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Pratt Institute-Main

Private nonprofit Brooklyn, NY · Urban · Mid-Atlantic · 100% data
A Diversity A- Social Mobility B Earnings
Graduation Rate
73% B
Solid completion rate — most students graduate
Earnings (10yr)
$54,295 B
Well above the typical college graduate
Net Price
$52,659 F
207% more than the typical college
Acceptance Rate
73% C+
Accessible to most qualified applicants
Earnings +33% vs avg
Graduation +28% vs avg
Net Price 207% vs avg
Mobility Top 15%

Bottom line: A C overall grade — average outcomes for a U.S. college. 6.5× return on investment — every $1 spent returns $6.5 over 20 years.

6.5× return on investment

Every $1 spent returns $6.5 over 20 years — debt pays back in ~under a year. Net gain: $1,157,068.

What The Data Says

  1. A C overall — outcomes trail most U.S. colleges on measured metrics.

  2. Earnings 33% above the national college median.

  3. Inventor rate in the top 20% nationally — patents, startups, and new technology flow from its graduates.

  4. Social mobility rate of 2.64% — an engine of upward economic mobility.

  5. Every $1 invested returns $6.5 over 20 years — an exceptional return.

Economic Footprint

Inventor Rate
1.2%
Top 20%
Patents
72
Linked to graduates
Patent Citations
154
Downstream influence

Why Pratt Institute-Main Matters

Pratt Institute-Main is a private special-focus institution in Brooklyn, NY and its outcomes are not an accident. They are driven by an unusually high rate of inventors and patents, a well-connected, high-opportunity alumni network, and a strong record of moving students up the income ladder. The result: graduate earnings well above the typical college.

Interpretation generated from this school's federal outcomes, research, and mobility data.

Institutional Profile

Institution Type
Private Special-Focus Institution
Carnegie Class
Special Focus
Enrollment
3,910
Setting
Urban
Primary Strengths
Visual & Performing Arts, Communications, Education, English & Literature

Why students choose Pratt Institute-Main

Entrepreneurial, inventive students
Above-average inventor and patent activity
Influential alumni network
High cross-class social capital and reach
Engine of upward mobility
A strong record of moving students up the income ladder

CollegeRanker Report Card

Graded on outcomes, against every U.S. college.

C
Top 45% overall
B
Earnings
$54,295 median
F
Value
1.0× net price
F
Affordability
$52,659/yr net
B
Graduation
73% graduate
A-
Social Mobility
2.6% climb Q1→Q5
C+
Selectivity
73% admit rate
A
Diversity
0.77 index

Each grade is this school's national percentile on a real outcome — earnings, value, mobility, and more.

How we grade →

Overview

With an enrollment of about 3,910 students, Pratt Institute-Main is a great fit for those passionate about the arts and education. The school is particularly strong in Visual & Performing Arts, English & Literature, and Education, making it ideal for students looking to immerse themselves in creative fields. The acceptance rate of 73% means that students with a range of academic backgrounds have a chance to be part of this vibrant community.

Looking at life after graduation, students at Pratt can expect to earn a median salary of about $54,295 within ten years. This is a solid starting point for graduates, especially considering the school's focus on fields that often lead to fulfilling careers. While 19% of students receive Pell Grants, which indicates a commitment to supporting those with financial need, the overall affordability is something to weigh carefully when considering options.

The net price after aid stands at approximately $52,659, with a median debt of $26,000. This means students are likely to graduate with manageable debt, especially in light of their earning potential. Those who tend to thrive here are often those who are driven by a passion for their craft and a desire to make an impact in education or the arts. It's a place where creativity meets practicality, and students can find both their voice and their future.

Rankings

Can I Get In?

How selective Pratt Institute-Main is — and how your numbers stack up.

Tool

Will I Be Accepted?

Enter your credentials to see your chances at this school.

