Art Center College Of Design

Art Center College of Design's published cost of attendance is $75,649. Net price by income band shows meaningful variation: low-income families pay approximately $39,645, middle-income families pay around $44,738, and higher-income families pay approximately $61,144.

Azimuth ranks Art Center College of Design #1424 for post-graduation affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. The affordability rank reflects both the headline sticker price and the debt load graduates carry; [net price and sticker price can differ substantially](/analysis/is-college-worth-it-part-1-the-net-price-illusion/), and understanding that gap matters when comparing institutions.

Art Center's financial aid structure combines need-based aid, merit scholarships, and federal loan programs. Most students receive some combination of institutional grants and federal aid; the specific aid package depends on demonstrated financial need and merit factors.

For families evaluating affordability, the net price figures above represent median costs within each income band—individual packages vary, so some families in each band pay more and some less than the figures shown. Median federal student loan debt at graduation is $31,000, and families using Parent PLUS borrow a median of $66,614; private or institutional loans may add further borrowing that falls outside these federal-only figures—see the [Parent PLUS risk framework](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) for how household context shapes PLUS decisions.

For a graduate at the institution's median four-year earnings of $74,009, median federal debt of $31,000 projects to a monthly payment of about $350 under standard ten-year repayment. For personalized projections across earnings scenarios—including Parent PLUS planning—use [Azimuth's Financial GPS tool](/analysis/financial-gps-framework/).

Graduates of Art Center College of Design earn median 4-year earnings of $74,009, placing Art Center College of Design in the 74.6 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Art Center College of Design sits in the 87.1 percentile for [earnings beyond expectations](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/) among nonprofit four-year institutions.

Azimuth ranks Art Center College of Design #175 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. The earnings trajectory reflects the institution's specialized focus: graduates move into creative and design-intensive fields where early-career pay builds steadily through portfolio development and industry reputation.

The program portfolio centers on visual and performing arts disciplines. Design and Applied Arts is the largest program with 228 graduates earning median 4-year earnings of $76,093, and Azimuth ranks the program 1.5× the national CIP-4 benchmark for the field [per the program-ranking methodology](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/).

The Engineering-Related Fields program graduates 70 students with median 4-year earnings of $92,293. Graphic Communications and Film/Video and Photographic Arts round out the top cohorts, with Film/Video and Photographic Arts graduates earning median 4-year earnings of $49,933.

These programs reflect Art Center's distinctive mission: training students for careers where creative skill, design thinking, and industry networks drive long-term financial outcomes in entertainment, product design, advertising, and fine arts sectors.

Art Center College of Design concentrates its program portfolio in visual and performing arts, industrial design, and media production — a signature aligned with the institution's identity as a specialized design college in Southern California. The largest programs by enrollment are Design and Applied Arts with 228 graduates, Engineering-Related Fields with 70 graduates, Graphic Communications with 62 graduates, Film/Video and Photographic Arts with 47 graduates, and Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians with 34 graduates.

Across 0 ranked programs serving roughly 498 students annually, several deliver strong four-year earnings outcomes. The highest-earning programs reflect the institution's strength in applied design and creative technology fields.

Engineering-Related Fields graduates earn median 4-year earnings of $92,293 with 70 graduates, followed by Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians at median 4-year earnings of $90,188 with 34 graduates and Architectural Sciences and Technology at median 4-year earnings of $77,401 with 22 graduates. Design and Applied Arts and Film/Video and Photographic Arts round out the top earners at median 4-year earnings of $76,093 and $49,933 respectively.

These programs represent direct-to-workforce pathways where graduates enter creative industries, technology, and design-adjacent sectors immediately after completion. Art Center College of Design's program mix emphasizes Visual & Performing Arts, which shapes both the institution's market positioning and graduate career trajectories.

The concentration in design and creative fields aligns with strong regional employer demand in Los Angeles and the broader creative economy, where design, media production, and industrial innovation drive significant hiring. The [supply and demand for college graduates](/analysis/supply-demand-map-college-degrees/) provides context for how these creative and design-focused fields align with labor-market opportunities in major media and technology markets.