh community college film programs (LA City College, Santa Monica College) which offer comparable production training at a fraction of the cost, with transfer pipelines into UC and Cal State film majors.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Nat'l Avg |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 33.9% | 52.0% |
| 3-year repayment | 42.9% | 62.0% |
| 5-year repayment | 47.8% | 68.0% |
| 7-year repayment | 58.2% | 72.0% |
Completion Rate
Admissions Snapshot
| Enrollment | 71 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 46.3% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $6,132 |
Admission rate is not reported in current Scorecard data, and no SAT or ACT mid-ranges are available. As a small specialty arts institution, the school likely uses portfolio review and interview-based admission rather than standardized testing. Selectivity is essentially self-selection through the application process; meaningful gatekeeping appears absent.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
Peer set is mission-mixed: Art Center College of Design is a much larger, more prestigious LA-area art school (consistently better ROI); Azusa Pacific is a Christian comprehensive university (significantly better ROI); Oak Hills Christian, Yeshivah Gedolah Rabbinical, and Caribbean University-Carolina are all small denominational or religious institutions with similarly weak ROI metrics. The closest fair comparison is Art Center, which California College of ASU does not match in either selectivity or outcomes.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| California College of ASU (this school) | 14 | $17,683 | $42,014 |
| Moore College of Art and Design | 18 | $43,086 | $37,839 |
| Maine College of Art & Design | 17 | $38,338 | $40,778 |
| Northwest College of Art & Design | 17 | $16,418 | $31,167 |
| Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts | 14 | $42,454 | $29,881 |
| Montserrat College of Art | 13 | $33,216 | $33,022 |
Who Thrives Here
California College of ASU fits LA-based aspiring filmmakers and photographers seeking a small-cohort program connected to the ASU brand. Enrollment of just 71 students supports a hands-on workshop environment. The 46.3 percent Pell rate suggests substantial low-income enrollment - exactly the population that should be most cautious about $70K total cost for film-school credentials with weak earnings outcomes. Students should consider whether community college transfer paths to UCLA, Cal State LA, or USC's open-enrollment courses would deliver comparable industry connections at far lower cost.
The Verdict: The Numbers Don't Add Up
The financial data raises serious concerns about California College of ASU. With a net cost of $17,683 per year and median graduate earnings of only $42,014 ten years out, the estimated payback period exceeds 30 years. For most students, the financial return does not justify the cost.
Areas of concern include weak earnings relative to cost and a 37.2% graduation rate and high debt relative to what graduates earn and concerning loan repayment rates and a long payback period.
Median debt of $25,000 against $42,014 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.