The Modern College of Design — ROI, Cost & Payback
The Modern College of Design charges a net price of $39,359/yr after aid — a 2-year total of $78,718. Median earnings ten years after entry are $42,187, 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 Modern College of Design does not clear its cost — it ranks #94 of 144 Ohio colleges we track by ROI. The specific program you pick moves this more than the school average.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $39,359/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (2 yrs) | $78,718 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $42,187 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$6,173/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $12,000 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$202,178 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on The Modern College of Design's own numbers. Net price $39,359 × 2 years = $78,718 total. Median earnings $42,187 fall $6,173 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 $78,718 bill in about 7.9 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do The Modern College of Design students graduate with?
A median $12,000 in federal loans among completers, or 28% of the $42,187 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of The Modern College of Design students graduate?
69% finish their degree — 31% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $78,718 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $114,084 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is The Modern College of Design expensive compared with other Ohio colleges?
Its $39,359 net price runs $19,577 above the $19,783 median across the 144 Ohio colleges we profile, or $39,153 more across the full degree.