The Juilliard School — ROI, Cost & Payback
The Juilliard School charges a net price of $43,571/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $174,284. Median earnings ten years after entry are $37,827, 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, The Juilliard School does not clear its cost — it ranks #186 of 203 New York colleges we track by ROI. The specific program you pick moves this more than the school average.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $43,571/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $174,284 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $37,827 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$10,533/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $25,500 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$384,944 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on The Juilliard School's own numbers. Net price $43,571 × 4 years = $174,284 total. Median earnings $37,827 fall $10,533 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 $174,284 bill in about 17.4 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do The Juilliard School students graduate with?
A median $25,500 in federal loans among completers, or 67% of the $37,827 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of The Juilliard School students graduate?
93% finish their degree. Spread the $174,284 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $187,402 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is The Juilliard School expensive compared with other New York colleges?
Its $43,571 net price runs $24,658 above the $18,913 median across the 203 New York colleges we profile, or $98,632 more across the full degree.