Columbus College of Art & Design
Columbus, Ohio · Private Nonprofit · 67.7% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 19/100 · Poor Value
Columbus College of Art & Design (CCAD) lands at an ROI score of 19 out of 100, placing it firmly in the Poor Value tier. The math is unsentimental: $40,825 in sticker tuition, a net price of $29,439, and roughly $117,756 in projected 4-year cost run headlong into a median 6-year earnings figure of just $30,300 and 10-year earnings of $40,664. The payback period stretches to 45.5 years, which is not a typo so much as a structural feature of arts-conservatory pricing meeting visual-arts labor-market realities. The 55.6% completion rate is moderate, the repayment rate of 66.9% is mediocre, and the debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.891 means a typical graduate is carrying debt roughly equal to a year of pre-tax pay. CCAD is a specialized art school, and what looks bad on a generic ROI scoreboard is partly the visual-arts wage curve, but the cost stack still requires students to be clear-eyed: a credentialed pathway into design, illustration, or animation should not be financed primarily through loans at this price point.
The data raises concerns about Columbus College of Art & Design
These metrics fall below the thresholds most financial advisors recommend for a sound college investment. Review them carefully before committing.
- ROI Score19/100 - Poor Value tier (below 45). Most 4-year schools we track score 60 or higher.
- Payback period45.5 years - Most 4-year schools we track have payback periods of 4-10 years.
Columbus College of Art & Design
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $40,825/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $40,825/yr |
| Average net price | $29,439/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $117,756 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $40,664 |
| Median earnings (6yr post-entry) | $30,300 |
| Median debt at graduation | $27,000 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $286 |
| Estimated payback period | 45.5 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 55.6% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 882 |
Data as of 2024-2025. Source: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education).
The Full Financial Picture
The sticker price at Columbus College of Art & Design is $40,825/year. But sticker price isn't what most students pay. After grants, scholarships, and financial aid, the average student pays a net price of $29,439/year, or roughly $117,756 over four years.
That net price varies significantly by family income. The lowest-income families (under $30,000/year) pay an average of $24,204/year, while families earning over $110,000 pay $33,114/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 $40,664 ten years out, the debt-to-earnings ratio is 0.89 - 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 | $24,204 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $27,218 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $27,534 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $29,717 |
| $110,001+ | $33,114 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families earning under $30,000 face a net price of $24,204, the lowest bracket. That is genuine aid relative to sticker, but it still means $96,800 over four years for a household with little capacity to absorb cost. Pell and state grants help, but the math only works if the student avoids private loans and graduates on time into a design role rather than a fine-arts role.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
Households in the $48,001-$75,000 band pay $27,534, and $75,001-$110,000 families pay $29,717. The aid curve flattens quickly above $30K, so middle-income families effectively pay close to full net price. Layered against $30,300 median 6-year earnings, this is the bracket where CCAD's value proposition is weakest and federal loan caps will not cover the gap.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Families above $110,000 pay $33,114 net, just $7,711 below the $40,825 sticker. CCAD assumes high-income families can self-fund. For households that can write the check, debt is optional and the ROI conversation shifts to career fit; for those who cannot, parent PLUS borrowing at this price against arts-sector earnings is a structurally risky bet.
Earnings by Major
Top 4 most popular majors at Columbus College of Art & Design with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Design and Applied Arts | $48,204 | D |
| Graphic Communications | $33,389 | F |
| Fine and Studio Arts | $32,061 | F |
| Film/Video and Photographic Arts | $43,661 | 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.
Design and Applied Arts
The flagship program with 132 graduates, Design and Applied Arts posts $27,970 in 1-year earnings rising to $48,204 at 4 years. That trajectory is the strongest at CCAD and points toward graphic design, UX, and industrial-design roles where post-graduation experience compounds. The 0.965 debt-to-earnings ratio earns a D grade because $27,000 of debt is still roughly equal to year-one income. Students who graduate, build a portfolio, and land agency or in-house design roles can make this work; those who freelance or take adjacent retail roles will struggle.
