Pennsylvania College of Art and Design
Lancaster, Pennsylvania · Private Nonprofit · 99.2% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 18/100 · Poor Value
Pennsylvania College of Art and Design earns a Poor Value tier with an overall ROI score of 18 out of 100, with one of the most alarming financial profiles in our database. The most striking data point: the payback period is calculated at 999 years -- our system's way of saying that on the median earnings data, the typical graduate's degree premium never recoups the cost of attendance. The earnings premium over the average high school graduate is actually negative (-1.4%), meaning median PCAD graduates earn slightly less than typical high school graduates. Median 10-year earnings are just $33,301; median debt is $27,000; the debt-to-earnings ratio is 1.111 (graduates owe more than they earn). Tuition is $32,150 per year, average net price is $30,083, and the four-year cost lands at $120,332. The one bright spot is the 68.5% completion rate (sub-score 76), which is genuinely strong -- PCAD does retain students through their degrees. But completing the degree does not appear to translate to financial outcomes that justify the cost. This is a small specialized art school where students should approach the financial commitment with eyes wide open.
The data raises concerns about Pennsylvania 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.
- Debt-to-earnings1.11 - 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.
Pennsylvania College of Art and Design
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $32,150/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $32,150/yr |
| Average net price | $30,083/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $120,332 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $33,301 |
| Median earnings (6yr post-entry) | $24,300 |
| Median debt at graduation | $27,000 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $286 |
| Estimated payback period | >50 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 68.5% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 400 |
Data as of 2024-2025. Source: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education).
The Full Financial Picture
The sticker price at Pennsylvania College of Art and Design is $32,150/year. But sticker price isn't what most students pay. After grants, scholarships, and financial aid, the average student pays a net price of $30,083/year, or roughly $120,332 over four years.
That net price varies significantly by family income. The lowest-income families (under $30,000/year) pay an average of $24,547/year, while families earning over $110,000 pay $37,851/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 $33,301 ten years out, the debt-to-earnings ratio is 1.11 - 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 | $24,547 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $24,115 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $26,576 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $30,876 |
| $110,001+ | $37,851 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families earning under $30,000 pay $24,547 per year, while $30,001-$48,000 pays $24,115 (a slight inversion). Over four years that's roughly $98,000 -- a punishing total for low-income families. With negative earnings premium and 1.111 debt-to-earnings ratio, low-income graduates are likely to face genuine financial hardship after leaving. This is one of the harder cases to defend on financial grounds.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
Middle-income families ($48,001-$75,000) pay $26,576 per year, while $75,001-$110,000 pays $30,876. Over four years that's $106,000-$124,000. The financial math here does not work; middle-income families committed to art education would do dramatically better at Kutztown or another Pennsylvania public.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Families earning above $110,000 pay $37,851 per year (above the published tuition figure -- this likely includes mandatory fees, housing, and supplies), or roughly $151,000 over four years. At full pay PCAD makes essentially no financial sense; the appeal would have to be a strong artistic match with the school's specific pedagogy and community.
Earnings by Major
Top 1 most popular majors at Pennsylvania College of Art and Design with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Design and Applied Arts | $38,275 | 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 essentially PCAD's entire program, with 36 graduates per year. Median first-year earnings of $25,830 against $27,000 of debt produce a brutal 1.045 debt-to-earnings ratio and an F ROI grade. Four-year earnings rise modestly to $38,275 -- decent career progression, but starting from a low base. Graphic design, illustration, and applied arts careers are real but rarely lucrative, especially without big-city employer access. The Lancaster market simply does not pay enough to recoup PCAD's cost; students hoping to do this work would do better at a Pennsylvania public school or move to a bigger metro area for graduate-level work after a cheaper bachelor's.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Nat'l Avg |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 68.4% | 52.0% |
| 3-year repayment | 66.2% | 62.0% |
| 5-year repayment | 67.3% | 68.0% |
| 7-year repayment | 77.1% | 72.0% |
Completion Rate
Admissions Snapshot
| Acceptance rate | 99.2% |
| Enrollment | 400 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 47.4% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $4,574 |
PCAD admits 99.2% of applicants -- effectively fully open access. SAT and ACT mid-ranges are not reported, consistent with art schools that admit primarily on portfolio review rather than test scores. The combination of near-100% admission and a 68.5% completion rate suggests PCAD admits passionate art students and successfully retains them; the issue is not academic. The issue is the labor market for design and applied arts graduates from a small unbranded art school in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
PCAD's named peers include Bryn Athyn College of the New Church, Albright College, Caribbean University-Ponce, Mission University, and Southwestern Christian University -- a mixed group of small specialty and faith-based institutions, none of which are art schools. Albright College is a more traditional Pennsylvania liberal arts that posts substantially better outcomes. The other peers are all small institutions facing similar ROI challenges. PCAD's 18 score is at the bottom of this peer group, primarily because the negative earnings premium and 999-year payback are extreme outliers.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pennsylvania College of Art and Design (this school) | 18 | $30,083 | $33,301 |
| 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 |
| Moore College of Art and Design | 18 | $43,086 | $37,839 |
| Maine College of Art & Design | 17 | $38,338 | $40,778 |
Who Thrives Here
PCAD fits a very specific student: someone with a strong portfolio, deep commitment to design and applied arts, and a clear-eyed understanding that this is an artistic vocation choice with weak financial returns. With just 400 students, PCAD is an intimate art school community, and the 47.4% Pell rate means the school primarily serves working-class students -- exactly the population least equipped to absorb the financial damage when the credential does not pay off. Anyone considering PCAD should run the numbers brutally and consider whether a Pennsylvania state school art program (Kutztown, IUP, West Chester) at half the cost would produce comparable artistic training and dramatically better financial outcomes.
The Verdict: The Numbers Don't Add Up
The financial data raises serious concerns about Pennsylvania College of Art and Design. With a net cost of $30,083 per year and median graduate earnings of only $33,301 ten years out, the estimated payback period exceeds >50 years. For most students, the financial return does not justify the cost.
Key strengths include a 68.5% graduation rate. However, the data also shows 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 $33,301 in earnings is concerning. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.81 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.