Massachusetts College of Art and Design — ROI, Cost & Payback
Massachusetts College of Art and Design charges a net price of $24,100/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $96,400. Median earnings ten years after entry are $43,582, 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, Massachusetts College of Art and Design does not clear its cost — it ranks #73 of 85 Massachusetts colleges we track by ROI. The specific program you pick moves this more than the school average.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $24,100/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $96,400 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $43,582 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$4,778/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $25,755 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$191,960 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Massachusetts College of Art and Design's own numbers. Net price $24,100 × 4 years = $96,400 total. Median earnings $43,582 fall $4,778 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 $96,400 bill in about 9.6 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Massachusetts College of Art and Design students graduate with?
A median $25,755 in federal loans among completers, or 59% of the $43,582 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Massachusetts College of Art and Design students graduate?
69% finish their degree — 31% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $96,400 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $139,710 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Massachusetts College of Art and Design expensive compared with other Massachusetts colleges?
Its $24,100 net price runs $783 below the $24,883 median across the 85 Massachusetts colleges we profile, and $3,132 less across the full degree.