College Finances
Consider the Big Picture
First-rate quality doesn’t always have to mean the highest cost. Watkins has a long history of keeping tuition low. We were founded 125 years ago on the idea of making education affordable. We pride ourselves on being able to offer a first-rate visual arts education at the lowest possible tuition for a regionally and nationally accredited four year BFA college, while never sacrificing the quality of the instruction, the qualifications of the faculty and the excellence of the facility.
The chart below may help you make your decision because it lays out the cost factor quite clearly. Remember that a large scholarship doesn’t always off-set a high tuition. Watkins scholarships tend to be lower than many other art, design and film colleges because our tuition is lower and we build in less cushion. Be sure to look at the big picture as you consider the economic factors of earning your degree.
For example, below is a list comparing Watkins with tuition at three similar colleges, all of which, including Watkins, are regionally and nationally accredited.:
| Watkins | College A | College B | College C | |
| Annual Tuition | 19,650* | 26,250 | 31,905 | 37,900 |
| Tuition Paid Over 4 Years | 78,600* | 105,000 | 127,620 | 151,600 |
| Institutional Scholarships (Paid Over 4 Years) | 12,000 | 30,000 | 50,000 | 60,000 |
| Net Tuition, not including of financial aid | 66,600* | 75,000 | 77,620 | 91,600 |
Watkins students who keep their cumulative GPA above 3.25 receive additional monies each year under our continuing student awards program, additionally lowering the final cost.
Watkins offers many choices when it comes to financial aid, so be sure to file your FAFSA to see what you are eligible for. Make sure you check back with the financial aid office a couple of times during the process. New programs are being added and existing programs expanded as we all struggle with the current difficult economic situation.
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