years of inspiring online art/design educationAbout Sessions College
Affording Your Education
Convenience, quality – and affordability? Absolutely. Online education was born to remove three barriers that prevent people from accessing education.
Convenience
Can I make it to class across town every week?
Quality
Is there a school offering a great program in my area?
Cost
Can I complete a program without incurring a mountain of debt?
What Makes Education Affordable?
Let’s examine some key factors to consider when assessing whether ANY college program is affordable:
Tuition
How does the tuition compare to other schools? Even if you are eligible for financial aid, evaluate the cost per semester, the cost per year, and the total cost of your program.
Fees
Some schools charge many thousands of dollars of fees on top of tuition. Try to identify what fees are mandatory for you, and factor this into your program costs.
Textbooks and materials
If you’re not careful, purchasing materials such as textbooks can be expensive. Are materials included? Many schools require extensive purchasing of textbooks and other supplies that can add up.
Financial assistance
What types of financial assistance are available to help you finance your education? Federal grants and loans for eligible students? Military and veteran benefit plans? Scholarships or institutional payment plans that can break your tuition payments into manageable chunks?
Flexible schedules
Finally, a hidden factor in college costs: Will your school schedule permit you to continue to work full or part-time, maintaining some level of income to pay your program and living expenses as you go?
“At Sessions College, we understand that education is an investment in your future, and we’re committed to helping you get there. With our industry-leading low tuition and no textbook policy, Sessions College programs are among the best value available online.”
How Does Sessions Stack Up?
We thought you’d ask.
Affordable Tuition
Our degree level tuition has been recognized for seven years in a row by the College Affordability and Transparency Center as ranking in the tenth lowest in the United States in our category (for-profit, 2-year college). The tuition for our entire 2-year Associate degree is lower than the average graduating student’s loan debt in the United States in 2019. Now that’s affordability.
No Textbooks
Welcome to the digital age, where no textbooks are required. All coursework and materials required to complete programs are provided in an online learning environment, including orientation materials, lectures, exercises, discussion forums, videos, and multimedia tools. Tuition includes a digital materials fee for updates to course or program content.
Sensible Fees
Unlike other schools, we will burden you with an absolute minimum of additional program fees. You’ll need to pay low administrative fees for standard items like application, registration, schedule changes, and exams. But you won’t receive a mystery $500 bill for a lab fee every term.
Software and Supplies
Much like you’d expect, you will be responsible for providing a computer with Internet connection and any required software or art supplies for your program. (The same PC and supplies you’re dying to use anyway!) Guidelines are provided for every program and educational discounts are available for enrolled students.
Financial Assistance
As an accredited, Title IV institution, Sessions College can provide access to a variety of ways to help you afford your education:
- Federal Student Aid. Eligible students can access grants and loans to cover a portion of their education costs.
- Military Student Benefits. Active U.S. military service members, veterans, and their families can utilize education benefits.
- Scholarships. In Bachelor’s Degree and Associate Degree programs, institutional scholarships can offset tuition costs.
- Employer Assistance and Workforce Investment Act. We can facilitate employer programs and back to work programs.
- Sallie Mae Loans. For career program students, private loans can bridge the gap.
- Payment plans. No-interest institutional payment plans can help you divide your tuition into manageable monthly payments.
Flexible Schedules
Now this is where online education has an unfair advantage! Yes, you will have to commit serious time to your studies each week, but the availability of full-time and part-time schedules makes it possible for many students to continue to work as they study.
Based on 2019 surveys, more than 50% of our degree program students completed their studies while employed full-time or part-time.
How Do We Compare to Other Schools?
We thought you’d ask that too.
How About Other Design Schools?
Tuition is constantly changing, but here’s a look at some other well-known design schools that offer online programs. This table compares estimated 2020-2021 tuition for Bachelor in Fine Arts (BFA) in Graphic Design programs.
| Program | Tuition Per-Credit/ Number of Credits | Total Tuition |
|---|---|---|
| Sessions College Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) in Graphic Design | $510/credit 120 credits | $61,200 |
| RMCAD Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) in Graphic Design | $544/credit 123 credits | $66,912 |
| Academy of Art University Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) in Graphic Design | $963 per unit 132 units | $127,116 |
| Parsons School of Design BFA in Communication Design | $1700/credit 120 credits | $204,000 |
And that’s not all….
Many schools add textbooks or digital materials fees on top of tuition costs. At Sessions College, digital materials are included in our already affordable tuition.
At the schools listed above, additional fees range from an estimated $500 per program to over $7,000 per program. One school has a $100 technology fee AND a $50-75 digital resource fee per course. Another estimates $4,478 books and supplies costs for the program.
What About Community College?
We get it—the tuition at community college and other state or government-subsidized institutions can be appealing. But while community college tuition can look attractive on the surface, we invite you to compare it with the values and benefits of completing your art/design program at Sessions College: