Students at Marymount Manhattan College gain specialized performing arts training with unparalleled access to New York City's theater and dance industries.
While overall earnings are modest, the college provides meaningful opportunities for creative career development in one of the world's premier arts markets.
Marymount Manhattan College is a small private arts college in New York City that serves students pursuing careers in theater, dance, and related creative fields. While the college ranks in the lower quartile nationally for overall return on investment, it fills a specific niche for students committed to performing arts careers. The institution enrolls about 28% Pell Grant recipients and 23% first-generation students, providing access to arts education for students from diverse economic backgrounds.
The college's outcomes reflect the realities of creative careers, where financial returns often develop differently than in traditional professional fields. Graduates earn a median of $49,131 ten years after enrollment, which is below typical college outcomes but represents meaningful career development in competitive creative industries. As a "Selective Achievers" institution, Marymount Manhattan serves a more limited pool of students but helps them navigate the unique challenges of arts-based careers.
For families considering this path, the key consideration is alignment between career goals and financial expectations. Students who thrive here are typically those who prioritize artistic development and New York City industry access over immediate financial returns, understanding that creative careers often require longer timelines to reach full earning potential.
Marymount Manhattan College's program portfolio centers entirely on performing arts and creative disciplines. Acting dominates the college's offerings with 149 graduates annually, representing the institution's core mission of training theater professionals. While early-career earnings in acting average $23,842, this figure reflects entry-level positions in a field where career development often requires years of building experience, networking, and artistic reputation.
Ballet and other dance programs graduate smaller cohorts but follow similar patterns, with early earnings around $21,403 that represent starting points rather than career ceilings. The college's location in Manhattan provides direct access to professional opportunities that may not be available elsewhere, from Broadway auditions to dance company positions to entertainment industry roles.
One program shows notably higher earnings at $36,848, suggesting that some pathways within the college's creative focus do lead to stronger immediate financial outcomes. For students committed to performing arts careers, the value lies not just in current earnings data but in the professional training, industry connections, and New York City access that can be crucial for long-term artistic and financial success in highly competitive creative fields.
Graduates of Marymount Manhattan College face the financial realities common to arts-focused careers. Ten years after enrollment, they earn a median of $49,131, which places the college in the bottom quartile nationally for long-term earnings. This reflects both the nature of creative industries, where career development often follows non-traditional patterns, and the challenges of building sustainable income in competitive fields like theater, dance, and entertainment.
The college's strongest program by scale and aggregate return is Acting, which graduates 149 students annually with median earnings of $23,842 ten years out. Ballet graduates about 61 students per year with similar early-career earnings around $21,403. While these figures appear modest compared to traditional professional programs, they represent entry points into industries where career trajectories can vary dramatically based on individual success, networking, and market opportunities. A smaller program shows higher earnings at $36,848, suggesting that some pathways within the college do lead to stronger financial outcomes.
For students committed to creative careers, the value proposition centers on New York City access, industry connections, and professional training rather than immediate financial returns. The college's location provides direct access to Broadway, off-Broadway, dance companies, and entertainment industry opportunities that may not be quantifiable in early-career earnings data but can be crucial for long-term artistic and financial success.
Marymount Manhattan College presents significant affordability challenges for most families. Low-income students face net prices of $29,751 annually, while middle-income families pay around $32,754, and high-income families see costs reach $43,959. These prices place the college among the most expensive options nationally, ranking in the bottom 5% for affordability across all income levels.
The debt picture is particularly concerning. Typical graduates leave with $25,750 in federal student loan debt, which is manageable on its own, but families also take on substantial Parent PLUS loans averaging $54,651. This combination creates total family debt loads that can be challenging to service given the college's modest graduate earnings. The high Parent PLUS borrowing suggests that many families stretch financially to afford the college, often taking on debt that exceeds what graduates' early-career earnings can easily support.
Families considering Marymount Manhattan should carefully evaluate their financial capacity and long-term debt tolerance. The college works best for families with significant financial resources or those who view the investment as supporting a specific artistic calling rather than optimizing financial returns. Students and families should have realistic expectations about post-graduation earning potential and plan accordingly for debt repayment timelines that may extend well beyond typical college loan schedules.
Marymount Manhattan College Hub Overview
Executive summary with admissions, cost, outcomes, and program analysis
