Montserrat College of Art
Beverly, Massachusetts · Private Nonprofit
ROI Score: 13/100 · Poor Value
Montserrat College of Art scores 13 (Poor Value), among the lowest in the dataset. The fundamentals are stark: a NEGATIVE earnings premium (-1.5%) - graduates earn slightly less than the high school baseline used in federal models - a 999-year payback period (cost is never recouped), a 1.080 debt-to-earnings ratio (debt EXCEEDS annual earnings), and a 59.3% three-year repayment rate. Sticker tuition is $40,690 with a net price of $33,216 - high - and median student debt is $27,000. Median earnings 6 years out are just $25,000, climbing to $33,022 at 10 years. Total 4-year cost is $132,864 - the highest in this batch. Montserrat is a tiny (226 students) art school in Beverly, Massachusetts, with 35.0% Pell. The 53.5% completion rate is the strongest sub-score - middling. The pattern is the structural reality of small studio art programs: tuition tracks closer to selective private liberal arts colleges, but the labor market for fine and studio arts produces low earnings regardless of training quality. The honest read: this is a passion-driven institution where financial value math fails by design - students should choose Montserrat for artistic mission, not financial return, and should plan accordingly for years of post-graduation income constraint.
The data raises concerns about Montserrat College of Art
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.
- Debt-to-earnings1.08 - Advisors recommend total student debt stay below one year of salary (ratio under 1.0).
- Payback period>50 years - Graduates earn at or near the level of high school completers — the cost may not recoup within a working career.
Montserrat College of Art
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $40,690/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $40,690/yr |
| Average net price | $33,216/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $132,864 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $33,022 |
| Median earnings (6yr post-entry) | $25,000 |
| Median debt at graduation | $27,000 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $286 |
| Estimated payback period | >50 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 53.5% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 226 |
Data as of 2024-2025. Source: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education).
The Full Financial Picture
The sticker price at Montserrat College of Art is $40,690/year. But sticker price isn't what most students pay. After grants, scholarships, and financial aid, the average student pays a net price of $33,216/year, or roughly $132,864 over four years.
That net price varies significantly by family income. The lowest-income families (under $30,000/year) pay an average of $25,388/year, while families earning over $110,000 pay $39,001/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 $33,022 ten years out, the debt-to-earnings ratio is 1.08 - above the recommended threshold where total debt should not exceed first-year salary.
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 | $25,388 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $29,977 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $32,347 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $37,366 |
| $110,001+ | $39,001 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families under $30,000 pay $25,388 net annually - the lowest tier but still substantial. The brackets escalate cleanly upward (no inversions). Over four years that's $102K against $33,022 median 10-year earnings - the math is structurally untenable for low-income families paying out-of-pocket via federal loans. Strong outside scholarships are essentially required.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
Middle-income families ($48,001-$75,000) pay $32,347 - close to the school's average net price. Over four years that's $129K against earnings outcomes that don't clear the high school baseline. This is the bracket where the math is most clearly broken; mission alignment must be decisive for this commitment.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Top-bracket families ($110,001+) pay $39,001 - approaching sticker. Over four years that's $156K. Massachusetts high-income families weighing Montserrat against MassArt or art programs at SUNY/CUNY publics face an extraordinary value gap that only artistic mission and specific program fit can justify.
Earnings by Major
Top 3 most popular majors at Montserrat College of Art with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Design and Applied Arts | $33,496 | F |
| Fine and Studio Arts | $37,179 | F |
| Graphic Communications | $34,006 | - |
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 (29 graduates - the largest program) shows the structural ROI failure: $19,865 first-year earnings against $27,000 median debt yields a 1.359 ratio (F grade). Four-year earnings of $33,496 don't redeem the picture. Graphic design and applied arts can support viable freelance/agency careers, but the borrowing level here means years of post-graduation income squeeze before financial stability.
Fine and Studio Arts
Fine and Studio Arts (15 graduates) posts $21,543 first-year earnings against $27,000 median debt - a 1.253 ratio (F grade). Four-year earnings of $37,179. Fine arts is structurally a low-earnings field at the bachelor's level; most successful practitioners build careers across teaching, gallery work, and commission income over years. The financial case requires graduate study or accepting modest earnings for the long term.
Graphic Communications
Graphic Communications (12 graduates) shows somewhat stronger 4-year earnings ($34,006) but missing first-year and debt data limit the read. Graphic communications has clearer commercial paths (publishing, web, agencies) than fine arts, and is likely the strongest financial bet among Montserrat's offerings. Students focused on commercial design rather than fine-arts practice should weight this track.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Nat'l Avg |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 57.9% | 52.0% |
| 3-year repayment | 59.3% | 62.0% |
| 5-year repayment | 62.1% | 68.0% |
| 7-year repayment | 65.1% | 72.0% |
Completion Rate
Admissions Snapshot
| Enrollment | 226 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 35.0% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $6,551 |
Admission rate is not reported in current Scorecard data, and SAT/ACT scores are also unavailable - typical for specialized art schools that admit predominantly via portfolio review. Selectivity in this context is mediated through portfolio quality rather than test scores or admit rates. Prospective students should weigh the strength of their artistic preparation more than admit-rate signals, and should ask the institution directly about completion support and post-graduation outcomes given the structurally weak ROI numbers.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
Peers include American International College (a Massachusetts regional private), Amherst College (an elite liberal arts college, included for selectivity comparison only), Great Lakes Christian College, Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico-Arecibo, and Dallas Christian College. The peer set is heterogeneous and not strongly comparable - Montserrat's most relevant comparisons are other dedicated art schools (RISD, MICA, MassArt) which aren't represented here. Among national art-school peers, Montserrat's outcomes are roughly average; the structural ROI challenge applies across the segment, with MassArt's much lower in-state public pricing being the major value alternative within the same Massachusetts art-education market.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Montserrat College of Art (this school) | 13 | $33,216 | $33,022 |
| Maine College of Art & Design | 17 | $38,338 | $40,778 |
| Northwest College of Art & Design | 17 | $16,418 | $31,167 |
| California College of ASU | 14 | $17,683 | $42,014 |
| Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts | 14 | $42,454 | $29,881 |
| Art Academy of Cincinnati | 9 | $34,253 | $34,368 |
Who Thrives Here
Montserrat's 226 enrollment and 35.0% Pell rate define a tiny, highly self-selected art-school student body. Best fit: students with strong studio practice, clear post-graduation career plans (commercial design, illustration, graphic communications) or graduate school intent, and the financial means or family support to absorb modest early-career earnings. Mismatch: students taking on heavy federal loans without a clear commercial application path face the structural ROI problem head-on. MassArt (the public alternative) and dedicated fine arts programs at much lower-cost public universities are the obvious comparisons for cost-conscious applicants.
The Verdict: The Numbers Don't Add Up
The financial data raises serious concerns about Montserrat College of Art. With a net cost of $33,216 per year and median graduate earnings of only $33,022 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 high debt relative to what graduates earn and concerning loan repayment rates and a long payback period.
Median debt of $27,000 against $33,022 in earnings is concerning. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.82 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.