This is the main factor that is putting me off. It seems like the pay is in line with most other creative jobs - so it’s not like the top talent is pulling in some outrageous salary figures. One thing I’ve realized at school is I’m not driven by money like most of my other classmates. However, I realize going to a private design school is an investment and I won’t fall for the “play now, pay later” scam of student loans that are offered these days.
They say you should make 6 times your annual tuition amount per year after graduation to be financially “healthy”. For a state university, this is about $60,000 per year (2(5,000) x 6). Easily attainable after 1 or 2 years out of school with a decent degree (economics, finance, engineering, computer-science, etc.)
For a private design school, like ACCD (which has a trimester setup), your salary should be $315,000 (3(17,500) x 6). This is a figure I feel is only reserved for maybe 2-3% of those in the automotive industry (directors, VP, CEO, etc.) - which is great - but how long does it take to get to that level? 10-15 years if you DO make it to creative director?
Again, this factors in saving for retirement, buying property, owning a car, having kids, etc. while still being able to pay back your loan in a decent amount of time.
So, I don’t know, financially it seems like a train wreck but I still want to do it. 
Apparently, they do offer a Masters program…I’m not sure how you would hit the ground running with something like this though.