Kansas City Art Institute
Kansas City, Missouri · Private Nonprofit · 54.8% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 18/100 · Below Benchmark
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Kansas City Art Institute (KCAI) scores 18 (Below Benchmark) on the CampusROI scale. The numbers are harsh for an institution with $44,550 sticker tuition and a $27,650 net price: average 6-year earnings of $26,300, a payback period of 123.3 years, debt-to-earnings ratio of 1.027, and a completion rate of 58.0%. Median debt of $27,000 exceeds the full first-year median earnings. The Scorecard reports only four programs: Design ($29,513 year-one, ROI grade D), Fine and Studio Arts ($22,906 year-one, ROI grade F), Film/Video and Photographic Arts ($22,619 year-one, ROI grade F), and Graphic Communications ($17,852 year-one, ROI grade F). All four carry debt-to-earnings ratios above 0.9; three are above 1.0. The repayment rate of 69.1% at three years indicates a meaningful share of graduates are not keeping up with loan payments. KCAI is a specialized art school with a mission that extends beyond financial return - the credential has value in Kansas City's creative economy and in portfolio-based career paths that Scorecard earnings do not fully capture. However, prospective students and their families should confront the earnings data directly: average earnings six years after enrollment are $26,300, and median debt of $27,000 does not go away.
How Kansas City Art Institute scores under our methodology
These are the College Scorecard measures that pull this school's CampusROI score down. They describe the published figures, not the quality of the education, and they are our reading of the data. Check them against your own aid offer and intended major.
- ROI Score18/100 - Below Benchmark tier of our scale (below 45). For context, 38% of the schools we score reach 60 or higher.
- Debt-to-earnings1.03 - Median debt is larger than one year of average earnings six years after entry (a ratio above 1.0).
- Payback period>50 years - In our estimate, the earnings premium over a high school completer is small next to the cost, so the cost may not be recouped within a working career.
Kansas City Art Institute
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $44,550/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $44,550/yr |
| Average net price | $27,650/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $110,600 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $37,032 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $26,300 |
| Median debt at graduation | $27,000 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $286 |
| Estimated payback period | >50 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 58.0% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 812 |
Data as of 2024-2025. Source: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education).
The Full Financial Picture
The first number you'll see is the sticker price: $44,550/year, which covers tuition and fees only. After grants, scholarships, and aid, the average student here pays a net price of $27,650/year, or roughly $110,600 over four years. That's the number to plan around.
What you actually pay depends a lot on what your family earns. Families making under $30,000/year pay an average of $26,293/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $30,840/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $27,000, which works out to about $286 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($26,300) and comes to 1.03, 1.0 or higher, meaning median debt is at least a full year of those earnings.
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 | $26,293 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $25,105 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $27,663 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $29,943 |
| $110,001+ | $30,840 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
The 0-30000 bracket pays $26,293 per year at KCAI - nearly the school's entire average 6-year earnings figure as an annual cost. Four years at $26,293 totals $105,172. Average 6-year earnings are $26,300.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
The 48001-75000 bracket pays $27,663 and the 75001-110000 bracket pays $29,943. Middle-income families face essentially the same cost as low-income families - the aid formula provides minimal differentiation across income bands at KCAI. At $27,000-$29,943 annually, four-year cost runs $108,000-$119,772 against average 6-year earnings of $26,300.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
The 110001-plus bracket pays $30,840 per year - the highest tier, and barely above the lower-income brackets. KCAI's aid model does not significantly reward higher family income with lower prices. For high-income families, the question is whether the KCAI credential and experience justify $123,360 in four-year cost against labor market outcomes that the Scorecard data do not support.
Earnings by Major
Top 4 most popular majors at Kansas City Art Institute with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Fine and Studio Arts | $37,718 | F |
| Design and Applied Arts | $43,070 | D |
| Graphic Communications | $30,798 | F |
| Film/Video and Photographic Arts | $34,253 | 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 KCAI's best-performing program in earnings terms: 46 graduates, $29,513 year-one, $43,070 year-four, debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.915 (ROI grade D). Even the best program at KCAI carries a D grade. Median debt of $27,000 at $29,513 year-one earnings means debt exceeds annual income. Four-year earnings of $43,070 show progression but remain modest. Design careers in Kansas City and regional markets offer limited salary growth relative to national design hubs.
Fine and Studio Arts
Fine and Studio Arts (62 graduates) earns $22,906 year-one and $37,718 year-four with a debt-to-earnings ratio of 1.179 (ROI grade F). Median debt of $27,000 at $22,906 year-one earnings means debt is 118% of annual income. Fine arts is a known low-earnings field; KCAI's pricing does not account for this reality.
