News

USDE report on tuition



06/30/11

On June 30, 2011, the U.S. Department of Education (USDE) published a series of “College Affordability and Transparency Lists.” These reports, mandated by the 2008 Higher Education Opportunity Act, are intended to provide information about the cost of undergraduate education in the U.S. They inherently encourage reflection not only on cost of attendance but also on return on investment.

Sixty-three schools are included on the list that reports the highest net price for non-profit four-year colleges. More than a third are visual and performing arts colleges. A few more are other types of specialized schools. Otis College of Art and Design is one of 32 specialized schools on the list and one of 14 colleges of art and design. Also included are Otis’ major peer institutions in California.

It is perhaps not surprising that specialized schools such as Otis represent more than 50% of the institutions on the list. An excellent art and design education has associated costs that elevate the net price as calculated by the USDE. The resource-intensive education at Otis offers the following quality features, among others:

  • Low faculty/student ratio that emphasizes mentorship
  • Team-taught classes that provide multiple perspectives
  •  Over 400 state-of-the-art computers for 1220 students
  •  Specialized equipment for a wide range of art and design fields
     

While the investment our students make in order to attend is substantial, the return on an Otis education is exceptionally high, as indicated by excellent student learning outcomes and the success of our graduates. Consider the following data reported by Otis alumni in biennial studies over the last decade:

  •  Up to 74% are working in their fields before or within three months of graduation
  •  Close to 90% are either satisfied or very satisfied with their work and life
  •   Up to 94% are working 10 years out of school
  •  82% are employed as creative professionals in a field closely related to their major


In addition, Otis graduates' professional success can be measured by their ability to repay student loans. In 2010, Otis was one of only two visual arts schools among 49 colleges nation-wide named by U.S. News and World Report as having unusually high loan repayment rates for socio-economically diverse student bodies.

Otis alumni have also fueled and sustained the creative economy and helped shape culture. Their imprint is especially strong in Southern California, where the arts, design, and entertainment industries support one out of every six jobs and generate $127 billion in sales and $4.6 billion in state and local taxes.

Otis has trained generations of artists and designers who have been in the vanguard of our cultural and entrepreneurial life. Their successes demonstrate that an outstanding art and design education consistently leads to satisfying and rewarding lives and careers.