Moore College of Art and Design
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania · Private Nonprofit · 56.5% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 18/100 · Poor Value
Moore College of Art and Design, a small all-women's art college in Philadelphia, scores 18 out of 100 -- a Poor Value tier rating that reflects the structural ROI failure of high-priced specialty art education. The institution is historically significant (the first and only women's college of art and design in the US) and the academic-prep distribution of its enrolled students is meaningfully strong. But the financial-outcome data is brutal: $29,000 median earnings six years after entry, climbing only to $37,839 at year ten. Median debt is $26,000 against a 0.897 debt-to-earnings ratio. Payback period is 110 years -- which functionally means earnings never cover cost under standard assumptions. Sticker tuition is $52,812 with a $43,086 net price; four-year total cost is $172,344. Completion rate is 57% (decent for a small specialty private). The 0.016 earnings premium is essentially zero -- the credential's market value is statistically indistinguishable from a high-school baseline, which is the most damning ROI signal in the file. Moore's mission and historical role are real, but prospective students must see this data clearly.
The data raises concerns about Moore College of Art and Design
These metrics fall below the thresholds most financial advisors recommend for a sound college investment. Review them carefully before committing.
- ROI Score18/100 - 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.
Moore College of Art and Design
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $52,812/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $52,812/yr |
| Average net price | $43,086/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $172,344 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $37,839 |
| Median earnings (6yr post-entry) | $29,000 |
| Median debt at graduation | $26,000 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $276 |
| Estimated payback period | >50 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 57.1% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 535 |
Data as of 2024-2025. Source: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education).
The Full Financial Picture
The sticker price at Moore College of Art and Design is $52,812/year. But sticker price isn't what most students pay. After grants, scholarships, and financial aid, the average student pays a net price of $43,086/year, or roughly $172,344 over four years.
That net price varies significantly by family income. The lowest-income families (under $30,000/year) pay an average of $34,834/year, while families earning over $110,000 pay $47,504/year.
The median graduate leaves with $26,000 in federal loan debt, translating to an estimated monthly payment of $276 on a standard 10-year repayment plan. Against median earnings of $37,839 ten years out, the debt-to-earnings ratio is 0.90 - 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 | $34,834 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $42,789 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $34,168 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $46,865 |
| $110,001+ | $47,504 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families under $30,000 pay $34,834 net annually -- still substantial, but meaningful institutional aid against the $52,812 sticker. Pell + PA state grants help. Four-year exposure of about $139,000 against $29,000 median earnings is a profound mismatch that the loan system cannot bridge. Low-income enrollment at Moore on these terms is impossible to defend on ROI grounds; PASSHE state colleges with strong art programs (West Chester, Kutztown) deliver dramatically better cost-to-outcome math.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
The $48,001-$75,000 bracket pays $34,168 -- the lowest middle-income net price -- but the $30,001-$48,000 bracket actually pays MORE at $42,789. This is an unusual non-monotonic pattern that suggests asset-based aid or merit-aid distribution is doing odd things. The $75,001-$110,000 bracket jumps to $46,865. Four-year cost runs $137,000-$187,000 across mid brackets. Outcomes do not justify these prices.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Households above $110,000 pay $47,504 net per year -- four-year cost approaches $190,000. Institutional aid is meaningfully reduced at this tier. At this price Moore can only be defended on values/community/historical-significance grounds; the financial math fails entirely.
Earnings by Major
Top 2 most popular majors at Moore College of Art and Design with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Design and Applied Arts | $38,831 | F |
| Visual and Performing Arts | $27,107 | - |
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 Moore's largest reporting program at 48 graduates: $20,587 first-year earnings, $38,831 by year four, $27,000 median debt, and a 1.312 debt-to-earnings ratio earning a hard F. The first-year earnings figure -- below $25,000 -- combined with $27,000 in debt sets up a structural repayment problem that income-driven plans only partially mitigate. Students drawn to design at Moore should pressure-test against Tyler School of Art (Temple) or community-college portfolio-development paths that feed into state schools.
Visual and Performing Arts
Visual and Performing Arts produces 13 graduates with $27,107 first-year earnings. Year-four earnings, debt, and ROI grade are not reported -- limiting full analysis. The first-year figure is consistent with the institution's broader weak-earnings pattern. Without a clear graduate-school plan or established commercial-art path, students entering this program face the same structural ROI pressure documented across the school's other programs.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Nat'l Avg |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 65.7% | 52.0% |
| 3-year repayment | 68.3% | 62.0% |
| 5-year repayment | 71.7% | 68.0% |
| 7-year repayment | 77.5% | 72.0% |
Completion Rate
Admissions Snapshot
| Acceptance rate | 56.5% |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 560-670 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 620-710 |
| ACT Composite (25th-75th) | 26-32 |
| Enrollment | 535 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 43.3% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $8,081 |
Admission rate is 56.46%. SAT mid-50% bands sit at 560-670 Math and 620-710 Reading; ACT composite spans 26-32. These are clearly above national medians and reflect the strong portfolio-and-academic profile of Moore's applicant pool. Moore is academically selective, and yet the financial outcomes for graduates remain weak -- a function of the broader art-education economics rather than student preparation.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
Moore's peer set includes Bryn Athyn College of the New Church, Albright College, Cambridge College, St Andrews University, and Caribbean University Ponce. None are direct functional peers. The relevant comparison set is other women's colleges (Bryn Mawr, Mount Holyoke) and other specialty art schools (PAFA, Tyler at Temple, MICA). Among art schools, Moore's outcomes are similar to small private art programs nationwide -- weak earnings against high tuition. Among women's colleges, Moore's outcomes are notably weaker than the Seven Sisters and other liberal-arts women's colleges.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Moore College of Art and Design (this school) | 18 | $43,086 | $37,839 |
| Minneapolis College of Art and Design | 19 | $29,926 | $40,873 |
| Columbus College of Art & Design | 19 | $29,439 | $40,664 |
| Kansas City Art Institute | 18 | $27,650 | $37,032 |
| Pennsylvania College of Art and Design | 18 | $30,083 | $33,301 |
| Maine College of Art & Design | 17 | $38,338 | $40,778 |
Who Thrives Here
Moore fits a specific student: a woman with strong academic and portfolio preparation who specifically wants a single-sex art and design education with the historical and community context Moore provides. Pell rate is 43.33% -- meaningful working-class enrollment of just 535. The student profile that captures the strongest outcome here is someone with very clear creative-industry direction, a robust personal portfolio, and access to family or scholarship resources sufficient to limit borrowing. The structural ROI math means most students who borrow heavily to attend will face long-term repayment difficulty.
The Verdict: The Numbers Don't Add Up
The financial data raises serious concerns about Moore College of Art and Design. With a net cost of $43,086 per year and median graduate earnings of only $37,839 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 $26,000 against $37,839 in earnings is reasonable, though major choice matters significantly. Students in higher-earning programs will see better returns.
NewsletterCollege decisions are better with data.
New analyses, updated school profiles, and tools - when there’s something worth acting on.
Rankings & Links
Guides & Tools
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.