Graphic Communications
With 52 graduates and a 1.343 debt-to-earnings ratio, Graphic Communications is the weakest program at CCAD by the numbers, earning an F grade. First-year earnings of $20,110 are subsistence-level against $27,000 of debt, and even 4-year earnings of $33,389 leave little room for loan service plus living expenses. The CIP designation suggests print-production and prepress pathways that the labor market has been compressing for two decades.
Film/Video and Photographic Arts
Film and Photography graduates earn $28,994 at year one and $43,661 at year four, with a 0.931 debt-to-earnings ratio and a D grade. The 15-graduate cohort is small, so the sample is noisy, but the curve is consistent with freelance and contract video work scaling into staff editor or DP roles. Students should pressure-test whether they want the freelance economics inherent to this field before borrowing.
Fine and Studio Arts
Fine and Studio Arts is the most cautionary program: 16 graduates, $25,751 in 1-year earnings, $32,061 at year four, and a 1.049 debt-to-earnings ratio that earns an F. Debt slightly exceeds first-year pay, and the 4-year ceiling barely covers cost of living in most metros. The fine-arts career path is largely portfolio and gallery-driven, not salary-driven, and Scorecard's earnings figures do not capture eventual exhibition or teaching income that may arrive later.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Nat'l Avg |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 62.0% | 52.0% |
| 3-year repayment | 66.9% | 62.0% |
| 5-year repayment | 65.5% | 68.0% |
| 7-year repayment | 68.7% | 72.0% |
Completion Rate
Admissions Snapshot
| Acceptance rate | 67.7% |
| Enrollment | 882 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 39.2% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $5,663 |
CCAD admits 67.7% of applicants, which signals a portfolio-driven, moderately open-access posture rather than a true selectivity filter. SAT and ACT mid-ranges are not reported in current Scorecard data, consistent with art-school admissions that weight portfolios over standardized tests. The 55.6% completion rate suggests that getting in is meaningfully easier than finishing, and prepared students with strong studio habits will fare best.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
Among Scorecard peers, CCAD sits in the bottom rung. Art Academy of Cincinnati is the most directly comparable institution, a specialized art college with similar pricing and similar earnings headwinds. Allegheny Wesleyan, Toccoa Falls, and Mars Hill are small private faith-affiliated colleges where ROI is also constrained but cost stacks are typically lower. Webber International is a small private business-leaning school whose 10-year earnings tend to outpace CCAD because of the business mix. The pattern: CCAD is priced like a comprehensive private, but earnings track the arts wage curve, which compresses its score versus peers with broader major mixes.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Columbus College of Art & Design (this school) | 19 | $29,439 | $40,664 |
| Minneapolis College of Art and Design | 19 | $29,926 | $40,873 |
| Kansas City Art Institute | 18 | $27,650 | $37,032 |
| Moore College of Art and Design | 18 | $43,086 | $37,839 |
| Pennsylvania College of Art and Design | 18 | $30,083 | $33,301 |
| Maine College of Art & Design | 17 | $38,338 | $40,778 |
Who Thrives Here
CCAD fits portfolio-ready students committed to a career in design, illustration, animation, or film who would otherwise enroll at a more expensive coastal art school. With 882 students, the studio-based community is intimate, and a 39.2% Pell rate signals real socioeconomic diversity. The fit weakens sharply for students who are unsure about an arts career or who would need to borrow heavily; the earnings ceiling for graphic communications grads ($33,389 at 4 years) cannot service $27,000 of debt comfortably. Strong fits are students with employer-ready portfolios and minimal borrowing.
The Verdict: The Numbers Don't Add Up
The financial data raises serious concerns about Columbus College of Art & Design. With a net cost of $29,439 per year and median graduate earnings of only $40,664 ten years out, the estimated payback period exceeds 45.5 years. For most students, the financial return does not justify the cost.
Areas of concern include weak earnings relative to cost and high debt relative to what graduates earn and concerning loan repayment rates and a long payback period.
Median debt of $27,000 against $40,664 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.