Circle in the Square Theatre School
New York, NY · official site ↗
Private nonprofitOther / Unclassified
73
Fin. Resilience
Resilience score
vs. 173 peers in its group
Circle in the Square Theatre School is a private nonprofit institution in New York, NY.
It enrolls about 39 undergraduates and is benchmarked here against 173 peer institutions (Other / Unclassified · Private nonprofit).
On Ibex's Financial Resilience score it rates 73 out of 100 within that peer group, a transparent composite of endowment per undergraduate, net tuition revenue per student, and instructional spend per student.
Its strongest standing relative to peers is first-year retention (100%, 100th percentile).
Its weakest is direct competitors within 100 mi (38).
Ibex's cross-metric scan flags: Undergrad enrollment down 39% since 2016.
Peer group
Other / Unclassified · Private nonprofit
173 institutions
Undergrad enrollment down 39% since 2016
Policy & demographic exposure
How exposed Circle in the Square Theatre School is to the structural shifts reshaping higher ed: a composite structural-risk index plus the 2025 federal budget law’s endowment excise tax, Grad PLUS elimination, new Parent PLUS borrowing cap and new Workforce Pell short-term-credential opportunity, and the demographic enrollment cliff. Only signals that apply to this institution are shown.
Parent PLUS cap gapHow far the average Parent PLUS loan at this school exceeds the new $20,000/yr Parent PLUS borrowing cap the 2025 budget law imposes from July 2026 (FSA Direct Loan data). A positive gap is per-borrower financing that must shift to private loans, savings, or institutional aid; shown only where the average already tops the cap.
$13,631
Far above capHigher than 78% of schools nationally
AY2025-26 YTD (through Q2, Dec 2025)
Enrollment cliff (home state)Projected change in the institution's home-state high-school graduates from 2025 to 2041 (WICHE). The U.S. total falls about 13%; a directional feeder-market signal, not an enrollment forecast.
-27%
Severe declineIndicative signals, not forecasts, see each metric’s definition and the methodology. Endowment-tax, Grad PLUS, Parent PLUS and Workforce Pell figures appear only where the institution is actually exposed; “nationally” compares against all schools that report each signal.
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Revenue composition
Where the money comes from
$2M total revenue · IPEDS FY2022-23
Tuition & fees is the largest single source at 49% of revenue.
Tuition & fees49.4%
Private gifts & grants34.6%
Government grants & contracts8.6%
Investment return3.9%
Other revenue3.6%
Where each dollar of revenue comes from, as a share of total positive revenue. Sources are standardized across public (GASB) and private (FASB) reporting; a net investment loss in a down market is shown as 0% and excluded from the mix.
Financial Health
Net tuition revenue / FTETuition revenue per full-time-equivalent student after institutional aid/discounts, what tuition actually nets.
Strong
$21,448
89th percentile in peer grouppeer median $11,688
166 peers
Instructional spend / FTESpending on instruction per FTE student, how much of the budget reaches the classroom.
Average
$12,553
57th percentile in peer grouppeer median $11,423
166 peers
In-state tuition & feesPublished in-state tuition and fees before aid (sticker price).
$25,610
95th percentile in peer grouppeer median $12,337
74 peers
Out-of-state tuition & feesPublished out-of-state tuition and fees before aid (sticker price).
$25,610
93rd percentile in peer grouppeer median $12,562
74 peers
Avg annual cost of attendanceAverage total annual cost, tuition, fees and living costs, before aid.
$41,990
92nd percentile in peer grouppeer median $28,414
49 peers
Average net priceAverage yearly price families actually pay after grants and scholarships.
Below peers
$28,089
83rd percentile in peer grouppeer median $19,274
104 peers
Net price, low-income families (under $30K)Average yearly cost after all grant and scholarship aid for students from families earning under ~$30,000. Lower is better.
Below peers
$28,089
87th percentile in peer grouppeer median $17,941
2024-2593 peers
Average annual net price (cost of attendance minus all grant and scholarship aid) paid by students whose families earn under about $30,000 a year (College Scorecard, FY2024-25). This is what the neediest admitted students actually pay, often far below the sticker price. Read it beside the overall net price and the high-income net price: a low figure here signals strong need-based aid. Lower is better.
Tuition discount rateInstitutional grant aid as a share of gross tuition (IPEDS, private nonprofits only) – the tuition-discount rate. The share of sticker tuition handed back as aid; a high rate (the national average is ~56%) signals heavy price competition for students.
