Kansas City Art Institute
Kansas City, MO 64111-1874
About Kansas City Art Institute
Kansas City Art Institute is a private university in Kansas City, Missouri, enrolling about 812 students. Admission is moderately selective for first-time degree-seeking undergraduates reporting admissions data to the Education Department. The acceptance rate is about 54.76% in the latest College Scorecard admissions data. Median earnings about ten years after entry reach about $37,032 among students who received federal aid.
Key findings
- Kansas City Art Institute charges 52% above the national private non-profit median tuition ($44,550).
- Versus the Missouri median, sticker tuition is about 3.0×.
- Completion within 150% of normal time is 57.97%.
- Median earnings 10 years after entry are $37,032.
Research findings
Finding
Modeled return on investment at Kansas City Art Institute is strong.
Estimated ROI reaches about 235% using Scorecard cost and 10-year earnings fields in this extract.
Interpretation: On this institution-wide model, typical graduate earnings over a decade substantially exceed estimated net education cost.
Limitation: ROI is institution-wide and not program-specific; individual outcomes vary by major, aid package, and labor market.
Cost benchmarks
| Benchmark | Median Tuition | Median Net Price | Count |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kansas City Art Institute | $44,550 | $27,650 | 1 |
| Private Non-profit (national median) | $29,325 | — | 1,444 |
| Missouri (state median) | $14,822 | $12,954 | 81 |
| 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 38% below published tuition at Kansas City Art Institute
Key findings
- Kansas City Art Institute's average net price ($27,650) is 38% below published tuition ($44,550).
- Kansas City Art Institute charges 52% above the national private non-profit median tuition ($44,550).
- Versus the Missouri median, sticker tuition is about 3.0×.
Kansas City Art Institute tuition
Published undergraduate tuition $44,550
Finding Kansas City Art Institute charges 52% above the national private non-profit median tuition.
Evidence Published tuition is $44,550. That is 52% above the national private non-profit median ($29,325). Versus the Missouri median ($14,822), sticker tuition is about 3.0×. Versus the U.S. median ($11,900), sticker is about 3.7×.
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 Kansas City Art Institute versus school-type, state, locale, and U.S. medians.
Evidence: average net price at Kansas City Art Institute versus state, locale, and U.S. medians.
What undergraduates typically pay
Finding Average net price at Kansas City Art Institute is $27,650.
Evidence College Scorecard average net price is $27,650 (cost of attendance minus average grant aid for aided undergraduates). That is about $14,696 above the Missouri median net price. Versus urban (city) campuses, net price runs $7,597 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 Kansas City Art Institute’s published tuition substantially overstates typical undergraduate cost: average net price is about 38% lower after grants and scholarships.
Kansas City Art Institute: research record
Canonical EDsmart Data findings for Kansas City Art Institute—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
$44,550
Avg. net price
$27,650
Net price by family income
| Income bracket | Avg. annual net price |
|---|---|
| $0–$30,000 | $26,293 |
| $30,001–$48,000 | $25,105 |
| $48,001–$75,000 | $27,663 |
| $75,001–$110,000 | $29,943 |
| $110,001+ | $30,840 |
Sticker tuition × four years (estimate, no room/board): $178,200. 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 Kansas City Art Institute is known for
Top program completions
- 05.004140
- Animation, Interactive Technology, Video Graphics, and Special Effects28
- Graphic Design15
- Ceramic Arts and Ceramics13
- Painting12
See earnings & programs for more.
Admissions landscape
- Selective — about half of applicants (or fewer) are admitted.
- Yield: 36% of admitted students enrolled.
See Admissions for the full funnel.
Is Kansas City Art Institute a good school?
Data-framed fit—not a prestige rating.
Kansas City Art Institute 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 Kansas City Art Institute.
Campus
Location
Kansas City, MO
City / state
- ZIP
- 64111-1874
- NCES locale
- City
Compared with Urban (City) campuses nationally, net price is 38% above the median for Urban (City) campuses ($20,053 median).
Control
Institution type
Private Non-profit
Control
- Region
- Plains
- Carnegie
- Not applicable, not in Carnegie universe (not accredited or non-degree-granting)
Size
Enrollment
812
Total enrollment
- Undergraduate
- 837
- Full-time share
- 99%
Student aid
Debt & aid
$27,000
Median federal loan debt
- Pell grant share
- 43.73%
Total Cost, Aid & Default
Total Cost of Attendance
Tuition vs average net price after aid for Kansas City Art Institute.
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 Kansas City Art Institute 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 Kansas City Art Institute 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 | $33,712 | $33,712 | $22,391 |
| 2014 | $35,118 | $35,118 | $27,967 |
| 2015 | $35,270 | $35,270 | $30,384 |
| 2016 | $36,450 | $36,450 | $28,581 |
| 2017 | $37,800 | $37,800 | $29,798 |
| 2018 | $38,400 | $38,400 | $30,887 |
| 2019 | $39,200 | $39,200 | $30,452 |
| 2020 | $40,100 | $40,100 | $28,529 |
| 2021 | $40,575 | $40,575 | $26,262 |
| 2022 | $41,924 | $41,924 | $28,444 |
| 2023 | $43,550 | $43,550 | $29,555 |
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 is selective, accepting about half of all 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
Kansas City Art Institute reported total enrollment of about 812 students in the latest College Scorecard extract. The student body is about 22% male and 78% female. Enrollment by race and ethnicity includes White (60.8%), Hispanic or Latino (16.6%), and Black or African American (8.4%). About 43.73% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants. Roughly 21.0% of students are first-generation college students.
Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment
98.5% Full-Time Enrollment
The total enrollment at Kansas City Art Institute in 2024 is 812 students.
Undergraduate enrollment is about 837 students.
Full-time vs part-time enrollment comparison.
Retention Rate over Time
78.3%
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
49.28% 100% Completion Time
57.97% 150% Completion Time
In 2024, 49.28% of students graduating from Kansas City Art Institute completed their program within 100% "normal time".
Completion rates over time compared to similar institutions.
Completions by Sex (Top Programs)
- 05.0041: 15% male / 85% female
- Animation, Interactive Technology, Video Graphics, and Special Effects: 25% male / 75% female
- Graphic Design: 40% male / 60% 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.
Kansas City Art Institute graduates earn a median of $37,032 ten years after entry
Finding Earnings, debt, and program mix define the financial profile of Kansas City Art Institute.
Evidence Median earnings 10 years after entry: $37,032. Median federal loan debt: $27,000. Average net price used in cost models: $27,650.
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 Kansas City Art Institute graduates report median earnings of $37,032 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 Kansas City Art Institute.
Top Programs by Completions
Largest 10 programs by IPEDS completions (14 reported codes; aggregate/unknown CIP buckets excluded).
IPEDS award counts for the largest programs at Kansas City Art Institute.
Employment Outcomes
Median earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after entry for Kansas City Art Institute graduates.
How financially powerful is this institution?
Finding: federal finance and Scorecard instructional fields for Kansas City Art Institute—endowment assets (fiscal year 2023), instructional staffing and expenditure. Compared with state, regional, and U.S. medians from EDsmart Data institutional financials.
Institutional endowment
$76.8M
End-of-year assets · Fiscal year 2023
- Missouri median 2.2× the median ($35.2M)
- Plains median 3.2× the median ($24.1M)
- U.S. median 2.9× the median ($26.4M)
- Missouri median 6.9× the median ($15,167)
- Plains median 7.0× the median ($15,020)
- U.S. median 8.7× the median ($12,100)
Instructional Resources
- Full-time faculty share: 45.5%
- Missouri median 19.8 pp below median (65.3%)
- Plains median 19.2 pp below median (64.7%)
- U.S. median 12.4 pp below median (58.0%)
- Average faculty salary (monthly): $7,886
- Missouri median 1.2× the median ($6,803)
- Plains median 1.1× the median ($7,194)
- U.S. median near the median ($7,615)
- Instructional expenditure per FTE: $12,837
- Missouri median 1.7× the median ($7,371)
- Plains median 1.6× the median ($8,150)
- U.S. median 1.8× 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.
Kansas City Art Institute at a glance
Kansas City Art Institute
Kansas City Art Institute is a private non-profit institution in Kansas City, MO, classified as Not applicable, not in Carnegie universe (not accredited or non-degree-granting).
- Largest programs (IPEDS awards)
- 05.0041Animation, Interactive Technology, Video Graphics, and Special EffectsGraphic Design
- Largest enrollment groups
- White or Caucasian60.8%Hispanic or Latino16.6%Black or African American8.4%
Schools near Kansas City Art Institute
Other campuses in Kansas City, MO when available, plus nearby institutions in Missouri.
Similar schools
Peers matched by the same EDsmart outcomes grade (Grade C-) within Missouri, then by similar ownership and admissions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Kansas City Art Institute located?
Kansas City Art Institute is located in Kansas City, MO.
What is Kansas City Art Institute's acceptance rate?
The acceptance rate at Kansas City Art Institute is 54.8% among first-time degree-seeking students reporting admissions data. IPEDS reports 1,097 applicants and 662 admits in the latest admissions cycle in our extract.
What is Kansas City Art Institute's tuition?
Kansas City Art Institute tuition (published undergraduate sticker price) is $44,550 in the latest College Scorecard data. Average net price after grant aid is $27,650 for undergraduates receiving Title IV aid.
How much does Kansas City Art Institute cost?
Reported tuition is $44,550 and average net price is $27,650 in the latest College Scorecard data. On-campus room and board is estimated at $13,651 annually.
Why is Kansas City Art Institute's net price so much lower than tuition?
At Kansas City Art Institute, published tuition is $44,550 while average net price is $27,650—about 38% 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 Kansas City Art Institute's return on investment in EDsmart Data?
EDsmart Data models ROI using campus average net price ($27,650), completion (58.0% within 150% of normal time where reported), and median earnings ten years after entry ($37,032). 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 Kansas City Art Institute?
Kansas City Art Institute reports undergraduate enrollment of about 837 students, White (60.8%), Hispanic or Latino (16.6%) in federal College Scorecard data.
How many first-generation students attend Kansas City Art Institute?
About 21.0% of students at Kansas City Art Institute are first-generation college students.
What do graduates of Kansas City Art Institute earn?
Median earnings are $25,529 six years after entry and $37,032 ten years after entry.
What is the graduation rate at Kansas City Art Institute?
The 150%-time completion rate is 58.0% for the cohort reported to the College Scorecard.
How much debt do Kansas City Art Institute students have?
Median federal loan debt among completers is $27,000.
Is Kansas City Art Institute public or private?
Kansas City Art Institute is a private nonprofit institution located in Kansas City, MO.
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.