3.0
Test Score
1050
21

Academics & Admissions

Is It Hard to Get Into Pratt Institute-Main? Acceptance Rate & Requirements

Pratt Institute-Main, located in Brooklyn, New York, admits most of the students who apply; the acceptance rate is roughly 73%. Admitted students typically arrive with an average SAT score near 1,290. The graduation rate is roughly 73%.

Acceptance Rate
73%
Retention Rate
88%
SAT Average
1290
ACT Midpoint
30
SAT Range
1150–1390
ACT Range
26–31
Full-Time Faculty
15%
Faculty Salary (mo)
$12,587
Student–Faculty Ratio
9:1
Diversity Index
0.77
First-Gen Students
19%
Applicants
10,129
Admitted
5,110

Can I Afford It?

What you'll actually pay after grants and aid — not the sticker price.

Cost & Financial Aid

How Much Does It Cost to Attend Pratt Institute-Main? Tuition, Net Price & Aid

Published tuition at Pratt Institute-Main is $61,845, but few families pay that. The number to watch is net price, what students actually pay each year after federal grants and institutional scholarships. Here it averages about $52,659. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $38,545 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $26,000 in federal student loans.

In-State Tuition
$61,845
Out-of-State
$61,845
Avg Net Price
$52,659
Median Debt
$26,000
Pell Grant Rate
19%
Federal Loan Rate
35%

What Families Actually Pay

Family Income $0–$30K
$38,545
Family Income $30K–$48K
$44,439
Family Income $48K–$75K
$48,694
Family Income $110K+
$60,477

What Happens After?

Earnings, debt, and where graduates actually land.

Students Like You

Tell us a little about yourself to see what students like you have typically experienced at Pratt Institute-Main — the net price for your income, your admission odds, and the outcomes that follow. These are patterns from federal data, not predictions.

Compare schools in the full simulator →Sources: College Scorecard, Common Data Set, Opportunity Insights · today's dollars (CPI-adjusted) · descriptive, not predictive

Graduate Outcomes

Is Pratt Institute-Main Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI

Ten years out, alumni of Pratt Institute-Main earn a median of $54,295, roughly in line with the national average for college graduates.

6 Years After Entry
$45,060
8 Years
$47,795
10 Years
$54,295
Debt-to-Earnings
0.48x
Earning > $25K
63%

Earnings Trajectory

$45,060 6yr $47,795 8yr $54,295 10yr

Graduation by Timeframe

100% (455)
64%
100% (455)
64%
100% (455)
64%
100% (455)
64%

How Pratt Compares

Dot right of center = above national average.

NATIONAL AVGGraduation73%Earnings 10yr$54KNet Price$53KRetention88%Median Debt$26KPell Grant Rate19%

Net Price by Family Income

What families actually pay after aid, by income bracket.

$39K$0-30K$44K$30-48K$49K$48-75K$60K$110K+

The Mobility Equation

Mobility = Access x Success. How many low-income students get in, and how many reach the top 20%?

ACCESS% from bottom 20%9.7%SUCCESS% who reach top 20%27.2%MOBILITY2.64%

College ROI Calculator

Is Pratt Institute-Main Worth It?

A data-driven look at the return on your educational investment — using real federal data.

Yes — for most students, Pratt Institute-Main delivers a positive return. Over four years, the typical net price is $52,659/year ($210,636 total). Graduates earn $54,295 at ten years, and over a 20-year career we project $1,367,704 in total earnings — a net gain of $1,157,068 (6.5× your investment). The median debt is $26,000, which takes less than a year to pay back at typical earnings. With a 73% graduation rate, the path to that return is well-tested. This is a exceptional ROI compared to national averages.

Total Cost (4yr)
$210,636
Projected 20yr Earnings
$1,367,704
Net Return
$1,157,068
ROI Multiple
6.5×
Cost Per Year
$52,659
Median Debt
$26,000
Debt Payback
Less than 1 yr
Graduation Rate
73%

Does It Change Lives?

Mobility, social capital, and innovation — does it move people up?

