Art Center College of Design
Pasadena, California · Private, nonprofit
Graduate earnings
have graduates earning more than a typical California high-school graduate (about $36,976 a year). 1 falls short.
7 of 8 undergraduate programs could be assessed. The other one has no earnings published. 1 verdict uses 1-year earnings, an earlier career stage. The 8 graduate programs are in the table.
Average net price, all families$48,661 a year By family income
What it would cost
Net price is the yearly cost after grants and scholarships, as reported for students who received federal aid.
Average for all families
$48,661 a year
About $194,644 over 4 years, if price and aid stay the same.
This multiplies the reported yearly net price by the years you choose. It is not a quote or a prediction: it leaves out interest, price rises and the chance of taking longer to finish.
Net price for every income band
| Family income | Net price per year |
|---|---|
| Under $30k | $39,645 |
| $30k to $48k | $42,161 |
| $48k to $75k | $44,738 |
| $75k to $110k | $45,677 |
| $110k and up | $61,144 |
| All families (average) | $48,661 |
College Scorecard, release 2026-06-10. Bands with no figure were not reported by the school.
Program earnings
Median earnings of each program’s graduates against a typical California high-school graduate ($36,976 a year).
8 of 16 programs could be assessed 50% have an earnings verdict
| Program | Degree | Median earnings | vs a high-school grad | Verdict | Median debt | Debt as years of gain | Recent completers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Design | Bachelor's Degree | $76,093 | +$39,117 | clears the bar | $31,000 | 0.8 yrs | 245 |
| Graphic Communications | Bachelor's Degree | $67,0101-year earnings | +$30,034 | clears the bar (1-yr) | $37,000 | 1.2 yrs | 79 |
| Engineering-Related Fields | Bachelor's Degree | $92,293 | +$55,317 | clears the bar | $35,636 | 0.6 yrs | 51 |
| Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians | Bachelor's Degree | $90,188 | +$53,212 | clears the bar | $50,250 | 0.9 yrs | 50 |
| Film and Photography | Bachelor's Degree | $49,933 | +$12,957 | clears the bar | $28,750 | 2.2 yrs | 41 |
| Fine Arts | Bachelor's Degree | $33,073 | -$3,903 | falls short | not published | not assessed | 18 |
| Architectural Sciences and Technology | Bachelor's Degree | $77,401 | +$40,425 | clears the bar | not published | not assessed | 17 |
| Fine Arts | Master's Degree | $30,188 | -$6,788 | below HS line | not published | not assessed | 2 |
| Design | Master's Degree | not published | not assessed | earnings not published | not published | not assessed | 31 |
| Computer Software and Media Applications | Bachelor's Degree | not published | not assessed | earnings not published | not published | not assessed | 20 |
| Film and Photography | Master's Degree | not published | not assessed | earnings not published | not published | not assessed | 16 |
| Architectural Sciences and Technology | Master's Degree | not published | not assessed | earnings not published | not published | not assessed | 15 |
| Computer Software and Media Applications | Master's Degree | not published | not assessed | earnings not published | not published | not assessed | 14 |
| Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians | Master's Degree | not published | not assessed | earnings not published | not published | not assessed | 5 |
| Engineering-Related Fields | Master's Degree | not published | not assessed | earnings not published | not published | not assessed | 4 |
| Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services, Other | Master's Degree | not published | not assessed | earnings not published | not published | not assessed | 0 |
Sources and definitions
- U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard, release 2026-06-10. Earnings are medians for graduates who received federal aid. Debt is federal loans only.
- The high-school line is ED’s state benchmark, $36,976 a year.
- Earnings not published: ED reports the program but no earnings figure, usually because too few graduates were measured. Nothing reported: ED lists the program with no figures at all. Neither is a judgement of the program.
- Debt as years of gain is median federal debt divided by how much more graduates earn per year than a typical high-school graduate. It is not a repayment time.
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