Art Academy of Cincinnati — ROI, Cost & Payback
Art Academy of Cincinnati charges a net price of $34,253/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $137,012. Median earnings ten years after entry are $34,368, below the $48,360 high-school baseline, so on this institution-wide metric the degree does not clear its cost. Program choice is what changes that. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
On institution-wide earnings, Art Academy of Cincinnati does not clear its cost — it ranks #131 of 144 Ohio colleges we track by ROI. The specific program you pick moves this more than the school average.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $34,253/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $137,012 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $34,368 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$13,992/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $27,000 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$416,852 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Art Academy of Cincinnati's own numbers. Net price $34,253 × 4 years = $137,012 total. Median earnings $34,368 fall $13,992 short of the $48,360 high-school baseline, so the premium this formula divides by is not positive and no break-even year exists on institution-wide pay. A programme here earning $58,360 would clear the $137,012 bill in about 13.7 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Art Academy of Cincinnati students graduate with?
A median $27,000 in federal loans among completers, or 79% of the $34,368 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Art Academy of Cincinnati students graduate?
41% finish their degree — 59% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $137,012 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $334,176 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Art Academy of Cincinnati expensive compared with other Ohio colleges?
Its $34,253 net price runs $14,471 above the $19,783 median across the 144 Ohio colleges we profile, or $57,882 more across the full degree.