Social Mobility

Data: Raj Chetty's Mobility Report Card · 30M+ anonymized tax records

Does Pratt Institute-Main Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes

Pratt Institute-Main is a genuine engine of upward mobility. Its mobility rate, the share of students who start in the bottom income quintile and climb to the top, is 2.64%, among the highest in the country. About 9.7% of students come from families in the bottom income quintile. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 27.2% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $96,100, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.

Mobility Rate
2.64%
Bottom 20% → Top 20%
Success Rate
27.2%
If bottom 20% get in
From Bottom 20%
9.7%
Share of students
Parent Median Income
$130,566
today's $ (2015 cohort data)

Social Capital

Data: Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas

How Connected Is Pratt Institute-Main? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks

Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs high at Pratt Institute-Main. Its economic connectedness score is 1.84, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (-0.01), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 7% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.

Economic Connectedness
1.84
Cross-class friendships
Friending Bias
-0.01
Lower = more inclusive
Volunteering Rate
6.6%
Support Ratio
1.00
Community support

Research Note

267%
Low-income students at colleges in the top quartile of economic connectedness are 267% more likely to reach the top income quintile than peers at the least-connected schools.
Data from CollegeRanker’s review of 5,745 U.S. colleges (n=1,503). Quartile comparison of mean bottom-quintile success rate, split by economic connectedness (Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas × Mobility Report Card).

Innovation & Knowledge Creation

Patents, inventors, and research influence · Opportunity Insights & Times Higher Education

Pratt Institute-Main produces inventors at an above-average rate (top 20% nationally), with 72 patents tied to its graduates.

Inventor Rate
1.20%
Top 20% nationally
Patents Produced
72
Linked to graduates
Patent Citations
154
Downstream influence
Inventors From Low-Income
0.99%
Bottom-20% families

Institutional Finances

Data: NCES IPEDS

Federal Grants
$9,001,399
Investment Income
$5,324,261

Top Programs

The fields Pratt Institute-Main awards the most degrees in, by share of completions. Where federal field-of-study data exists, we show what graduates in that major earned early in their careers. Each links to its degree guide — or see what someone with your income, scores, and major would pay and earn here in the Students Like You simulator.

Early-career median earnings by major (typically 1–2 years after completion, bachelor's level where available), in today's dollars (CPI-adjusted). Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard field of study. Distinct from the school-wide 10-year median; suppressed for small programs.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is It Hard to Get Into Pratt Institute-Main? Acceptance Rate & Requirements

Pratt Institute-Main, located in Brooklyn, New York, admits most of the students who apply; the acceptance rate is roughly 73%. Admitted students typically arrive with an average SAT score near 1,290. The graduation rate is roughly 73%.

How Much Does It Cost to Attend Pratt Institute-Main? Tuition, Net Price & Aid

Published tuition at Pratt Institute-Main is $61,845, but few families pay that. The number to watch is net price, what students actually pay each year after federal grants and institutional scholarships. Here it averages about $52,659. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $38,545 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $26,000 in federal student loans.

Is Pratt Institute-Main Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI

Ten years out, alumni of Pratt Institute-Main earn a median of $54,295, roughly in line with the national average for college graduates.

Does Pratt Institute-Main Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes

Pratt Institute-Main is a genuine engine of upward mobility. Its mobility rate, the share of students who start in the bottom income quintile and climb to the top, is 2.64%, among the highest in the country. About 9.7% of students come from families in the bottom income quintile. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 27.2% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $96,100, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.

How Connected Is Pratt Institute-Main? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks

Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs high at Pratt Institute-Main. Its economic connectedness score is 1.84, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (-0.01), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 7% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.

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The State of American Higher Education Outcomes for 2026 — report cover Download PDF

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The State of American Higher Education Outcomes

Every state graded on what graduates earn, how far they climb, and what college really costs — the hidden geography of economic mobility, in one report.

Free · 21 pages · 5,745 institutions · 100% federal data, no surveys