Laguna College of Art and Design — ROI, Cost & Payback
Laguna College of Art and Design charges a net price of $42,505/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $170,020. Median earnings ten years after entry are $47,867, 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, Laguna College of Art and Design does not clear its cost — it ranks #183 of 334 California colleges we track by ROI. The specific program you pick moves this more than the school average.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $42,505/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $170,020 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $47,867 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$493/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $27,000 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$179,880 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Laguna College of Art and Design's own numbers. Net price $42,505 × 4 years = $170,020 total. Median earnings $47,867 fall $493 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 $170,020 bill in about 17.0 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Laguna College of Art and Design students graduate with?
A median $27,000 in federal loans among completers, or 56% of the $47,867 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Laguna College of Art and Design students graduate?
52% finish their degree — 48% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $170,020 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $326,962 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Laguna College of Art and Design expensive compared with other California colleges?
Its $42,505 net price runs $22,600 above the $19,905 median across the 334 California colleges we profile, or $90,400 more across the full degree.