Moderate
19.3%
69th percentile in peer grouppeer median 2.8%
FY2022-23144 peers
Institutional grant aid as a share of gross tuition & fee revenue (IPEDS FY2022-23, FASB): allowances applied to tuition ÷ (net tuition revenue + those allowances) – the tuition-discount rate enrollment leaders track, i.e. the share of sticker tuition handed back as institutional aid. Private nonprofit institutions only; public (GASB) institutions report tuition differently and are not shown. The national private-college average is roughly 56% (NACUBO); above ~60% signals heavy price competition.
Administrative cost shareInstitutional support (central administration, governance, general administration, fundraising, and under FASB the operation & maintenance of plant) as a share of total expenses, private nonprofit (FASB) institutions only, where the figure is comparable. An informational gauge of administrative intensity, not a measure of waste.
8.8%
17th percentile in peer grouppeer median 18.5%
FY2022-23133 peers
Institutional support, central administration, executive management, governance, general administration, fundraising and (under FASB rules) operation & maintenance of plant, as a share of total expenses (IPEDS FY2022-23, FASB). Private nonprofit institutions only: public (GASB) institutions report functional expenses on a different basis and frequently consolidate large hospital and auxiliary operations, which makes a comparable ratio unreliable, so they are not shown. Because FASB folds plant operations into institutional support, this runs higher than a narrow 'central-office' figure, and schools with sizable hospital or auxiliary operations show a lower ratio as those costs enlarge total expenses. An informational benchmark of administrative intensity, compared within the peer group, not a measure of waste or quality.
Avg Parent PLUS loanAverage Parent PLUS loan originated per recipient family.
$33,631
95th percentile in peer grouppeer median $12,989
2024-2540 peers
Average federal Parent PLUS loan per recipient (U.S. Dept. of Education, FSA Direct Loan Dashboard, AY2025-26 YTD). Parent PLUS faces new aggregate borrowing caps under the 2025 budget law; a high average shows how far families currently borrow above other federal aid. Companion to the Grad PLUS and Parent PLUS cap-gap signals. Context, not a quality measure.
Spent on instructionInstruction as a share of total functional expenses (private-nonprofit reporting).
37.8%
33rd percentile in peer grouppeer median 49.5%
2024-25147 peers
Instruction spending divided by total functional expenses (IPEDS Finance, FY2022-23 (FASB)). 'Where the money goes' context, reported here for private-nonprofit (FASB) institutions only, where the functional split is comparable; not computed for public or for-profit institutions. Higher is not automatically better; research universities and those with hospitals or large auxiliaries spread spending across other functions.
Spent on student servicesStudent services as a share of total functional expenses (private-nonprofit reporting).
1.3%
34th percentile in peer grouppeer median 4.8%
2024-25147 peers
Student-services spending (admissions, registrar, student life, counseling) divided by total functional expenses (IPEDS Finance, FY2022-23 (FASB)). Private-nonprofit (FASB) institutions only. Spending-mix context, not a quality measure.
Spent on academic supportAcademic support as a share of total functional expenses (private-nonprofit reporting).
2.7%
42nd percentile in peer grouppeer median 5%
2024-25147 peers
Academic-support spending (libraries, academic computing, deans' offices) divided by total functional expenses (IPEDS Finance, FY2022-23 (FASB)). Private-nonprofit (FASB) institutions only. Context, not a quality measure.
Spent on researchResearch as a share of total functional expenses (private-nonprofit reporting).
0%
96th percentile in peer grouppeer median 0%
2024-25147 peers
Research spending divided by total functional expenses (IPEDS Finance, FY2022-23 (FASB)). Private-nonprofit (FASB) institutions only; near zero at teaching-focused colleges and sizeable at research universities. Spending-mix context, not a quality measure.
Parent PLUS cap gapHow far the average Parent PLUS loan at this school exceeds the new $20,000/yr Parent PLUS borrowing cap the 2025 budget law imposes from July 2026 (FSA Direct Loan data). A positive gap is per-borrower financing that must shift to private loans, savings, or institutional aid; shown only where the average already tops the cap.
Far above cap
$13,631
– percentile in peer group
2024-2512 peers
How far the AVERAGE Parent PLUS loan at this institution exceeds the new $20,000 annual Parent PLUS borrowing cap the 2025 budget law imposes from July 1, 2026 (the law also sets a $65,000 per-student aggregate Parent PLUS limit). A positive gap means the typical parent borrowing here currently takes more in a year than the new cap will allow, financing that must shift to private loans, savings, or institutional aid. Average annual loan per Parent PLUS recipient from the U.S. Dept. of Education / Federal Student Aid Direct Loan Dashboard, primarily award year 2025-26 (year-to-date through Q2, December 2025), with 2024-25 full-year retained where 2025-26 is not yet reported (labelled per school). Shown only where the average already exceeds the new cap; an exposure signal, not a forecast.
