Cornish College of the Arts
Seattle, WA 98121
About Cornish College of the Arts
Cornish College of the Arts is a private university in Seattle, Washington, enrolling about 488 students. Admission is moderately selective for first-time degree-seeking undergraduates reporting admissions data to the Education Department. The acceptance rate is about 62.21% in the latest College Scorecard admissions data. Median earnings about ten years after entry reach about $33,696 among students who received federal aid.
Key findings
- Cornish College of the Arts charges 38% above the national private non-profit median tuition ($41,684).
- Versus the Washington median, sticker tuition is about 4.7×.
- Completion within 150% of normal time is 56.43%.
- Median earnings 10 years after entry are $33,696.
Cost benchmarks
| Benchmark | Median Tuition | Median Net Price | Count |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cornish College of the Arts | $41,684 | $40,062 | 1 |
| Private Non-profit (national median) | $30,216 | — | 1,451 |
| Washington (state median) | $8,850 | $18,346 | 71 |
| Urban (City) (locale median) | $15,860 | $20,672 | 1,348 |
| United States (national median) | $12,200 | $17,573 | — |
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 4% below published tuition at Cornish College of the Arts
Key findings
- Cornish College of the Arts's average net price ($40,062) is 4% below published tuition ($41,684).
- Cornish College of the Arts charges 38% above the national private non-profit median tuition ($41,684).
- Versus the Washington median, sticker tuition is about 4.7×.
Cornish College of the Arts tuition
Published undergraduate tuition $41,684
Finding Cornish College of the Arts charges 38% above the national private non-profit median tuition.
Evidence Published tuition is $41,684. That is 38% above the national private non-profit median ($30,216). Versus the Washington median ($8,850), sticker tuition is about 4.7×. Versus the U.S. median ($12,200), sticker is about 3.4×.
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 Cornish College of the Arts versus school-type, state, locale, and U.S. medians.
Evidence: average net price at Cornish College of the Arts versus state, locale, and U.S. medians.
What undergraduates typically pay
Finding Average net price at Cornish College of the Arts is $40,062.
Evidence College Scorecard average net price is $40,062 (cost of attendance minus average grant aid for aided undergraduates). That is about $21,716 above the Washington median net price. Versus urban (city) campuses, net price runs $19,390 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 Cornish College of the Arts’s published tuition substantially overstates typical undergraduate cost: average net price is about 4% lower after grants and scholarships.
Cornish College of the Arts: research record
Canonical EDsmart Data findings for Cornish College of the Arts—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
$41,684
Avg. net price
$40,062
Net price by family income
| Income bracket | Avg. annual net price |
|---|---|
| $0–$30,000 | $31,806 |
| $30,001–$48,000 | $32,992 |
| $48,001–$75,000 | $34,781 |
| $75,001–$110,000 | $42,906 |
| $110,001+ | $47,206 |
Sticker tuition × four years (estimate, no room/board): $166,736. 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 Cornish College of the Arts is known for
Top program completions
- Design and Visual Communications, General13
- Dance, General12
- 05.004112
- Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts, General9
- Musical Theatre8
See earnings & programs for more.
Admissions landscape
- Broad access — most applicants are admitted.
- Yield: 21% of admitted students enrolled.
See Admissions for the full funnel.
Is Cornish College of the Arts a good school?
Data-framed fit—not a prestige rating.
Cornish College of the Arts 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 Cornish College of the Arts.
Campus
Location
Seattle, WA
City / state
- ZIP
- 98121
- NCES locale
- City
Compared with Urban (City) campuses nationally, net price is about 1.9× the median for Urban (City) campuses ($20,672 median).
Control
Institution type
Private Non-profit
Control
- Region
- Far West
- Carnegie
- Special Focus Four-Year: Arts, Music, and Design Schools
Size
Enrollment
488
Total enrollment
- Full-time share
- 95%
Student aid
Debt & aid
$27,000
Median federal loan debt
- Pell grant share
- 29.88%
Total Cost, Aid & Default
Total Cost of Attendance
Costs include tuition and fees. Room & board, books, and other expenses are additional where not shown.
Tuition vs average net price after aid for Cornish College of the Arts.
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 Cornish College of the Arts was not reported in the College Scorecard extract for this institution.
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 Cornish College of the Arts 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 | $33,950 | $33,950 | $33,177 |
| 2014 | $35,800 | $35,800 | $32,474 |
| 2015 | $37,240 | $37,240 | $35,118 |
| 2016 | $38,820 | $38,820 | $33,559 |
| 2017 | $40,464 | $40,464 | $36,408 |
| 2018 | $41,642 | $41,642 | $34,448 |
| 2019 | $33,360 | $33,360 | $39,078 |
| 2020 | $34,200 | $34,200 | $38,851 |
| 2021 | $35,486 | $35,486 | $37,135 |
| 2022 | $36,844 | $36,844 | $38,416 |
| 2023 | $39,913 | $39,913 | $39,060 |
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
Cornish College of the Arts reported total enrollment of about 488 students in the latest College Scorecard extract. The student body is about 29% male and 71% female. Enrollment by race and ethnicity includes White (59.0%), Race/ethnicity unknown (12.7%), and Two or More Races (9.6%). About 29.88% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants. Roughly 22.6% of students are first-generation college students.
Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment
94.9% Full-Time Enrollment
The total enrollment at Cornish College of the Arts in 2024 is 488 students.
Full-time vs part-time enrollment comparison.
Retention Rate over Time
69.3%
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
45.00% 100% Completion Time
56.43% 150% Completion Time
In 2024, 45.00% of students graduating from Cornish College of the Arts completed their program within 100% "normal time".
Completion rates over time compared to similar institutions.
Completions by Sex (Top Programs)
- Design and Visual Communications, General: 31% male / 69% female
- Dance, General: 0% male / 100% female
- 05.0041: 42% male / 58% 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.
Cornish College of the Arts graduates earn a median of $33,696 ten years after entry
Finding Earnings, debt, and program mix define the financial profile of Cornish College of the Arts.
Evidence Median earnings 10 years after entry: $33,696. Median federal loan debt: $27,000. Average net price used in cost models: $40,062.
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 Cornish College of the Arts graduates report median earnings of $33,696 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 Cornish College of the Arts.
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 Cornish College of the Arts.
Employment Outcomes
Median earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after entry for Cornish College of the Arts graduates.
How financially powerful is this institution?
Finding: federal finance and Scorecard instructional fields for Cornish College of the Arts—endowment assets (fiscal year 2023), instructional staffing and expenditure. Compared with state, regional, and U.S. medians from EDsmart Data institutional financials.
Institutional endowment
$11.1M
End-of-year assets · Fiscal year 2023
- Washington median 0.94× the median ($11.9M)
- Far West median 0.66× the median ($16.8M)
- U.S. median 0.42× the median ($26.4M)
- Washington median 6.3× the median ($4,513)
- Far West median 3.9× the median ($7,260)
- U.S. median 2.3× the median ($12,100)
Instructional Resources
- Full-time faculty share: 38.4%
- Washington median 56.5 pp below median (94.9%)
- Far West median 7.3 pp below median (45.7%)
- U.S. median 19.6 pp below median (58.0%)
- Average faculty salary (monthly): $5,957
- Washington median 0.62× the median ($9,588)
- Far West median 0.62× the median ($9,635)
- U.S. median 0.78× the median ($7,615)
- Instructional expenditure per FTE: $28,682
- Washington median 3.3× the median ($8,580)
- Far West median 4.1× the median ($7,030)
- U.S. median 3.9× 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.
Cornish College of the Arts at a glance
Cornish College of the Arts
Cornish College of the Arts is a private non-profit institution in Seattle, WA, classified as Special Focus Four-Year: Arts, Music, and Design Schools.
- Largest programs (IPEDS awards)
- Design and Visual Communications, GeneralDance, General05.0041
- Largest enrollment groups
- White or Caucasian59.0%Race/ethnicity unknown12.7%Two or More Races9.6%
Schools near Cornish College of the Arts
Other campuses in Seattle, WA when available, plus nearby institutions in Washington.
Similar schools
Peers matched by the same EDsmart outcomes grade (Grade D) within Washington, then by similar ownership and admissions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Cornish College of the Arts located?
Cornish College of the Arts is located in Seattle, WA.
What is Cornish College of the Arts's acceptance rate?
The acceptance rate at Cornish College of the Arts is 62.2% among first-time degree-seeking students reporting admissions data. IPEDS reports 1,097 applicants and 773 admits in the latest admissions cycle in our extract.
What is Cornish College of the Arts's tuition?
Cornish College of the Arts tuition (published undergraduate sticker price) is $41,684 in the latest College Scorecard data. Average net price after grant aid is $40,062 for undergraduates receiving Title IV aid.
How much does Cornish College of the Arts cost?
Reported tuition is $41,684 and average net price is $40,062 in the latest College Scorecard data.
Why is Cornish College of the Arts's net price so much lower than tuition?
At Cornish College of the Arts, published tuition is $41,684 while average net price is $40,062—about 4% 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 Cornish College of the Arts's return on investment in EDsmart Data?
EDsmart Data models ROI using campus average net price ($40,062), completion (56.4% within 150% of normal time where reported), and median earnings ten years after entry ($33,696). 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 Cornish College of the Arts?
Cornish College of the Arts reports total enrollment of about 488 students, White (59.0%), Race/ethnicity unknown (12.7%) in federal College Scorecard data.
How many first-generation students attend Cornish College of the Arts?
About 22.6% of students at Cornish College of the Arts are first-generation college students.
What do graduates of Cornish College of the Arts earn?
Median earnings are $27,580 six years after entry and $33,696 ten years after entry.
What is the graduation rate at Cornish College of the Arts?
The 150%-time completion rate is 56.4% for the cohort reported to the College Scorecard.
How much debt do Cornish College of the Arts students have?
Median federal loan debt among completers is $27,000.
Is Cornish College of the Arts public or private?
Cornish College of the Arts is a private nonprofit institution located in Seattle, WA.
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.