School of the Art Institute of Chicago
Chicago, IL 60603
About School of the Art Institute of Chicago
School of the Art Institute of Chicago is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois, serving roughly 2,805 students. Admission is moderately selective for first-time degree-seeking undergraduates reporting admissions data to the Education Department. The acceptance rate is about 77.47% in the latest College Scorecard admissions data. Median earnings about ten years after entry reach about $40,151 among students who received federal aid.
Key findings
- School of the Art Institute of Chicago charges about 1.9× the national private non-profit median tuition ($56,420).
- Versus the Illinois median, sticker tuition is about 4.3×.
- Completion within 150% of normal time is 66.99%.
- Median earnings 10 years after entry are $40,151.
Cost benchmarks
| Benchmark | Median Tuition | Median Net Price | Count |
|---|---|---|---|
| School of the Art Institute of Chicago | $56,420 | $49,790 | 1 |
| Private Non-profit (national median) | $29,325 | — | 1,444 |
| Illinois (state median) | $13,248 | $7,399 | 131 |
| Urban (City) (locale median) | $15,200 | $20,053 | 1,346 |
| United States (national median) | $11,900 | $17,156 | — |
Compares this campus to school-type, state, and locale medians plus a U.S. national median (College Scorecard–derived). Locale groups campuses by NCES locale type; state tuition is the median published tuition among campuses in that state.
Average net price is 12% below published tuition at School of the Art Institute of Chicago
Key findings
- School of the Art Institute of Chicago's average net price ($49,790) is 12% below published tuition ($56,420).
- School of the Art Institute of Chicago charges about 1.9× the national private non-profit median tuition ($56,420).
- Versus the Illinois median, sticker tuition is about 4.3×.
School of the Art Institute of Chicago tuition
Published undergraduate tuition $56,420
Finding School of the Art Institute of Chicago charges about 1.9× the national private non-profit median tuition.
Evidence Published tuition is $56,420. That is about 1.9× the national private non-profit median ($29,325). Versus the Illinois median ($13,248), sticker tuition is about 4.3×. Versus the U.S. median ($11,900), sticker is about 4.7×.
Method Sticker tuition compared with Scorecard-derived medians by ownership, state, locale, and national rollups when available.
Interpretation Published tuition measures sticker price relative to private non-profit and geographic peers; it does not equal what undergraduates typically pay after aid.
Limitation Sticker comparisons omit room, board, and institutional aid; average net price and income-band net prices are the stronger signals of typical family cost.
Evidence: published tuition at School of the Art Institute of Chicago versus school-type, state, locale, and U.S. medians.
Evidence: average net price at School of the Art Institute of Chicago versus state, locale, and U.S. medians.
What undergraduates typically pay
Finding Average net price at School of the Art Institute of Chicago is $49,790.
Evidence College Scorecard average net price is $49,790 (cost of attendance minus average grant aid for aided undergraduates). That is about $42,391 above the Illinois median net price. Versus urban (city) campuses, net price runs $29,737 above the locale median.
Method Average net price from College Scorecard; compared with state, locale, and U.S. medians from EDsmart aggregates.
Interpretation Average net price is a stronger institutional cost signal than published tuition because it incorporates grant aid.
Limitation The campus average masks large differences by household income; income-band net prices can diverge sharply from the overall average.
Key takeaway School of the Art Institute of Chicago’s published tuition substantially overstates typical undergraduate cost: average net price is about 12% lower after grants and scholarships.
School of the Art Institute of Chicago: research record
Canonical EDsmart Data findings for School of the Art Institute of Chicago—costs, outcomes, admissions, and programs—with evidence and methodology notes.
Research findings
Interpretation
The combination of completion and 10-year earnings is a multidimensional outcomes signal; it does not measure educational quality by itself.
Financial profile
Annual tuition
$56,420
Avg. net price
$49,790
Net price by family income
| Income bracket | Avg. annual net price |
|---|---|
| $0–$30,000 | $43,798 |
| $30,001–$48,000 | $39,845 |
| $48,001–$75,000 | $46,708 |
| $75,001–$110,000 | $49,595 |
| $110,001+ | $55,790 |
Sticker tuition × four years (estimate, no room/board): $225,680. See cost investigation.
Student outcomes
Share of first-year students returning the following fall.
