Tuition & net price

How much does School of the Art Institute of Chicago cost?

Published tuition is $56,420, with a full cost of attendance of $75,625 a year. After aid, families pay between $39,845 and $55,790 depending on income.

Tuition$56,420before aid
Cost of attendance$75,625tuition + living
Lowest net price$39,845families under $30k
Highest net price$55,790families over $110k

What families actually pay Average net price after grants and scholarships, by household income.

Household incomeNet price a yearShare of the sticker price
Under $30,000 $43,798 58%
$30,001–$48,000 $39,845 53%
$48,001–$75,000 $46,708 62%
$75,001–$110,000 $49,595 66%
Over $110,000 $55,790 74%

Net price is the federal measure of what students actually pay: total cost of attendance minus the grant and scholarship aid they receive. It is the only cost figure worth comparing between universities — the published tuition above is a list price that most students never pay in full.

Who pays how The mix of grant aid and borrowing at this university.

On Pell grants
19%
Take federal loans
37%
Typical repayment
$286/mo

A high Pell share means the university enrols many lower-income students, and usually that its net price for those families is well below the sticker price. A high loan share means the gap between aid and cost is being filled with borrowing — the repayment record shows how that works out afterwards.

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How the price compares Universities charging a similar amount in Illinois.

UniversityIn-stateOut-of-stateCost of attendanceNet price (under $30k)
Lake Forest College $56,402 $56,402 $70,655 $19,605
Illinois Wesleyan University $57,704 $57,704 $70,700 $17,732
Knox College $57,903 $57,903 $68,134 $17,134
Loyola University Chicago $53,710 $53,710 $67,408 $28,992
Illinois Institute of Technology $52,386 $52,386 $68,164 $12,964
DePaul University $45,999 $45,999 $63,052 $27,359

School of the Art Institute of Chicago costs: common questions

How much is tuition at School of the Art Institute of Chicago?
Published tuition is $56,420 a year before aid.
What does School of the Art Institute of Chicago actually cost after financial aid?
It depends on family income. After grants and scholarships, families earning under $30,000 pay a net $43,798 a year, while families over $110,000 pay $55,790.
What is the total cost of attendance at School of the Art Institute of Chicago?
$75,625 a year as the institution reports it — tuition, fees, housing, books and living costs combined. Almost nobody pays this in full; the net price above is what families actually pay.
Is School of the Art Institute of Chicago worth the money?
Graduates earn a median $40,151 ten years after starting, against $27,000 of median debt — see the full payback breakdown for the arithmetic.

Source: US Department of Education College Scorecard. Tuition and cost of attendance are as reported by the institution; net price is the average paid by students receiving federal aid, by household income band. Figures imported 28 Aug 2026.