Rocky Mountain College of Art and Design — ROI, Cost & Payback
Rocky Mountain College of Art and Design charges a net price of $32,363/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $129,452. Median earnings ten years after entry are $42,958, 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, Rocky Mountain College of Art and Design does not clear its cost — it ranks #35 of 50 Colorado colleges we track by ROI. The specific program you pick moves this more than the school average.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $32,363/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $129,452 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $42,958 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$5,402/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $31,000 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$237,492 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Rocky Mountain College of Art and Design's own numbers. Net price $32,363 × 4 years = $129,452 total. Median earnings $42,958 fall $5,402 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 $129,452 bill in about 12.9 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Rocky Mountain College of Art and Design students graduate with?
A median $31,000 in federal loans among completers, or 72% of the $42,958 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Rocky Mountain College of Art and Design students graduate?
32% finish their degree — 68% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $129,452 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $404,538 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Rocky Mountain College of Art and Design expensive compared with other Colorado colleges?
Its $32,363 net price runs $15,896 above the $16,468 median across the 50 Colorado colleges we profile, or $63,582 more across the full degree.