Cleveland Institute of Art — ROI, Cost & Payback
Cleveland Institute of Art charges a net price of $29,208/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $116,832. Median earnings ten years after entry are $42,509, 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, Cleveland Institute of Art does not clear its cost — it ranks #106 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) | $29,208/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $116,832 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $42,509 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$5,851/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $27,000 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$233,852 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Cleveland Institute of Art's own numbers. Net price $29,208 × 4 years = $116,832 total. Median earnings $42,509 fall $5,851 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 $116,832 bill in about 11.7 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Cleveland Institute of Art students graduate with?
A median $27,000 in federal loans among completers, or 64% of the $42,509 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Cleveland Institute of Art students graduate?
58% finish their degree — 42% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $116,832 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $201,434 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Cleveland Institute of Art expensive compared with other Ohio colleges?
Its $29,208 net price runs $9,426 above the $19,783 median across the 144 Ohio colleges we profile, or $37,702 more across the full degree.