Full Sail University
Winter Park, Florida · Private For-Profit
ROI Score: 13/100 · Poor Value
Full Sail University earns a 13/100 ROI score and a Poor Value tier -- one of the lowest scores in our database. The numbers are stark across every dimension. Net price averages $38,875 (notably higher than its $26,906 sticker tuition because for-profit student-aid economics push net cost up via fees and supplies), translating to $155,500 in total four-year cost. Median earnings six years after entry are $34,200, climbing only marginally to $38,219 by year ten -- almost no career-progression lift. The earnings premium over a high-school graduate is just 2.1%, the lowest sub-score on the report. The implied payback period is 91.8 years, which is the algorithm's polite way of saying earnings effectively never recoup cost. Median federal debt sits at $27,000, but program-level debt for the heavy-volume creative majors runs $40,000-$45,000. The repayment record is among the worst in the database: only 33% of borrowers are making progress at five years, and 7-year repayment is just 56%. Completion is 44.3%, weak by any measure. The program-mix story is brutal: a few small computer-science cohorts post B/B+ grades, but the school's identity programs -- audiovisual technology, design, film, human-computer interaction, music -- post F grades at high graduate volumes. Honest framing: Full Sail markets a creative-industry pipeline, but the data shows graduates routinely carry six-figure four-year costs against earnings that don't differ meaningfully from non-degree-holders.
The data raises concerns about Full Sail University
These metrics fall below the thresholds most financial advisors recommend for a sound college investment. Review them carefully before committing.
- ROI Score13/100 - Poor Value tier (below 45). Most 4-year schools we track score 60 or higher.
- Payback period>50 years - Graduates earn at or near the level of high school completers — the cost may not recoup within a working career.
Full Sail University
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $26,906/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $26,906/yr |
| Average net price | $38,875/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $155,500 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $38,219 |
| Median earnings (6yr post-entry) | $34,200 |
| Median debt at graduation | $27,000 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $286 |
| Estimated payback period | >50 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 44.3% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 25,777 |
Data as of 2024-2025. Source: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education).
The Full Financial Picture
The sticker price at Full Sail University is $26,906/year. But sticker price isn't what most students pay. After grants, scholarships, and financial aid, the average student pays a net price of $38,875/year, or roughly $155,500 over four years.
That net price varies significantly by family income. The lowest-income families (under $30,000/year) pay an average of $38,738/year, while families earning over $110,000 pay $41,762/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 $38,219 ten years out, the debt-to-earnings ratio is 0.79 - 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 | $38,738 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $38,162 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $38,181 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $40,236 |
| $110,001+ | $41,762 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families earning under $30,000 pay $38,738 net price -- comparable to what middle-income families pay, indicating Full Sail's aid does not scale to need. Across four years, that's $154,952 -- well over five years of household income for the lowest bracket. Pell-eligible students should treat enrollment here as financially incompatible with their resources unless pursuing one of the small CS-track programs.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
Middle-income brackets pay $38,162 ($30K-$48K), $38,181 ($48K-$75K), and $40,236 ($75K-$110K). The aid curve is essentially flat, meaning the school provides almost no need-based discounting. A $48K-$75K family ends up financing the same $152,000 four-year price as a $30K family.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Households above $110,000 pay $41,762. Note the inversion across the income gradient: Full Sail's net price RISES with income but only by about $3,000 from the lowest bracket to the highest -- effectively no discounting in either direction. Higher-income families are paying $167,048 over four years against $38,219 ten-year median earnings. The math does not work for any income tier outside of CS-track students.
Earnings by Major
Top 10 most popular majors at Full Sail University with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Film/Video and Photographic Arts | $33,579 | F |
| Human Computer Interaction | $45,823 | F |
| Audiovisual Communications Technologies/Technicians | $44,012 | F |
| Visual and Performing Arts | $36,870 | F |
| Design and Applied Arts | $44,962 | F |
| Music | $39,466 | F |
| Fine and Studio Arts | $38,124 | F |
| Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies | $33,429 | F |
| Arts, Entertainment, and Media Management | $38,847 | F |
| Communications Technologies | $36,898 | 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.
