Pennsylvania College of Art and Design — ROI, Cost & Payback
Pennsylvania College of Art and Design charges a net price of $30,083/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $120,332. Median earnings ten years after entry are $33,301, 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, Pennsylvania College of Art and Design does not clear its cost — it ranks #160 of 169 Pennsylvania colleges we track by ROI. The specific program you pick moves this more than the school average.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $30,083/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $120,332 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $33,301 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$15,059/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $27,000 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$421,512 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Pennsylvania College of Art and Design's own numbers. Net price $30,083 × 4 years = $120,332 total. Median earnings $33,301 fall $15,059 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 $120,332 bill in about 12.0 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Pennsylvania College of Art and Design students graduate with?
A median $27,000 in federal loans among completers, or 81% of the $33,301 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Pennsylvania College of Art and Design students graduate?
69% finish their degree — 31% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $120,332 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $174,394 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Pennsylvania College of Art and Design expensive compared with other Pennsylvania colleges?
Its $30,083 net price runs $8,342 above the $21,741 median across the 169 Pennsylvania colleges we profile, or $33,368 more across the full degree.