Private For-Profit Graduate Fair 55/100

DigiPen Institute of Technology

See admissions data, costs, student outcomes, and academic programs, all verified from official US government sources.

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Redmond, Washington

About DigiPen Institute of Technology

Thinking about DigiPen Institute of Technology, a college in Washington where more students graduate in Computer Science than anything else? The four things worth knowing are what it actually costs after aid, whether you would get in, whether students finish, and what they earn after they do.

DigiPen Institute of Technology is a private for-profit institution offering graduate degrees based in Redmond, Washington. It enrolls 995 students (a small, tight-knit student body), according to IPEDS 2023-24 data. Every figure on this page is reported by the federal government, not supplied by the college, so it can be compared like for like against anywhere else you are looking.

Acceptance
64.4%
Graduation
55.1%
Net Price
$44,446
Median Earnings (10yr)
$79,878
Enrollment
995
Student : Faculty
11:1

Accreditor Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges
Academic Calendar Semester

How It Measures Up

These four scores answer one question: compared with similar colleges, is this one worth the money? Each runs 0 to 100 and is judged only against its peer group (4-Year Selective), so a community college is never marked down for not being Harvard. Everything is computed from federal data. Nobody can pay to move a score, and a pillar with missing data is left unscored rather than guessed.

Fair
55/100
UCD Score · 4-Year Selective
Outcomes 50
Value 13
Affordability 13
Selectivity 74

Admissions & Acceptance Rate

DigiPen Institute of Technology admits 64.4% of applicants, which makes it moderately selective, and realistic if you meet the academic profile.

Acceptance Rate
64.4%
Moderate
SAT Range (25th–75th)
1150 – 1400
Reading + Math combined
ACT Range (25th–75th)
27 – 29
Cumulative composite
Test Policy Not Considered Standardized test scores are not used in admissions decisions.

5-Year Admission Trend

Acceptance rate over the last five admission cycles. The trend tells you whether DigiPen Institute of Technology is getting harder, easier, or staying about the same.

Becoming less selective ↑ 34.5 pts since 2019
33.5%201938.2%202046%202166.4%202268%2023

Cost & Financial Aid

Ignore the sticker price. What matters is the net price, which is what a typical family pays here after grants and scholarships come off. At $44,446 a year on average, it sits above what private for-profit colleges charge nationally. That is a serious number, so the earnings further down matter more here than usual. Figures are College Scorecard 2023-24.

The average hides a wide spread by household income, so it is worth estimating what a family at your income would actually pay before treating this as the price.

Average Net Price
$44,446
Per year, after typical aid
Receive Pell Grants
22%
Need-based federal aid
Receive Federal Loans
43%
Borrowing to attend

Full Cost Breakdown

Published cost of attendance, the sticker price before grants and scholarships. Most students underestimate room & board and other expenses.

Tuition & Fees
$38,950
Room & Board (on-campus)
$19,512
Room & Board (off-campus)
$19,512
Books & Supplies
$2,715
Other Expenses (on-campus)
$3,824
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$3,824
Total Cost of Attendance
$55,588

Application fee: $60 (one-time, due at submission)


Net Price by Family Income

Aid is need-based, so net price varies by family income. Here's what each bracket typically pays after grants and scholarships.

  • Under $30,000
    $28,354
  • $30,001 – $48,000
    $31,113
  • $48,001 – $75,000
    $41,496
  • $75,001 – $110,000
    $45,880
  • Over $110,000
    $52,617

Debt at Graduation

Cumulative federal-loan debt across the full borrowing distribution. The 10th and 90th percentiles bracket the typical range; the median sits in the middle.

$4,750
10% percentile
$9,500
25% percentile
$27,000
Median percentile
$31,498
75% percentile
$45,000
90% percentile

Median Debt by Student Type

Median federal-loan debt at graduation broken down by demographic. Each slice's size is proportional to the dollar amount that group typically borrows.

GroupDebtvs Median
Pell recipients $27,000 —
No Pell $13,000 ↓ $14,000
Dependent students $21,292 ↓ $5,708
Independent students $20,500 ↓ $6,500
Female students $19,000 ↓ $8,000
Male students $22,250 ↓ $4,750
Pell recipients: 21.9% (5,925 students)No Pell: 10.6% (2,853 students)Dependent students: 17.3% (4,672 students)Independent students: 16.7% (4,498 students)Female students: 15.4% (4,169 students)Male students: 18.1% (4,882 students)Overall Median$27,000
Worth knowing: Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $8,250, less than completers ($27,000), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.

Graduation Rate & Retention

55% of students who start here finish within six years, and 75% come back after first year. Roughly half finish on that timeline, so budget for the possibility of a longer run. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.

Completion and earnings carry the most weight in this college's score, and how the UCD Score weighs each measure sets out exactly how they are combined.

6-Year Graduation Rate
55%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
75%
Returning for their second year

After Graduation: Earnings & Outcomes

Ten years after starting here, the median student earns $79,878 a year, above the national median. That is a healthy return for most cost levels. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.

Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$79,878
Earning > $25K
84%
10 yrs after entry

Earnings Growth After Graduation

Median annual earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after students first enrolled.

$55,000$60,000$70,000$75,000$85,0006 yrs8 yrs10 yrs

Earnings by Demographic

Mean annual earnings 10 years after entry, segmented by demographic. Reveals gaps the headline median can't show.

By Family Income at Entry

Family income (lowest third)
$79,700

Earnings of grads from the bottom-third of family incomes at entry.

Family income (middle third)
$83,100

Earnings of grads from the middle-third of family incomes at entry.

Family income (highest third)
$84,400

Earnings of grads from the top-third of family incomes at entry.