Graduation rate and 10-year earnings are in the hero strip above; see Graduates for more.
What School of the Art Institute of Chicago is known for
Top program completions
- Fine/Studio Arts, General884
- Art History, Criticism and Conservation36
- Creative Writing21
- Architectural and Building Sciences/Technology19
- Art Therapy/Therapist19
See earnings & programs for more.
Admissions landscape
- Broad access — most applicants are admitted.
- Yield: 13% of admitted students enrolled.
See Admissions for the full funnel.
Is School of the Art Institute of Chicago a good school?
Data-framed fit—not a prestige rating.
School of the Art Institute of Chicago is a good school for those looking for strong completion alongside solid mid-career earnings.
EDsmart Data does not assign an opinion score; this framing summarizes the strongest Scorecard signals for this campus.
More from the data
Location, control, enrollment, and aid context for School of the Art Institute of Chicago.
Campus
Location
Chicago, IL
City / state
- ZIP
- 60603
- NCES locale
- City
Compared with Urban (City) campuses nationally, net price is about 2.5× the median for Urban (City) campuses ($20,053 median).
Control
Institution type
Private Non-profit
Control
- Region
- Great Lakes
- Carnegie
- Not applicable, not in Carnegie universe (not accredited or non-degree-granting)
Size
Enrollment
2,805
Total enrollment
- Undergraduate
- 2,913
- Graduate
- 589
- Full-time share
- 93%
Student aid
Debt & aid
$27,000
Median federal loan debt
- Pell grant share
- 18.73%
Total Cost, Aid & Default
Total Cost of Attendance
Tuition vs average net price after aid for School of the Art Institute of Chicago.
Financial Aid by Income Level
Financial aid distribution by income level.
Student Loan Default Rate
The published 3-year cohort default rate for borrowers at School of the Art Institute of Chicago was 0.00%.
Cohort default rates account for borrowers who default in the first three years.
Tuition tracker
Published tuition and average net price by reporting year come from the College Scorecard institution file. Values are not adjusted for inflation; missing cells mean the field was not reported or was suppressed for School of the Art Institute of Chicago in that year.
Reporting years in the table below: 2013–2023 (Scorecard labels refer to the institutional submission cycle).
| Year | In-state tuition & fees | Out-of-state tuition & fees | Average net price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | $40,585 | $40,585 | $38,809 |
| 2014 | $42,230 | $42,230 | $41,196 |
| 2015 | $43,960 | $43,960 | $39,613 |
| 2016 | $45,750 | $45,750 | $38,607 |
| 2017 | $49,610 | $49,610 | $41,935 |
| 2018 | $49,310 | $49,310 | $43,013 |
| 2019 | $50,920 | $50,920 | $44,815 |
| 2020 | $53,160 | $53,160 | $45,909 |
| 2021 | $53,160 | $53,160 | $46,067 |
| 2022 | $54,530 | $54,530 | $47,294 |
| 2023 | $54,530 | $54,530 | $49,822 |
Sticker tuition and net price over time
Where the institution reported separate in-state and out-of-state tuition, both appear. Gaps mean the value was not reported for that year.
College Scorecard reporting-year fields (not inflation-adjusted).
Net price by family income
Brackets follow Scorecard definitions for the series shown (public vs private institution).
Latest income-band net prices available in the processed extract.
How difficult is it to get in?
Acceptance Rate
This institution has a moderate acceptance rate, accepting most qualified applicants.
Applicants → admits → first-time enrollment from College Scorecard / IPEDS. Bar widths are scaled for readability at highly selective schools.
Test Scores
Test score data is not available for this institution.
Score distribution is not available for this institution.
Academic Requirements
GPA requirements are not published by this institution. Contact the admissions office for specific academic requirements.
Estimated GPA range is not available for this institution.
Enrollment & Student Demographics
School of the Art Institute of Chicago reported total enrollment of about 2,805 students in the latest College Scorecard extract. The student body is about 23% male and 77% female. Enrollment by race and ethnicity includes White (34.6%), Non-Resident Alien (27.9%), and Hispanic or Latino (13.2%). About 18.73% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants. Roughly 21.3% of students are first-generation college students.
Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment
93.1% Full-Time Enrollment
The total enrollment at School of the Art Institute of Chicago in 2024 is 2,805 students.