Computer Engineering
Computer engineering is Full Sail's strongest program. Graduates earn $61,553 one year out and $93,410 four years out, against $20,500 median debt -- a 0.333 debt-to-earnings ratio and a B+ ROI grade. With 76 graduates this is also a meaningful cohort. The program demonstrates that Full Sail can deliver real outcomes when the major is technical and labor-market demand is high; CS-track applicants are the one subset of prospective students for whom the numbers defend enrollment.
Computer Science
Computer science graduates earn $50,359 one year out and $77,512 four years out, against $19,875 median debt -- a 0.395 debt-to-earnings ratio (B grade). With 104 graduates per cohort, this is one of the larger CS programs at any for-profit institution. The earnings trajectory is strong relative to the program cost, making this and computer engineering Full Sail's two genuinely defensible pathways.
Film/Video and Photographic Arts
Film/video graduates earn $24,078 one year out, climbing only to $33,579 four years out. Median debt is $27,000 with a 1.121 debt-to-earnings ratio -- F grade. With 594 graduates, this is one of the largest cohorts at the school, and the financial outcomes are poor. Students pursuing this path on financed tuition are most likely to end up in a worse financial position than peers who skipped college.
Audiovisual Communications Technologies/Technicians
Audiovisual graduates earn $30,014 one year out and $44,012 four years out, against $43,000 median debt -- a 1.433 debt-to-earnings ratio (F grade). 508 graduates per cohort makes this a flagship program by volume. The combination of $43K debt and $30K starting earnings is exactly the for-profit-college pattern federal regulators have flagged for years.
Human Computer Interaction
HCI graduates earn $26,924 one year out and $45,823 four years out, with $33,471 median debt and a 1.243 debt-to-earnings ratio (F grade). 572 graduates per cohort. The program shares a name with high-paying UX/design tracks at top universities but produces dramatically weaker outcomes here -- a useful illustration that program titles, not job-market signal, drive Full Sail's marketing.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Nat'l Avg |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 39.7% | 52.0% |
| 3-year repayment | 44.7% | 62.0% |
| 5-year repayment | 32.9% | 68.0% |
| 7-year repayment | 55.8% | 72.0% |
Completion Rate
Admissions Snapshot
| Enrollment | 25,777 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 33.8% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $5,970 |
Full Sail's admission rate is not reported in current Scorecard data, consistent with for-profit institutions that effectively operate open-enrollment models. SAT/ACT mid-ranges are also not reported because the school does not require standardized testing. The combination of broad enrollment access, a 44.3% completion rate, and 33% five-year repayment progress paints a clear picture: this is an enrollment-volume model, and the financial outcomes for students reflect that.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
Full Sail's peer set includes South University West Palm Beach, Strayer University Florida, Colorado Technical University Colorado Springs, Ashford University, and Post University -- a uniformly for-profit cohort. Within this group Full Sail's 13 ROI is among the lowest, primarily because its program mix concentrates in low-earning creative-arts fields while peers (Strayer, CTU, Ashford) skew toward business and IT where outcomes are modestly less catastrophic. None of these institutions deliver acceptable ROI; this is a peer set defined by structural underperformance.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full Sail University (this school) | 13 | $38,875 | $38,219 |
| Herzing University-Minneapolis | 16 | $16,670 | $36,909 |
| Strayer University-Virginia | 11 | $19,578 | $40,092 |
| Strayer University-Tennessee | 11 | $11,645 | $40,092 |
| South University-Richmond | 11 | $30,442 | $34,421 |
| Strayer University-Georgia | 9 | $18,318 | $40,092 |
Who Thrives Here
Full Sail enrolls 25,777 students with a 33.8% Pell rate -- a large for-profit serving a meaningfully low-income population. The school markets aggressively to creative-industry aspirants. The fit profile that the data actually supports: students enrolling in computer engineering or computer science (B/B+ grades, 60-100 graduates per cohort) where earnings genuinely materialize. For prospective film, animation, music, or graphic-design students, the data is unambiguous: outcomes are poor, debt is heavy, and community college plus targeted self-directed portfolio work delivers similar or better results at a fraction of the cost.
The Verdict: The Numbers Don't Add Up
The financial data raises serious concerns about Full Sail University. With a net cost of $38,875 per year and median graduate earnings of only $38,219 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 44.3% 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 $38,219 in earnings is concerning. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.71 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.