Graphic Communications
Graphic Communications (25 graduates) earns $17,852 year-one and $30,798 year-four with the worst debt-to-earnings ratio in the KCAI program set at 1.512 (ROI grade F). Median debt of $27,000 at $17,852 year-one means graduates owe 151% of their annual income. The four-year figure is $30,798.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 63.0% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 69.1% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 65.8% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 64.6% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How Kansas City Art Institute’s cost and outcomes have moved across College Scorecard releases (2009-2024).
Average Net Price
Completion Rate
Median Earnings, 10 Years After Entry (as reported)
Earnings reflect borrowers measured 10 years after entry and publish on an irregular cadence with a multi-year reporting lag, so this series shows only the years the Department of Education reported - the data is never interpolated.
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, release years shown. Net price and completion are reported annually.
Admissions Snapshot
| Acceptance rate | 54.8% |
| Enrollment | 812 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 43.7% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $7,886 |
At 54.8%, KCAI has a meaningful selectivity filter based on portfolio quality rather than test scores. The Scorecard does not report SAT or ACT ranges. Admission represents an assessment of creative potential rather than academic credentials. Prospective students should weigh portfolio acceptance as evidence of artistic merit while separately evaluating the financial implications of the earnings and debt data.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kansas City Art Institute (this school) | 18 | $27,650 | $37,032 |
| Minneapolis College of Art and Design | 19 | $29,926 | $40,873 |
| Columbus College of Art & Design | 19 | $29,439 | $40,664 |
| 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
KCAI admits 54.8% of applicants and does not report test score ranges. At 812 enrolled, it is a small specialized art school focused entirely on visual art and design. The Pell grant rate of 43.7% is high, indicating significant financial need among the student body. KCAI attracts students with strong studio art portfolios who are pursuing careers in the visual arts, design, and creative industries. The financial reality for most graduates is low initial earnings with potential for growth in freelance, design, or creative director roles over time - a trajectory not well captured in the 6-year Scorecard window.
The Verdict: Below Benchmark Under Our Scoring
Under our methodology, Kansas City Art Institute scores 18/100, which falls in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At a net price of $27,650 per year, with typical graduate earnings of $37,032 ten years after entry, we estimate the payback period at more than 50 years. In our view that makes the financial case a hard one to make on the numbers alone, but those numbers are averages: your major, your aid package and what you want from a degree all change the picture, so run your own numbers before you commit.
What to keep an eye on: weak earnings relative to cost, a debt-to-earnings ratio of 1.03 (median across the schools we score: 0.61), a three-year loan repayment rate of 69.1% (median across the schools we score: 73.6%), a long payback period.
Median debt of $27,000 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $26,300 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 1.03. That is 1.0 or higher, meaning median debt is at least a full year of those earnings, so your major - and how much you borrow - really matters.
Kansas City Art Institute: Common Questions
Is Kansas City Art Institute worth it?
In our view, the financial case is a hard one to make on the numbers alone. Kansas City Art Institute scores 18/100 on our ROI scale, in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At $27,650 a year after aid against $37,032 in typical earnings ten years out, we estimate the payback period at more than 50 years. Your major and aid package can change the picture, so run your own numbers.
How much does Kansas City Art Institute cost after financial aid?
The average net price - the cost of attendance (tuition, fees, books, supplies and average living costs) minus grants and scholarships, for full-time, first-time students receiving federal aid - is about $27,650 a year, or roughly $110,600 over four years. Because it counts living costs, it can run above tuition alone. That is the number to plan around. Actual cost varies by family income, per the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard.
What do Kansas City Art Institute graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $37,032 ten years after enrolling, at or below the $41,800 median for high-school graduates (NCES, 2022). With little earnings gap to cover the cost, the financial return is hard to make.
How long does it take to pay off Kansas City Art Institute?
We estimate the payback period - the time it takes for the earnings bump over a high-school graduate to cover what you spent - at more than 50 years for Kansas City Art Institute. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do Kansas City Art Institute graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $27,000, against average earnings of $26,300 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 1.03. That is 1.0 or higher, meaning median debt is at least a full year of those earnings, so how much you borrow really matters.
What is the graduation rate at Kansas City Art Institute?
The six-year graduation rate is 58.0%. The national average for four-year schools is 64% (NCES, 2022). Completion is 15% of our ROI score, since a degree you don't finish rarely pays back.
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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.