What this means: Moderate return on investment. Every dollar of net annual cost is matched by ~$1.8 of median earnings 10 years out. Compare carefully against your funding plan.

Who Studies Here

Who you would actually be sitting next to: 995 students, a small, close-knit community.

Total Enrolled
995
Part-Time
9%
First-Generation
17%

Race & Ethnicity Breakdown

Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.

GroupShareStudents
White 54.3% 540
Asian 11.6% 115
Hispanic 9.9% 98
Other 9.9% 98
International 9.4% 93
Black 3.0% 30
White: 54.3% (540 students)Asian: 11.6% (115 students)Hispanic: 9.9% (98 students)Other: 9.9% (98 students)International: 9.4% (93 students)Black: 3.0% (30 students)Total995

Student Life & Campus Culture

Where students live, learn, and connect at DigiPen Institute of Technology. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.

Setting
Small City Redmond, Washington
Housing
Partly residential 329 beds available
Adult Learners
16% of students are 25 or older
Athletics
NAIA athletic-conference member
Academic Calendar
Semester scheduling structure

What You Can Study

After that comes the national picture for Communications Tech graduates, which shows what the field pays across every college rather than just this one.

DigiPen Institute of Technology offers a focused set of programs: 8 distinct programs across 5 majors. Below are its strongest majors, each with flagship programs and typical earnings. Open a major to explore it in depth, or browse the full program catalog.

2 Programs
1 Program
  • Music $43K ($26K–$59K)
1 Program

Faculty & Resources

There are 11 students for every instructor here: about average, so expect a mix of small seminars and big lectures.

Student : Faculty
11:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Avg Faculty Salary
$91,023
9-month equivalent across all ranks

Faculty by Rank

72 instructional faculty across 3 ranks. The rank mix shows how many senior faculty are teaching versus contingent or junior staff, with average salary equated to a 9-month contract.

Rank Faculty Count Share Avg Salary
Full Professors 14 19% $102,357
Associate Professors 26 36% $98,352
Assistant Professors 32 44% $80,109

Pros & Cons of DigiPen Institute of Technology

No college is right for everyone. Here is where DigiPen Institute of Technology is likely to suit you and where it may not, based on the same figures shown above.

Read against a single profile these cut both ways, which is why it helps to put two colleges side by side on the same measures rather than judging one in isolation.

PROS
  • Small classes (low student-faculty ratio)
  • Tight-knit, close community feel
  • Above-average post-graduation earnings
CONS
  • High net price compared to most US colleges
  • Fewer clubs, activities, and social options
  • Modest first-year retention
  • Predominantly serves middle- and upper-income families
  • Narrow program catalog compared to mid-sized peers
Best for: Based on the data, DigiPen Institute of Technology is a fit for students prioritizing post-graduation earnings; students who thrive in small, close-knit environments.

Frequently Asked Questions about DigiPen Institute of Technology

The questions families ask most about DigiPen Institute of Technology, answered straight from the federal data rather than from the college's own marketing.

Is DigiPen Institute of Technology hard to get into?
Admissions at DigiPen Institute of Technology are moderately competitive. The acceptance rate is 64.4%, so most applicants who meet the academic minimums are admitted.
What is the acceptance rate at DigiPen Institute of Technology?
64.4% of applicants are admitted. Most applicants who meet the basic requirements are admitted. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What SAT score do you need for DigiPen Institute of Technology?
Aim for 1400 or better. Half of admitted students scored between 1150 and 1400 (Reading plus Math), so anything above the top of that range makes you competitive and anything below the bottom means the rest of your application has to carry more weight. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
What ACT score do you need for DigiPen Institute of Technology?
Aim for 29 or better. Half of admitted students scored between 27 and 29 on the composite, so the upper half of that band is where you want to land. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
How much does DigiPen Institute of Technology cost?
Budget around $44,446 a year. That is the net price, what families typically pay once grants and scholarships come off, not the sticker price. Your own figure depends on household income, so treat this as a midpoint rather than a quote. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is DigiPen Institute of Technology worth it?
On the numbers, yes: moderate return on investment. Ten years in, the median graduate earns $79,878 a year against a net price of $44,446, about 1.8 dollars of earnings for every dollar of annual cost. That ratio ignores whether you finish and what you study, which matter just as much. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What is DigiPen Institute of Technology known for?
Mostly Computer Software & Media, Graphic Communications, Human Computer Interaction. Those are the fields where it awards the most degrees, which is a better guide to where the teaching strength sits than any reputation ranking. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
What do DigiPen Institute of Technology graduates earn?
About $79,878 a year, measured ten years after students first enrolled. Half earn more and half earn less, and what you study moves that figure far more than where you study. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is DigiPen Institute of Technology accredited?
Yes. DigiPen Institute of Technology is accredited by the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges.
How many students attend DigiPen Institute of Technology?
995 students. Small enough that you will recognize faces across campus, and small enough that course choice can be limited. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
What is the graduation rate at DigiPen Institute of Technology?
55% finish within six years. That leaves a meaningful share who do not finish on that timeline, so budget for the possibility of a longer run. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
Is DigiPen Institute of Technology a public or private college?
It is Private For-Profit. Private for-profit, so compare completion and earnings carefully against a public alternative.
Where is DigiPen Institute of Technology located?
DigiPen Institute of Technology is located in Redmond, Washington.
What programs does DigiPen Institute of Technology offer?
8 different programs, most commonly Computer Software & Media, Graphic Communications, Human Computer Interaction. If the subject you want is not among them, check the full list before applying rather than assuming it is offered.
What is the student-to-faculty ratio at DigiPen Institute of Technology?
11 students per instructor. Low enough that staff are likely to know who you are. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.

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