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Columbus College of Art & Design

#1511 in US ranking Columbus, OH
Type:
Private not-for-profit
Programs:
4 years or more

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Cost

Cost / year
$57,491
Tuition & fees
$42,995
Avg. aid
$22,725
Receiving aid
100%

Admissions

Acceptance rate
68%

Outcomes

Graduation rate
56%
Median salary
$27,558
1 yr after graduation

What are the graduation rates for students at Columbus College of Art & Design?

CCAD's reported four-year graduation rate is 48%, while its six-year rate is 56%. These measures follow a defined entering group of first-time, full-time students; they are not the graduation rates of every transfer, part-time, or graduate student.

The gap between the two rates shows that some students complete after four years. The reported first-year retention rate is 80%, meaning that roughly four in five students in the measured group returned the following year. These figures provide useful context, but they do not explain why any particular student leaves, changes pace, or graduates later.

For an applicant, the practical question is whether the course sequence and likely financing allow enough time to finish. A delayed final year can add living expenses as well as tuition, even when a student remains on track to earn a degree.

What is the earning potential for graduates at Columbus College of Art & Design?

College Scorecard field-of-study figures offer a limited view of earnings about one year after completion for the measured graduates. In the reported data, the median is $27,261 for design and applied arts and $24,871 for fine and studio arts.

The corresponding figures are $19,608 for graphic communications and $19,466 for film, video, and photographic arts. These are field-level, early-career measures - not salary offers, forecasts for an individual, or a measure of everyone who studied a subject. They can reflect differences in who is included, where people work, whether they pursue further education, and how recently they entered the workforce.

Applicants weighing cost against potential income should consider several years of likely expenses and borrowing alongside these figures. A one-year earnings measure cannot capture later career progression, freelance work fully, or the nonfinancial reasons a student may choose a field.

Columbus College of Art & Design Graduation Rate

Avg. graduation
56%
4-year graduation
48%
6-year graduation
56%

Columbus College of Art & Design Retention and Employment

First-year retention, full-time students
80%
Employed 1 year after graduation
94%

Columbus College of Art & Design Median Alumni Salary Over Time

1 year after graduation
$27,558
4 years after graduation
$41,994
5 years after graduation
$43,896
7 years after graduation
$49,366
10 years after starting college
$47,378

Alumni Salary for Columbus College of Art & Design Degrees

Degrees

Avg. salary

Design and Applied Arts

$27,261

Film/Video and Photographic Arts

$19,466

Fine and Studio Arts

$24,871

Graphic Communications

$19,608

Columbus College of Art & Design Graduations Per Degree

BACHELOR’S Degree

Women Men Total

Visual and Performing Arts

12550175

Communications Technologies/Technicians and Support Services

31940

MASTER’S Degree

Women Men Total

Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services

112

Data last updated on November 5, 2026

Data sources: IPEDS 2024-25, Peterson 2026, College Scorecard 10/2026, Clery 2024 (2023-24), OpenAlex 2026

Figures on this profile come from federal and third-party datasets in the editions listed above and are refreshed periodically, so they may differ from what the institution currently reports. Confirm costs, deadlines and requirements with the school before making decisions.

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