🎯 Parent/student verdict

Likely

Accessible for most applicants. A significant upfront investment that pays back via strong 10-yr earnings (~$79,878).

✅ Best for

  • Solid academic profile (SAT 1170–1390 · ACT 28–32 middle 50% + typically a 3.7+ unweighted GPA in rigorous coursework)
  • Students focused on Computer & Information Sciences (the school's signature program)
  • Families wanting a small liberal-arts experience
  • Strong long-term ROI — median 10-yr earnings of $79,878 against an average net cost of ~$44,446/yr

🎯 The reality

  • Bottom-quartile academic profile if: SAT below 1170, or ACT below 28, or unweighted GPA below ~3.50 (admitted-class quartiles; GPA floor is a calibrated heuristic where CDS not yet on file)

Verdict is composed from this college's structured data (admit rate, SAT bands, net price by income, Carnegie classification, scholarship grids) using transparent rule thresholds — not a chat-bot's opinion.

🏛️ Institutional snapshot

What kind of college is this?

Carnegie classification
Baccalaureate Colleges: Diverse Fields
Total enrollment
995
1,000 - 4,999
In-state tuition
$38,950
sticker, before aid
Tuition
$38,950
flat rate (no in/out-of-state split)
Admit rate
68.0%
Accessible
SAT middle 50%
1170–1390
EBRW + Math composite
ACT middle 50%
28–32
composite
Test policy
Test-optional
2023
10-yr earnings
$79,878
median, after entry

Source: federal IPEDS Admissions 2023 for scores + admit rate; federal College Scorecard (20260606 vintage) for earnings + outcomes. SAT/ACT bands are the 25th–75th percentile of enrolled submitters.

📊 Outcomes & cost

What graduates actually earn, finish, and owe.

Federal College Scorecard data. Earnings are median annual income measured years after entering. Debt is for federal-aid borrowers only (cash-pay students aren't counted).

Earnings, 6 yrs after entry
$58,771
Earnings, 10 yrs after entry
$79,878
4-year completion
61%
Median debt (completers)
$27,000
Cost of attendance
$55,588
sticker price, not net
Pell-eligible students
22%

💰 True ROI

4.5× return

What families actually pay (after aid) vs. the sticker — and how 10-yr earnings stack against the real cost. Most sites quote sticker; we quote what families really pay.

What families actually pay (4 yrs)
$177,784
$44,446/yr avg net
Aid that hides behind the sticker
$44,568
vs sticker $222,352
10-yr earnings total
$798,780
$79,878/yr median, 10 yrs out
Years to recoup actual cost
2.2 yrs
at the median earnings rate

"True ROI" = (10-yr median earnings × 10) ÷ (actual 4-yr net price). The actual net is from Scorecard (average across all families); your family's net price will vary by income — see the breakdown above. Earnings are 10 years after enrollment (Scorecard PP-FOS, all majors combined).

💰 What families actually pay

Net price by family income

Net price = sticker price minus grant aid. This is what families actually pay out-of-pocket after scholarships and need-based aid — the most honest affordability signal there is. At DigiPen Institute of Technology, the average net price is $44,446/yr across all families.

Family income $0-30k
$28,354/yr
Family income $30-48k
$31,113/yr
Family income $48-75k
$41,496/yr
Family income $75-110k
$45,880/yr
Family income $110k+
$52,617/yr

🔎 Earning over $110K? The federal brackets above lump every family from $110K to $1M+ into one row.

Need-based aid usually phases out somewhere between $200K and $300K at private colleges — but the exact threshold varies a lot. For a precise estimate based on your family's actual income, assets, and your student's academic profile, use DigiPen Institute of Technology's official Net Price Calculator:

Get your family's estimate from DigiPen Institute of Technology →

Opens on DigiPen Institute of Technology's site. Takes about 10–15 minutes; have your most recent tax return handy.

Source: College Scorecard (NPT41-NPT45). Net price = total cost of attendance minus federal, state, institutional, and other grants. Some brackets may be suppressed for student-privacy reasons (small cohorts). Title IV first-time, full-time undergraduates only. The $110K+ ceiling is a federal data limitation — Department of Education hasn't refreshed these brackets since the early 2010s.

📚 What students study here

Most popular majors at DigiPen Institute of Technology

Top 5 fields of study by bachelor's degrees awarded (most recent IPEDS Completions). Use this to see what DigiPen Institute of Technology actually graduates — not just what it markets.

