Debt by Degrees » Washington

This database was last updated in March 2017 and should only be used as a historical snapshot. More recent data is available from the U.S. Dept. of Education’s College Scorecard.

Type

Private not-for-profit, 4-year

Classification

Art School

Compare

Head to Head With Other Schools »

Schools in Washington »

Cornish College of the Arts

Seattle, Wash. | www.cornish.edu

Type: Private not-for-profit, 4-year

Classification: Art School

Compare

Schools in Washington »

Rankings

This school is ranked against other Private not-for-profit, 4-year Art Schools.

Pell Grantees
38.32, 61.68 38.3%
of undergraduates in 2014
High Low
Rank #20 out of 50
Discount Off Total Cost i
48%
for low-income families
High Low
Rank #15 out of 49
Median Federal Debt i
$25,496
for Pell grantees
High Low
Rank #19 out of 47
Graduation Rate (2013) i
N/A
for Pell grantees

Although higher education has long been seen as a class equalizer, not everybody can take on the debt necessary to afford it. The Pell Grant program was established in 1965 to help poor students attend college without taking on loans that limit their options later in life, but the program has not kept pace with the rapid growth of tuition. Some schools with large endowments use their resources to make tuition cheaper for poor students, while others expect even the poorest students to take on substantial debt.

During School

Though Pell Grant money is crucial, attending college can still require large student loans if a prospective student doesn’t choose a school carefully. Data only for students who receive any federal aid.

Total Annual Cost (2014)
$48,147
including tuition, books & living expenses
High Low
Rank #24 out of 49
Avg. Spending on Instruction
$20,016
Per Student
Low-Income Students Paid
$25,150
per year, on average
High Low
Rank #17 out of 49
Income Level Avg. Cost
$0-30k $25,150
$30k-48k $28,962
$48k-75k $33,595
$75k-110k $37,651
Over $110k $36,693
All $32,474

This School’s Price Calculator»

Discount
48%
off the total cost, per year
High Low
Rank #15 out of 49

At Graduation

Especially if students are not pursuing potentially lucrative majors, such as so-called STEM disciplines or law, their school choices can have a big effect on their income and ability to pay off college debt. Recent graduates can fall behind on their loans quickly, and unlike other kinds of debt, student loans are not forgiven through bankruptcy.

Median Federal Debt (All)
$27,000
High Low
Rank #14 out of 47
Median Federal Debt (Pell Students)
$25,496
High Low
Rank #19 out of 47
Graduation Rate (Within Six Years)
50.2%
High Low
Rank #37 out of 48

Drop-Outs Have Debt Too

Students who drop out of school still have to pay back the loans they took out. This can be a double whammy for them: With large debts to pay off and no college degrees, their career options are limited and their expected earnings are lower.

Median Federal Debt of Students Who Drop Out
$8,500

Years Later

The choices 18 year olds make about where to go to school — and how much debt to take on to pay for it — matter enormously over the long haul. Although everybody knows this instinctively, the U.S. Department of Education worked with Treasury Department data to work out the details, including, for each school, average salary and debt levels 10 years after students enter school.

How Graduates Fare 3 Years After Graduation

A new measure, the nonrepayment rate, includes all students who are unable to pay off any of the principal on their student loans. The traditional measure, the default rate, does not include students who may be in deferment or forbearance. Federal loans only.

Nonrepayment Rate (All)
38.3%
3-Year Rate, Federal Loans
High Low
Rank #30 out of 48
Nonrepayment Rate (Pell Students)
43.5%
3-Year Rate, Federal Loans
High Low
Rank #17 out of 43
Default Rate
3.1%
3-Year Cohort, Federal Loans
High Low
Rank #8 out of 50

How Students Fare 10 Years After Entering School

This includes salary data starting 10 years after a student enters school. Typically this means 6 years after graduation, but some students take longer to complete school. Data only for students who have received federal aid.

Median monthly debt payments
$277.10
(10-year amortization plan)
Median Income (2012)
N/A
Students working and not enrolled
Earns $25k or Less Per Year (2012)
44.1%
Includes unemployed and not looking for work
High Low
Rank #31 out of 42

About the School

In 2014, Cornish College of the Arts had a 86% admissions rate. It had 765 undergraduate students, 2% of which were part-time. 76.8% of its undergraduates took out federal loans.

Demographics
White 63.3%
Black 3.8%
Hispanic 9.9%
Asian 5.6%
Other 17.4%