Savannah College of Art and Design
Savannah, GA 31402-3146
About Savannah College of Art and Design
Savannah College of Art and Design is a private research university in Savannah, Georgia, with about 15,243 students. Admission is moderately selective for first-time degree-seeking undergraduates reporting admissions data to the Education Department. The acceptance rate is about 82.98% in the latest College Scorecard admissions data. Median earnings about ten years after entry reach about $45,954 among students who received federal aid.
Key findings
- Savannah College of Art and Design charges 42% above the national private non-profit median tuition ($41,630).
- Versus the Georgia median, sticker tuition is about 4.9×.
- Completion within 150% of normal time is 69.41%.
- Median earnings 10 years after entry are $45,954.
Cost benchmarks
| Benchmark | Median Tuition | Median Net Price | Count |
|---|---|---|---|
| Savannah College of Art and Design | $41,630 | $49,430 | 1 |
| Private Non-profit (national median) | $29,325 | — | 1,444 |
| Georgia (state median) | $8,492 | $9,196 | 117 |
| Suburban (locale median) | $13,135 | $18,048 | 684 |
| 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.
How expensive is Savannah College of Art and Design really?
Key findings
- Savannah College of Art and Design charges 42% above the national private non-profit median tuition ($41,630).
- Versus the Georgia median, sticker tuition is about 4.9×.
Savannah College of Art and Design tuition
Published undergraduate tuition $41,630
Finding Savannah College of Art and Design charges 42% above the national private non-profit median tuition.
Evidence Published tuition is $41,630. That is 42% above the national private non-profit median ($29,325). Versus the Georgia median ($8,492), sticker tuition is about 4.9×. Versus the U.S. median ($11,900), sticker is about 3.5×.
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 Savannah College of Art and Design versus school-type, state, locale, and U.S. medians.
Evidence: average net price at Savannah College of Art and Design versus state, locale, and U.S. medians.
What undergraduates typically pay
Finding Average net price at Savannah College of Art and Design is $49,430.
Evidence College Scorecard average net price is $49,430 (cost of attendance minus average grant aid for aided undergraduates). That is about $40,234 above the Georgia median net price. Versus suburban campuses, net price runs $31,382 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 At Savannah College of Art and Design, average net price exceeds published tuition alone because net price uses a fuller cost-of-attendance base.
Savannah College of Art and Design: research record
Canonical EDsmart Data findings for Savannah College of Art and Design—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
$41,630
Avg. net price
$49,430
Net price by family income
| Income bracket | Avg. annual net price |
|---|---|
| $0–$30,000 | $44,858 |
| $30,001–$48,000 | $45,198 |
| $48,001–$75,000 | $48,668 |
| $75,001–$110,000 | $51,558 |
| $110,001+ | $52,147 |
Sticker tuition × four years (estimate, no room/board): $166,520. 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 Savannah College of Art and Design is known for
Top program completions
- Animation, Interactive Technology, Video Graphics, and Special Effects724
- 05.0041533
- Digital Communication and Media/Multimedia465
- Cinematography and Film/Video Production348
- Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods, Other230
See earnings & programs for more.
Admissions landscape
- Broad access — most applicants are admitted.
- Yield: 29% of admitted students enrolled.
- Average SAT: 1173
See Admissions for the full funnel.
Is Savannah College of Art and Design a good school?
Data-framed fit—not a prestige rating.
Savannah College of Art and Design 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 Savannah College of Art and Design.
Campus
Location
Savannah, GA
City / state
- ZIP
- 31402-3146
- NCES locale
- Suburb
Compared with Suburban campuses nationally, net price is about 2.7× the median for Suburban campuses ($18,048 median).
Control
Institution type
Private Non-profit
Control
- Region
- Southeast
- Carnegie
- Master's Colleges and Universities: Medium Programs
Size
Enrollment
15,243
Total enrollment
- Undergraduate
- 16,899
- Graduate
- 2,998
- Full-time share
- 88%
Student aid
Debt & aid
$25,148
Median federal loan debt
- Pell grant share
- 18.82%
Total Cost, Aid & Default
Total Cost of Attendance
Tuition vs average net price after aid for Savannah College of Art and Design.
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 Savannah College of Art and Design 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 Savannah College of Art and Design 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 | $33,450 | $33,450 | $35,014 |
| 2014 | $34,295 | $34,295 | $37,132 |
| 2015 | $34,970 | $34,970 | $36,902 |
| 2016 | $35,690 | $35,690 | $39,690 |
| 2017 | $36,410 | $36,410 | $40,870 |
| 2018 | $37,130 | $37,130 | $42,355 |
| 2019 | $38,075 | $38,075 | $43,641 |
| 2020 | $38,075 | $38,075 | $44,632 |
| 2021 | $38,840 | $38,840 | $44,270 |
| 2022 | $39,605 | $39,605 | $44,790 |
| 2023 | $40,595 | $40,595 | $45,450 |
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
Average 1173 (middle 50% not reported)
Scores for enrollees who submitted tests (College Scorecard).
Academic Requirements
Estimated from admission selectivity and test scores. Scorecard does not publish admitted-student GPA for most institutions.
Estimated range · median 3.20
Estimated GPA band from selectivity and test scores — not an official requirement.
Enrollment & Student Demographics
Savannah College of Art and Design reported total enrollment of about 15,243 students in the latest College Scorecard extract. The student body is about 29% male and 71% female. Enrollment by race and ethnicity includes White (51.6%), Non-Resident Alien (13.9%), and Black or African American (13.1%). About 18.82% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants. Roughly 17.6% of students are first-generation college students.
Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment
87.9% Full-Time Enrollment
The total enrollment at Savannah College of Art and Design in 2024 is 15,243 students.
Undergraduate enrollment is about 16,899 students. Graduate enrollment is about 2,998 students.
Full-time vs part-time enrollment comparison.
Retention Rate over Time
86.3%
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
51.55% 100% Completion Time
69.41% 150% Completion Time
In 2024, 51.55% of students graduating from Savannah College of Art and Design completed their program within 100% "normal time".
Completion rates over time compared to similar institutions.
Completions by Sex (Top Programs)
- Animation, Interactive Technology, Video Graphics, and Special Effects: 42% male / 58% female
- 05.0041: 21% male / 79% female
- Digital Communication and Media/Multimedia: 22% male / 78% 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.
Savannah College of Art and Design graduates earn a median of $45,954 ten years after entry
Finding Earnings, debt, and program mix define the financial profile of Savannah College of Art and Design.
Evidence Median earnings 10 years after entry: $45,954. Median federal loan debt: $25,148. Average net price used in cost models: $49,430.
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 Savannah College of Art and Design graduates report median earnings of $45,954 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 Savannah College of Art and Design.
Top Programs by Completions
Largest 10 programs by IPEDS completions (35 reported codes; aggregate/unknown CIP buckets excluded).
IPEDS award counts for the largest programs at Savannah College of Art and Design.
Employment Outcomes
Median earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after entry for Savannah College of Art and Design graduates.
How financially powerful is this institution?
Finding: federal finance and Scorecard instructional fields for Savannah College of Art and Design—endowment assets (fiscal year 2023), instructional staffing and expenditure. Compared with state, regional, and U.S. medians from EDsmart Data institutional financials.
Institutional endowment
$326.7M
End-of-year assets · Fiscal year 2023
- Georgia median 7.8× the median ($41.7M)
- Southeast median 17× the median ($19.4M)
- U.S. median 12× the median ($26.4M)
- Georgia median 2.1× the median ($9,839)
- Southeast median 2.2× the median ($9,308)
- U.S. median 1.7× the median ($12,100)
Instructional Resources
- Full-time faculty share: 89.5%
- Georgia median 27.2 pp above median (62.3%)
- Southeast median 30.1 pp above median (59.4%)
- U.S. median 31.6 pp above median (58.0%)
- Average faculty salary (monthly): $10,950
- Georgia median 1.8× the median ($6,152)
- Southeast median 1.6× the median ($6,825)
- U.S. median 1.4× the median ($7,615)
- Instructional expenditure per FTE: $8,616
- Georgia median 1.5× the median ($5,760)
- Southeast median 1.3× the median ($6,602)
- U.S. median 1.2× 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.
Savannah College of Art and Design at a glance
Savannah College of Art and Design
Savannah College of Art and Design is a private non-profit institution in Savannah, GA, classified as Master's Colleges and Universities: Medium Programs.
- Largest programs (IPEDS awards)
- Animation, Interactive Technology, Video Graphics, and Special Effects05.0041Digital Communication and Media/Multimedia
- Largest enrollment groups
- White or Caucasian51.6%Non-Resident Alien13.9%Black or African American13.1%
Schools near Savannah College of Art and Design
Other campuses in Savannah, GA when available, plus nearby institutions in Georgia.
Similar schools
Peers matched by the same EDsmart outcomes grade (Grade B) within Georgia, then by similar ownership and admissions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Savannah College of Art and Design located?
Savannah College of Art and Design is located in Savannah, GA.
What is Savannah College of Art and Design's acceptance rate?
The acceptance rate at Savannah College of Art and Design is 83.0% among first-time degree-seeking students reporting admissions data. IPEDS reports 14,931 applicants and 12,495 admits in the latest admissions cycle in our extract.
What is Savannah College of Art and Design's tuition?
Savannah College of Art and Design tuition (published undergraduate sticker price) is $41,630 in the latest College Scorecard data. Average net price after grant aid is $49,430 for undergraduates receiving Title IV aid.
How much does Savannah College of Art and Design cost?
Reported tuition is $41,630 and average net price is $49,430 in the latest College Scorecard data. On-campus room and board is estimated at $18,123 annually.
What explains Savannah College of Art and Design's return on investment in EDsmart Data?
EDsmart Data models ROI using campus average net price ($49,430), completion (69.4% within 150% of normal time where reported), and median earnings ten years after entry ($45,954). 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 Savannah College of Art and Design?
Savannah College of Art and Design reports undergraduate enrollment of about 16,899 students, White (51.6%), Non-Resident Alien (13.9%) in federal College Scorecard data.
How many first-generation students attend Savannah College of Art and Design?
About 17.6% of students at Savannah College of Art and Design are first-generation college students.
What test scores do students need for Savannah College of Art and Design?
Among enrolled students who submitted scores, Savannah College of Art and Design reports midpoint SAT about 1173.
What do graduates of Savannah College of Art and Design earn?
Median earnings are $34,110 six years after entry and $45,954 ten years after entry.
What is the graduation rate at Savannah College of Art and Design?
The 150%-time completion rate is 69.4% for the cohort reported to the College Scorecard.
How much debt do Savannah College of Art and Design students have?
Median federal loan debt among completers is $25,148.
Is Savannah College of Art and Design public or private?
Savannah College of Art and Design is a private nonprofit institution located in Savannah, GA.
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.