Undergraduate enrollment is about 2,913 students. Graduate enrollment is about 589 students.
Full-time vs part-time enrollment comparison.
Retention Rate over Time
83.8%
2024 Retention Rate
Retention rate measures the number of first-time students who began their studies the previous fall and returned to school the following fall.
Retention rate over time compared to similar institutions.
Enrollment by Race & Ethnicity
Largest share of total enrollment in our College Scorecard extract.
College Scorecard student demographics (total enrollment shares).
Do students complete their programs?
Time to Complete
37.18% 100% Completion Time
66.99% 150% Completion Time
In 2024, 37.18% of students graduating from School of the Art Institute of Chicago completed their program within 100% "normal time".
Completion rates over time compared to similar institutions.
Completions by Sex (Top Programs)
- Fine/Studio Arts, General: 29% male / 71% female
- Art History, Criticism and Conservation: 11% male / 89% female
- Creative Writing: 24% male / 76% female
IPEDS completions by sex for the five largest programs (aggregate CIPs excluded).
Completions by Race & Ethnicity
Largest group by summed IPEDS award counts across reported programs.
Summed across program completion records in our extract.
School of the Art Institute of Chicago graduates earn a median of $40,151 ten years after entry
Finding Earnings, debt, and program mix define the financial profile of School of the Art Institute of Chicago.
Evidence Median earnings 10 years after entry: $40,151. Median federal loan debt: $27,000. Average net price used in cost models: $49,790.
Method College Scorecard median earnings (10-year), median debt, and EDsmart ROI / payback models using campus net price.
Interpretation Institution-wide ROI and debt ratios summarize campus averages; program choice still drives individual outcomes.
Limitation Salary reflects median earnings ten years after entry; ROI is not program-specific.
Key takeaway School of the Art Institute of Chicago graduates report median earnings of $40,151 ten years after entry—an institution-wide outcomes signal, not a program guarantee.
Return on Investment
Debt and 4-year net cost vs. cumulative 10-year median earnings for School of the Art Institute of Chicago.
Top Programs by Completions
Largest 10 programs by IPEDS completions (13 reported codes; aggregate/unknown CIP buckets excluded).
IPEDS award counts for the largest programs at School of the Art Institute of Chicago.
Employment Outcomes
Median earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after entry for School of the Art Institute of Chicago graduates.
How financially powerful is this institution?
Finding: federal finance and Scorecard instructional fields for School of the Art Institute of Chicago—endowment assets (fiscal year 2023), instructional staffing and expenditure. Compared with state, regional, and U.S. medians from EDsmart Data institutional financials.
Institutional endowment
$360.6M
End-of-year assets · Fiscal year 2023
- Illinois median 13× the median ($28.5M)
- Great Lakes median 11× the median ($31.8M)
- U.S. median 14× the median ($26.4M)
- Illinois median 7.0× the median ($15,173)
- Great Lakes median 6.4× the median ($16,690)
- U.S. median 8.8× the median ($12,100)
Instructional Resources
- Full-time faculty share: 21.6%
- Illinois median 29.2 pp below median (50.8%)
- Great Lakes median 36.5 pp below median (58.1%)
- U.S. median 36.4 pp below median (58.0%)
- Average faculty salary (monthly): $11,628
- Illinois median 1.4× the median ($8,563)
- Great Lakes median 1.4× the median ($8,046)
- U.S. median 1.5× the median ($7,615)
- Instructional expenditure per FTE: $18,435
- Illinois median 2.4× the median ($7,575)
- Great Lakes median 2.4× the median ($7,690)
- U.S. median 2.5× the median ($7,288)
Instructional metrics from College Scorecard. Peer medians are campus-level; see the institutional financials deep dive. Detailed non-instructional staff counts are not included here.
School of the Art Institute of Chicago at a glance
School of the Art Institute of Chicago
School of the Art Institute of Chicago is a private non-profit institution in Chicago, IL, classified as Not applicable, not in Carnegie universe (not accredited or non-degree-granting).
- Largest programs (IPEDS awards)
- Fine/Studio Arts, GeneralArt History, Criticism and ConservationCreative Writing
- Largest enrollment groups
- White or Caucasian34.6%Non-Resident Alien27.9%Hispanic or Latino13.2%
Schools near School of the Art Institute of Chicago
Other campuses in Chicago, IL when available, plus nearby institutions in Illinois.
