Columbus College of Art & Design — ROI, Cost & Payback
Columbus College of Art & Design charges a net price of $29,439/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $117,756. Median earnings ten years after entry are $40,664, 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, Columbus College of Art & Design does not clear its cost — it ranks #113 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) | $29,439/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $117,756 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $40,664 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$7,696/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $27,000 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$271,676 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Columbus College of Art & Design's own numbers. Net price $29,439 × 4 years = $117,756 total. Median earnings $40,664 fall $7,696 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 $117,756 bill in about 11.8 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Columbus College of Art & Design students graduate with?
A median $27,000 in federal loans among completers, or 66% of the $40,664 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Columbus College of Art & Design students graduate?
56% finish their degree — 44% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $117,756 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $210,279 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Columbus College of Art & Design expensive compared with other Ohio colleges?
Its $29,439 net price runs $9,657 above the $19,783 median across the 144 Ohio colleges we profile, or $38,626 more across the full degree.