Ringling College of Art and Design
Sarasota, Florida · Private Nonprofit · 69.7% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 27/100 · Below Benchmark
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
Ringling College of Art and Design posts a 27/100 ROI score in our Below Benchmark tier - a difficult financial profile despite the school's strong reputation in animation, illustration, and game design. The core problem is the $57,900 sticker tuition combined with a $57,742 net price (institutional aid is minimal - net price barely undercuts sticker), pushing four-year cost to $230,968 against average graduate earnings of $36,000 six years out, climbing only to a median $43,325 by year ten. Median debt of $27,000 yields a 0.75 debt-to-earnings ratio, and the 44.6-year payback period means graduates as a group don't out-earn high-school baseline by enough to recoup costs within a normal working lifetime. The 72.1% completion rate is strong, reflecting a focused student population with vocational clarity, and the three-year repayment rate of 70.7% is acceptable. With 1,662 students and a 21.1% Pell rate, Ringling serves a niche population willing to bet on commercial-art careers. Program data shows enormous variance: Graphic Communications graduates do well ($75,213 four-year earnings), but Fine Arts and Film graduates struggle to clear $40,000 against the same $27,000 debt. The school's value depends heavily on which program a student commits to.
How Ringling College of Art and Design 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 Score27/100 - Below Benchmark tier of our scale (below 45). For context, 38% of the schools we score reach 60 or higher.
- Payback period44.6 years - The median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
Ringling College of Art and Design
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $57,900/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $57,900/yr |
| Average net price | $57,742/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $230,968 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $43,325 |
| Average earnings (6yr post-entry) | $36,000 |
| Median debt at graduation | $27,000 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $286 |
| Estimated payback period | 44.6 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 72.1% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 1,662 |
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: $57,900/year, which covers tuition and fees only. After grants, scholarships, and aid, the average student here pays a net price of $57,742/year, or roughly $230,968 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 $47,261/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $62,609/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 ($36,000) and comes to 0.75, under 1.0, meaning median debt is less than 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 | $47,261 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $48,213 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $55,121 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $59,265 |
| $110,001+ | $62,609 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families under $30,000 pay $47,261 net - extraordinarily high in absolute terms even with maximum Pell. Across four years that's $189,044, against $36,000 graduate earnings. This bracket faces the toughest math; students should treat Ringling as a financial stretch.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
The $30,001 - $48,000 bracket pays $48,213, the $48,001 - $75,000 bracket pays $55,121, and the $75,001 - $110,000 bracket pays $59,265 - a clean monotonic progression with no inversions. Middle-income families face $193,000-$237,000 over four years against $36,000 early-career earnings; only families with significant savings or commitment to high-earning programs (Graphic Communications) should pursue this debt-funded.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Families above $110,000 pay $62,609 - over $250,000 across four years, more than the published $230,968 total cost figure. Full-pay families are buying brand and industry connections, particularly for animation and game design.
Earnings by Major
Top 4 most popular majors at Ringling College of Art and Design with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Graphic Communications | $75,213 | C |
| Design and Applied Arts | $47,937 | D |
| Fine and Studio Arts | $36,346 | F |
| Film/Video and Photographic Arts | $41,024 | 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.
Graphic Communications
Graphic Communications is Ringling's strongest financial program: 124 graduates with first-year earnings of $44,048 climbing to $75,213 by year four. Median debt of $27,000 yields a 0.61 debt-to-earnings ratio (C grade). For students set on visual design careers, this program is one of Ringling's defensible value plays.
Design and Applied Arts
Design and Applied Arts (which includes much of Ringling's industrial design and product design) graduates 124 students with first-year earnings of $28,137 climbing to $47,937 by year four. Median debt of $27,000 yields a 0.96 debt-to-earnings ratio (D grade). The four-year recovery is real but slow; graduates should expect a 5-7 year runway before financial outcomes feel comfortable.
Fine and Studio Arts
Fine Arts graduates 73 students into the toughest market on Ringling's roster: first-year earnings of $18,932 against $27,000 median debt yields a 1.43 debt-to-earnings ratio (F grade). Four-year earnings of $36,346 still don't push the ratio below 1.0.
Film/Video and Photographic Arts
Film/Video graduates 24 students with first-year earnings of $18,551 climbing to $41,024 by year four. Median debt of $27,000 yields a 1.46 debt-to-earnings ratio (F grade) - the worst in Ringling's program data. Film careers are legendarily hard to monetize early, and the debt load makes the early-career period particularly difficult.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 67.5% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 70.7% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 67.3% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 70.9% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How Ringling College of Art and Design’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 | 69.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,662 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 21.1% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $9,869 |
Ringling admits 69.7% of applicants - moderately selective on paper, but admission to the most competitive tracks (animation, illustration) is portfolio-driven and tighter than the headline rate suggests. SAT and ACT mid-ranges are not reported, consistent with an art-school admission process that prioritizes portfolio review over standardized testing. The 72.1% completion rate is strong evidence that admitted students are well-matched to the program rigor.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ringling College of Art and Design (this school) | 27 | $57,742 | $43,325 |
| School of Visual Arts | 30 | $57,914 | $46,459 |
| Maryland Institute College of Art | 29 | $42,729 | $45,212 |
| Massachusetts College of Art and Design | 29 | $24,100 | $43,582 |
| California College of the Arts | 27 | $53,909 | $49,414 |
| Savannah College of Art and Design | 26 | $49,430 | $45,954 |
Who Thrives Here
The 1,662-student campus, 21.1% Pell rate, and Sarasota location appeal to focused art students with family or aid resources. Strong outcomes are concentrated in Graphic Communications and animation-feeder programs; students drawn to fine arts or film should expect debt-to-earnings ratios above 1.4 and a multi-year financial recovery period.
The Verdict: Below Benchmark Under Our Scoring
Under our methodology, Ringling College of Art and Design scores 27/100, which falls in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At a net price of $57,742 per year, with typical graduate earnings of $43,325 ten years after entry, we estimate the payback period at about 44.6 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 it has going for it: its 72.1% graduation rate. What to keep an eye on: weak earnings relative to cost, a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.75 (median across the schools we score: 0.61), a three-year loan repayment rate of 70.7% (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 $36,000 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.75. That is under 1.0 (a full year of those earnings); the median across the schools we score is about 0.61. Your major - and how much you borrow - really matters.
Ringling College of Art and Design: Common Questions
Is Ringling College of Art and Design worth it?
In our view, the financial case is a hard one to make on the numbers alone. Ringling College of Art and Design scores 27/100 on our ROI scale, in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At $57,742 a year after aid against $43,325 in typical earnings ten years out, we estimate the payback period at about 44.6 years. Your major and aid package can change the picture, so run your own numbers.
How much does Ringling College of Art and Design 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 $57,742 a year, or roughly $230,968 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 Ringling College of Art and Design graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $43,325 ten years after enrolling, roughly $1,525 a year more than the median high-school graduate ($41,800, per NCES, 2022). That earnings gap is what has to cover the cost of the degree.
How long does it take to pay off Ringling College of Art and Design?
We estimate the payback period - the time it takes for the earnings bump over a high-school graduate to cover what you spent - at about 44.6 years for Ringling College of Art and Design. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do Ringling College of Art and Design graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $27,000, against average earnings of $36,000 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.75. That is under 1.0 (a full year of those earnings); the median across the schools we score is about 0.61. How much you borrow really matters.
What is the graduation rate at Ringling College of Art and Design?
The six-year graduation rate is 72.1%, at or above the 64% national average for four-year schools (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.