College for Creative Studies
Detroit, Michigan · Also known as CCS · Website
$44,860
median earnings, 10 years after starting
$44,860
median earnings, 10 years after starting
College for Creative Studies is a private nonprofit 4-year college in Detroit, Michigan with 1,230 undergraduates and 57 graduate students. Its average net price after grants is $34,617 a year (tuition and fees $53,350). It admits 92% of applicants and 71% of students finish within 6 years. Former students earn a median $44,860 a year 10 years after they started, and graduates leave with a median $26,000 in federal student loans.
Updated Oct 10, 2026 · June 2026 data
Net price
$34,617
US median $17,138
Tuition and fees
$53,350
US median $11,837
Admission rate
92%
US median 78%
Completion rate
71%
Within 6 years, US 58%
Median debt
$26,000
About $276 a month
Earnings at 10 years
$44,860
Rank 2,030 of 5,094 in the US
Cost
What a year costs: posted prices and the average after grants
Net price by family income
Average yearly cost after grants, for students who get aid
- Net price
- $34,617
- Tuition and fees
- $53,350
- Cost of attendance
- $66,014
- Students with a need-based grant
- 30%
- Students with federal loans
- 52%
- Net price, family income under $30K
- $30,267
- Net price, family income $30K to $48K
- $33,152
- Net price, family income $48K to $75K
- $33,647
- Net price, family income $75K to $110K
- $33,667
- Net price, family income over $110K
- $38,580
Net price is what students who get aid pay on average after grants.
Tuition and net price by year
School years 2015-16 to 2024-25. The year on the chart is the year the school year starts.
Yearly cost
Tuition and fees went from $38,950 in 2015-16 to $53,350 in 2024-25.
Admission, completion and retention
Share of applicants admitted, of students who finish and of first-year students who come back
Admission and students
- Admission rate
- 92%
- Undergraduates
- 1,230
- Graduate students
- 57
- Part-time students
- 11%
- Women
- 68%
- Students per teacher
- 10
- Completion rate
- 71%
- Retention rate
- 82%
- Highest degree
- Graduate degree
- Programs
- 13
- Endowment
- $90.9M
Earnings and debt
Compared with the medians of the colleges of its state, of colleges of the same kind and of all US colleges
Median earnings 10 years after starting rank 2,030 of 5,094 US colleges and 48 of 145 in Michigan (1 = highest).
| Measure | College | MI median | Same kind | US median |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Net price | $34,617 | $17,194 | $22,320 | $17,138 |
| Tuition in-state | $53,350 | $15,221 | $31,170 | $11,837 |
| Admission rate | 92% | 81% | 74% | 78% |
| Completion rate | 71% | 59% | 57% | 58% |
| Retention rate | 82% | 70% | 77% | 75% |
| Median debt | $26,000 | $13,000 | $24,287 | $13,271 |
| Earnings after 6 years | $33,691 | $32,840 | $44,392 | $35,656 |
| Earnings after 10 years | $44,860 | $36,115 | $52,928 | $40,813 |
Best-paid programs
Median earnings 1 year after graduation
Same kind: US private nonprofit 4-year colleges. Earnings and debt are medians of former students who received federal student aid. 56% of borrowers lowered their balance within 3 years. 56% earn more than a typical high school graduate 6 years after starting.
Programs
13 fields of study and credentials, with graduates, debt and earnings
| Field of study | Graduates | Median debt | Earnings 1 yr | Earnings 4 yr | US median 4 yr | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Design and Applied ArtsBachelor's | Bachelor's | 73 | $26,000 | $32,665 | $61,222 | $51,490 |
| Drafting/Design Engineering Technologies/TechniciansBachelor's | Bachelor's | 62 | - | - | Withheld | - |
| Graphic CommunicationsBachelor's | Bachelor's | 53 | $27,000 | $20,720 | $34,003 | $43,283 |
| Computer Software and Media ApplicationsBachelor's | Bachelor's | 27 | - | - | Withheld | - |
| Film/Video and Photographic ArtsBachelor's | Bachelor's | 18 | $27,000 | $24,350 | $35,797 | $43,765 |
| Crafts/Craft Design, Folk Art and ArtisanryBachelor's | Bachelor's | 10 | $30,620 | $28,817 | $41,739 | $38,992 |
| Design and Applied ArtsMaster's | Master's | 10 | Withheld | Withheld | Withheld | $70,073 |
| Fine and Studio ArtsBachelor's | Bachelor's | 8 | Withheld | Withheld | Withheld | $41,367 |
| Drafting/Design Engineering Technologies/TechniciansMaster's | Master's | 7 | - | - | Withheld | - |
| Human Computer InteractionMaster's | Master's | 7 | Withheld | Withheld | Withheld | $115,403 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject AreasCertificate | Certificate | 6 | Withheld | Withheld | Withheld | - |
| Systems Science and TheoryMaster's | Master's | 3 | - | - | Withheld | - |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject AreasBachelor's | Bachelor's | - | Withheld | Withheld | Withheld | $51,389 |
In the area
- Jobs, pay and new homes: the county of Detroit and Michigan on Local Economy
- More colleges: All colleges in Michigan
- Homes: Homes for sale in Michigan
Questions and answers
How much does College for Creative Studies cost?
$34,617 a year is the average net price at College for Creative Studies after grants and scholarships. Tuition and fees are $53,350, and the full cost of attendance with housing, food and books is $66,014. Families earning under $30,000 pay $30,267 on average.
What is the acceptance rate at College for Creative Studies?
92% of applicants are admitted to College for Creative Studies. The median admission rate of colleges in Michigan is 81%.
How much do College for Creative Studies graduates earn?
$44,860 a year is the median pay of former College for Creative Studies students who work, 10 years after they started ($33,691 after 6 years). That ranks 2,030 of 5,094 US colleges and 48 of 145 in Michigan. Its best-paid program one year after graduation is Design and Applied Arts (Bachelor's) at $32,665.
How much student debt do College for Creative Studies graduates have?
$26,000 is the median federal student loan debt of College for Creative Studies graduates, about $276 a month over 10 years. The median across US colleges is $13,271. 52% of undergraduates take out federal loans.
What is the graduation rate at College for Creative Studies?
71% of first-time, full-time students at College for Creative Studies finish within 6 years. 82% of first-year students come back for a second year. The median of private nonprofit 4-year colleges is 57%.
What are the most popular majors at College for Creative Studies?
Design and Applied Arts (73 bachelor's graduates), Drafting/Design Engineering Technologies/Technicians (62 bachelor's graduates), Graphic Communications (53 bachelor's graduates) had the most graduates in the newest year, out of 13 programs.
Official public data, June 2026 release. Net price is for first-time, full-time students who get aid. Completion counts first-time, full-time students who finish within 150% of the normal time. Debt and earnings are medians of students who received federal student aid, measured a few years after they left, in the dollars of the year measured; earnings count former students who work and are not enrolled, including those who did not finish.