Good to see that you are a rational person and that you can think ahead. As an Art Center alum (Transportation 2001) and as a designer with 10 years experience in Automotive Design; I can tell you that an ACCD degree in Automotive Design will not guarantee you a job, but it can open doors for you. However, the industry as a whole is suffering immensely now from the global economic problems and as a result many studios are either shutting completely or are re-organizing to use fewer staff workers and are instead hiring contractors. Add to this situation a flood of talented/experienced designers hungry to keep their positions afloat in this emerging and smaller industry, and you can begin to understand what may be like for a soon to be graduate. Even the Chinese manufacturers can now afford to be selective. I don’t mean to discourage you, but $220k would buy you a very decent house 
Also, it is possible to get into automotive design through other routes…if you are persistent enough.