Percentile rankings vs 1,600+ peer institutions. Higher is better.
Career OutcomesAzimuth ranks Maryland Institute College of Art #1476 for overall value on Azimuth's composite among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $29,976 less than similar students at comparable institutions, placing Maryland Institute College of Art in the 2.2 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions. Azimuth ranks Maryland Institute College of Art #1449 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions.
Maryland Institute College of Art is a private visual and performing arts college in Baltimore, MD, enrolling approximately 1,189 undergraduates. Azimuth ranks Maryland Institute College of Art #1476 for overall value on Azimuth's composite among nonprofit four-year institutions. The institution maintains a 83.4% freshman retention rate and a 72.2% six-year graduation rate. Azimuth ranks Maryland Institute College of Art #1449 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn median 4-year earnings of $42,353, and Maryland Institute College of Art earn about $29,976 less than similar students at comparable institutions, placing the institution in the 2.2 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions. The institution's strength in Visual & Performing Arts — its signature academic focus — drives outcomes for students pursuing careers in creative fields where early-career earnings reflect both artistic specialization and emerging professional networks. Access and affordability shape the remaining pillars of the composite. Maryland Institute College of Art sits in the 10.8 percentile for access and the 1.8 percentile for affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. 23.1% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants and 17.4% are first-generation college students. For students committed to visual and performing arts, Maryland Institute College of Art offers a specialized pathway where long-term financial outcomes depend substantially on field choice, professional network development, and post-graduation career trajectory in creative industries.
Maryland Institute College of Art's published cost of attendance is $76,860, but need-based aid reshapes that figure across income levels. Low-income families pay approximately $32,389; middle-income families pay around $45,071; higher-income families pay approximately $50,918. Azimuth ranks Maryland Institute College of Art #1399 for post-graduation affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. Net prices by income band are medians within those bands; individual aid packages vary, so some families in each band pay more and some less than the figures shown. MICA's aid structure combines need-based institutional aid with federal and state grant programs. The institution participates in federal (Pell Grants, Direct Loans) and state aid programs, and families apply using the FAFSA. Merit scholarships are available for students who meet academic and artistic criteria, supplementing need-based aid packages. Median federal student loan debt at graduation is $26,500, and families using Parent PLUS borrow a median of $63,100; private or institutional loans may add further borrowing that falls outside these federal-only figures — see the Parent PLUS risk framework for how household context shapes PLUS decisions. For a graduate at the institution's median four-year earnings of $42,353, median federal debt of $26,500 projects to a monthly payment of about $299 under standard ten-year repayment. For personalized projections across earnings scenarios — including Parent PLUS planning — use Azimuth's Financial GPS tool.
Maryland Institute College of Art is a strong fit for students drawn to visual and performing arts who want a private college experience in Baltimore, MD. Graduates earn median 4-year earnings of $42,353, placing Maryland Institute College of Art in the 2.0 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $29,976 less than similar students at comparable institutions, placing the institution in the 2.2 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions. The institution enrolls a significant share of Pell-eligible and first-generation students — 23.1% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants and 17.4% are first-generation — and delivers completion rates that place Maryland Institute College of Art in the 69.6% percentile for Pell completion among nonprofit four-year institutions. Published cost of attendance is $50,918, and low-income families pay a net price of approximately $50,918 after need-based aid. Fit depends on two realistic filters: the 76.8% admit rate makes the application process selective, and the program mix favors visual and performing arts fields over applied-professional ones. Students whose interests align with those areas and who can navigate the application process will find the earnings trajectory and aid package among the strongest in the country.
This school profile was generated using Azimuth's proprietary ROI framework, developed by founder Daniel Rogers. Our methodology transforms federal education data into actionable insights for families.
College Azimuth is a private research initiative and is not affiliated with the U.S. Department of Education or Federal Student Aid. Data sourced from College Scorecard.
This content is for educational and informational purposes only and should not be construed as financial, investment, or professional advice. Consult a qualified advisor before making any financial decisions.
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This is the Maryland Institute College Of Art hub overview page. Related admissions, cost, outcomes, majors, and similar-school pages provide the detailed school data.
Based on federal data for students receiving aid. Actual costs may vary.
Maryland Institute College of Art's published cost of attendance is $76,860, but need-based aid reshapes that figure across income levels. Low-income families pay approximately $32,389; middle-income families pay around $45,071; higher-income families pay approximately $50,918.
Azimuth ranks Maryland Institute College of Art #1399 for post-graduation affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. Net prices by income band are medians within those bands; individual aid packages vary, so some families in each band pay more and some less than the figures shown.
MICA's aid structure combines need-based institutional aid with federal and state grant programs. The institution participates in federal (Pell Grants, Direct Loans) and state aid programs, and families apply using the FAFSA.
Merit scholarships are available for students who meet academic and artistic criteria, supplementing need-based aid packages. Median federal student loan debt at graduation is $26,500, and families using Parent PLUS borrow a median of $63,100; 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 $42,353, median federal debt of $26,500 projects to a monthly payment of about $299 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 Maryland Institute College of Art earn median 4-year earnings of $42,353, placing Maryland Institute College of Art in the 2.0 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $29,976 less than similar students at comparable institutions, placing Maryland Institute College of Art in the 2.2 percentile for [earnings beyond expectations](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/) among nonprofit four-year institutions.
Azimuth ranks Maryland Institute College of Art #1449 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. The earnings pattern reflects Maryland Institute College of Art's concentrated focus on visual and performing arts.
Fine and Studio Arts is the largest program with 126 graduates earning median 4-year earnings of $34,283, at 0.8× the national benchmark for the field. Design and Applied Arts follows with 104 graduates earning $45,436, and Radio, Television, and Digital Communication rounds out the top programs with 72 graduates.
Graphic Communications and Film/Video and Photographic Arts together account for additional cohort scale, with Film/Video and Photographic Arts graduates earning median 4-year earnings of $43,227 at 1.0× the national benchmark. This portfolio of creative and design-focused majors drives Maryland Institute College of Art's earnings outcomes and positions graduates in fields where artistic skill and creative problem-solving command sustained market value.
Design and Applied Arts
104 graduates
Film/Video and Photographic Arts
22 graduates
Fine and Studio Arts
126 graduates
Maryland Institute College of Art's program portfolio is anchored in visual and performing arts disciplines, reflecting the institution's specialized creative identity. Fine and Studio Arts is the largest program with 126 graduates, followed by Design and Applied Arts, Radio, Television, and Digital Communication, Graphic Communications, and Film/Video and Photographic Arts.
Across 0 programs that meet Azimuth's ranking threshold, several deliver strong four-year earnings outcomes within the creative and design fields. The earnings pattern reflects the institution's concentration in visual and performing arts.
Design and Applied Arts leads with median earnings of $45,436 four years after enrollment across 104 graduates, followed by Film/Video and Photographic Arts with 22 graduates earning $43,227, and Fine and Studio Arts with 126 graduates earning $34,283. These programs represent the institution's strongest economic outcomes and demonstrate how specialized creative training translates into measurable career earnings within design, media, and arts-adjacent professional fields.
Arts represents the dominant program concentration at Maryland Institute College of Art, anchoring the institution's identity as a specialized creative college. Graduates in these fields typically enter high-mobility creative and design careers where earnings reflect both early-career compensation and the long-term value of specialized artistic and technical credentials.
The [supply and demand for college graduates](/analysis/supply-demand-map-college-degrees/) provides context for how creative and design fields align with labor-market opportunities in media, technology, and cultural industries.
Peer institutions with comparable quality and outcomes:
| School | State | Accept Rate | Median Earnings | Rank | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
California Institute Of The Arts Similar quality tier (#36303 ranked) | CA | 32% | $41,198 | #36303 | Compare |
Manhattan School Of Music Similar quality tier (#36304 ranked) | NY | 41% | $26,878 | #36304 | Compare |
Beacon College Similar quality tier in Southeast (#36297 ranked) | FL | 43% | $29,420 | #36297 | Compare |
Cornish College Of The Arts Similar quality tier (#36293 ranked) | WA | 62% | $33,696 | #36293 | Compare |
Toccoa Falls College Similar quality tier in Southeast (#36291 ranked) | GA | 66% | $36,630 | #36291 | Compare |