Similar schools
Peers matched by the same EDsmart outcomes grade (Grade C) within Illinois, then by similar ownership and admissions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is School of the Art Institute of Chicago located?
School of the Art Institute of Chicago is located in Chicago, IL.
What is School of the Art Institute of Chicago's acceptance rate?
The acceptance rate at School of the Art Institute of Chicago is 77.5% among first-time degree-seeking students reporting admissions data. IPEDS reports 6,633 applicants and 5,069 admits in the latest admissions cycle in our extract.
What is School of the Art Institute of Chicago's tuition?
School of the Art Institute of Chicago tuition (published undergraduate sticker price) is $56,420 in the latest College Scorecard data. Average net price after grant aid is $49,790 for undergraduates receiving Title IV aid.
How much does School of the Art Institute of Chicago cost?
Reported tuition is $56,420 and average net price is $49,790 in the latest College Scorecard data. On-campus room and board is estimated at $16,550 annually.
Why is School of the Art Institute of Chicago's net price so much lower than tuition?
At School of the Art Institute of Chicago, published tuition is $56,420 while average net price is $49,790—about 12% lower. Average net price subtracts grant and scholarship aid from cost of attendance for undergraduates receiving Title IV aid (College Scorecard). Institutional aid therefore compresses sticker price into a lower typical undergraduate cost signal. The campus average still masks large differences by household income; income-band net prices can diverge sharply from the overall average. EDsmart Data treats the sticker–net gap as an analytical finding, not advice about individual aid offers.
What explains School of the Art Institute of Chicago's return on investment in EDsmart Data?
EDsmart Data models ROI using campus average net price ($49,790), completion (67.0% within 150% of normal time where reported), and median earnings ten years after entry ($40,151). High completion and strong mid-career earnings relative to net cost raise modeled ROI; the estimate is institution-wide and not program-specific. Debt-to-earnings ratios, when available, further contextualize borrowing pressure. Limitations include suppressed fields, program mix, and labor-market variation over time.
What is the student body demographics at School of the Art Institute of Chicago?
School of the Art Institute of Chicago reports undergraduate enrollment of about 2,913 students, White (34.6%), Non-Resident Alien (27.9%) in federal College Scorecard data.
How many first-generation students attend School of the Art Institute of Chicago?
About 21.3% of students at School of the Art Institute of Chicago are first-generation college students.
What do graduates of School of the Art Institute of Chicago earn?
Median earnings are $26,742 six years after entry and $40,151 ten years after entry.
What is the graduation rate at School of the Art Institute of Chicago?
The 150%-time completion rate is 67.0% for the cohort reported to the College Scorecard.
How much debt do School of the Art Institute of Chicago students have?
Median federal loan debt among completers is $27,000.
Is School of the Art Institute of Chicago public or private?
School of the Art Institute of Chicago is a private nonprofit institution located in Chicago, IL.
Data Sources
This page uses data from the following sources:
- College Scorecard - U.S. Department of Education
- Institutional characteristics, costs, completion rates, and earnings data
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: collegescorecard.ed.gov
- Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)
- Employment and wage data by occupation
- Latest data: May 2024
- Source: bls.gov/oes
- O*NET Online - U.S. Department of Labor
- Occupational skills, knowledge, abilities, and work activities
- Database version: 28.0 (August 2023)
- Source: onetcenter.org
- IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) - National Center for Education Statistics
- Institutional data, completions, enrollment, and financial aid
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: nces.ed.gov/ipeds
- Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS)
- Demographic and workforce data
- Latest data: 2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates
- Source: census.gov/acs
- Related geography & profiles
Data Processing: All data has been processed, cleaned, and aggregated for presentation. Where specific data points are unavailable, estimates are based on available data and clearly marked.
Last Updated: Data reflects the most recent available information as of January 2025.
Methodology & Data Scope
This profile uses institution-level fields from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, merged with IPEDS directory attributes where needed for locale, ownership, and program completions.
Benchmark rows compare this campus to NCES locale-type medians (for example Suburban) from our processed location extract. Implied U.S. medians are derived from locale-vs-national percentage fields in that extract—not a separate national Scorecard table.