1. Computer & Information Sciences
94 degrees · 42.9%
Typical career outcomes
Software Developer $132k Data Scientist $108k Information Security Analyst $120k Web Developer $85k
High-paying tech roles dominate. Median software roles cluster in the $90k-$130k range.
2. Communications Technologies
65 degrees · 29.7%
Typical career outcomes
Broadcast Technician $56k Sound Engineering Technician $59k Audio / Video Equipment Tech $51k
Broadcast tech, sound engineering, AV production.
3. Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies
40 degrees · 18.3%
Typical career outcomes
Project Manager $99k Management Analyst $99k Research Analyst $79k
Often paired with another field (data + biology, design + tech). Outcomes match the second discipline.
4. Visual & Performing Arts
13 degrees · 5.9%
Typical career outcomes
Graphic Designer $59k Art Director $106k Multimedia Artist / Animator $99k Musician / Singer $39k
Highly variable. Steady-pay roles cluster in design, illustration, production. Performance careers have very wide income distributions.
5. Engineering
7 degrees · 3.2%
Typical career outcomes
Mechanical Engineer $100k Electrical Engineer $107k Civil Engineer $93k Chemical Engineer $112k
Engineering majors land high-paying technical roles. Top-earning sub-disciplines: petroleum, chemical, computer engineering.

Source: IPEDS Completions (C2023_a), bachelor's-level first majors aggregated to 2-digit CIP family. Share is of these top 5 only — not all majors.

💼 Top programs by earnings

Highest-earning majors at DigiPen Institute of Technology

Median earnings 4 years after entry, by major (CIP code). From the federal College Scorecard program-level outcomes.

Major (CIP) Credential Cohort 1-yr earnings 4-yr earnings
Computer Programming. Bachelor's Degree 64 $102,580 $137,503
Computer Software and Media Applications. Bachelor's Degree 36 $81,885 $122,375
Human Computer Interaction. Bachelor's Degree 38 $50,265 $87,243
Graphic Communications. Bachelor's Degree 66 $37,605 $45,571

For full college-vs-major comparison + ROI leaderboards, see /college-outcomes →

🤖 AI program signal

AI + computing education at DigiPen Institute of Technology

AI degrees (annual)
3
CIP 11.0102

Full multi-lens comparison: /ai-colleges →

⚖️ Compare side-by-side

DigiPen Institute of Technology vs. another college

Type the college you want to compare against. We'll show admit rates, net price by your family income, top majors with career outcomes, and merit aid — all in one side-by-side view.

Alternatives to DigiPen Institute of Technology

Matched not just by selectivity, but by strategic goal — what a family actually decides on.

🏆 Better merit-aid options
These similar-selectivity schools have published auto-merit grids that DigiPen Institute of Technology doesnt — your kids scores could unlock real scholarship dollars.
University of Alabama in Huntsville
AL · Public
39 auto-merit scholarships on file
Texas Tech University
TX · Public
31 auto-merit scholarships on file
The University of Alabama
AL · Public
23 auto-merit scholarships on file
Mississippi State University
MS · Public
19 auto-merit scholarships on file
University of Alabama at Birmingham
AL · Public
19 auto-merit scholarships on file
💰 Better out-of-state value
For families paying $110k+ income tuition, these schools cost meaningfully less than DigiPen Institute of Technology.
Christian Brothers University
TN · Private nonprofit
$5,843/yr for $110k+ families ($46,774 less)
United States Merchant Marine Academy
NY · Public
$9,168/yr for $110k+ families ($43,449 less)
College of the Ozarks
MO · Private nonprofit
$10,426/yr for $110k+ families ($42,191 less)
Cedar Crest College
PA · Private nonprofit
$11,008/yr for $110k+ families ($41,609 less)
CUNY Brooklyn College
NY · Public
$12,254/yr for $110k+ families ($40,363 less)
🛡️ Safer in-state options
Same state, similar SAT band, but with a more forgiving admit rate — useful safety / match anchors.
University of Washington-Bothell Campus
WA · Public
92% admit rate (vs 68% here)
Western Washington University
WA · Public
91% admit rate (vs 68% here)

Building a college list?

Use these to fit DigiPen Institute of Technology into your overall strategy:

See your admit odds → Improve your score → Find merit aid →