Net-cost payback periodEstimated years to recoup the four-year net cost from the annual earnings premium over a high-school graduate in this state.
Below peers
60.3 yrs
91st percentile in peer grouppeer median 4.7 yrs
2024-2535 peers
Four-year net price divided by the median 10-year earnings premium over a typical high-school graduate in the institution's state (College Scorecard earnings and net price; U.S. Census Bureau ACS state baselines). A simple value-for-cost gauge: fewer years is stronger. Shown only where net price and earnings are both reported and earnings exceed the state high-school baseline; it ignores aid timing, debt and non-completion, so read it as a directional comparison, not a financial projection.
Enrollment & Pipeline
Undergraduate enrollmentNumber of degree-seeking undergraduates (IPEDS fall headcount). A size measure, not a quality signal.
39
30th percentile in peer grouppeer median 90
162 peers
Admission rateShare of applicants offered admission. Lower means more selective; open-admission schools report none.
8%
6th percentile in peer grouppeer median 86.8%
70 peers
First-year retentionShare of first-time, full-time students who return for a second year, an early signal of student fit and support. Reported for two-year and less-than-two-year institutions.
Strong
100%
100th percentile in peer grouppeer median 78.6%
86 peers
Graduation rate (150% of normal time)Of first-time, full-time degree- or certificate-seeking students, the share who completed within 150% of the program's normal time (about three years for a two-year program), per College Scorecard. This is the two-year analogue of the six-year graduation rate shown for four-year colleges.
Strong
100%
100th percentile in peer grouppeer median 80%
87 peers
Share of first-time, full-time degree/certificate-seeking students who completed within 150% of the program's normal time (about three years for a two-year program), per College Scorecard. The two-year analogue of the six-year rate shown for four-year colleges.
Graduation rate (on-time)Of first-time, full-time degree- or certificate-seeking students, the share who completed within the program's normal time (100%, on-time), per College Scorecard. Reported for two-year and less-than-two-year institutions.
Strong
100%
100th percentile in peer grouppeer median 61%
87 peers
Share of first-time, full-time degree/certificate-seeking students who completed within the program's normal time (100%), per College Scorecard. Reported for two-year and less-than-two-year institutions.
Pell recipient shareShare of undergraduates on a federal Pell Grant, a proxy for the share from lower-income families.
10%
17th percentile in peer grouppeer median 41.6%
156 peers
Adult learners (25+)Share of undergraduates aged 25 or older.
14%
12th percentile in peer grouppeer median 52.2%
2024-25137 peers
Share of undergraduates aged 25 or older (College Scorecard, FY2024-25). Read as context on the student mix: schools serving many working adults look different on persistence and part-time measures than traditional-age campuses, and neither is inherently better.
Part-time undergraduatesShare of undergraduates enrolled part-time.
0%
68th percentile in peer grouppeer median 0%
2024-25160 peers
Share of undergraduates enrolled part-time (College Scorecard, FY2024-25). Context, not quality: a high part-time share is common at community and commuter institutions and affects graduation-rate comparisons, which are based only on full-time, first-time students.
Median family incomeMedian family income of students at this institution.
$52,093
93rd percentile in peer grouppeer median $22,455
2024-25103 peers
Median family income of students at this institution (College Scorecard, FY2024-25). An affordability and access signal, not a measure of quality: a lower figure typically means the school enrolls more students from modest-income families.
Low-income students (under $30K)Share of students from families earning under about $30,000 a year.
40.5%
20th percentile in peer grouppeer median 59.5%
2024-2588 peers
Share of students whose families earn under roughly $30,000 a year (College Scorecard, FY2024-25). A direct low-income access signal: a higher share usually reflects a school enrolling more students from modest-income households, and pairs naturally with the Pell recipient share.
Women (share of undergraduates)Share of undergraduates who are women.
61.5%
45th percentile in peer grouppeer median 67.6%
2024-25162 peers
Share of undergraduates who are women (College Scorecard, FY2024-25). Reported as context on the student mix, not a measure of quality.
Admission yield
Below peers
7.1%
8th percentile in peer grouppeer median 85.4%
Fall 202364 peers
Share of admitted students who enrolled (IPEDS Admissions, Fall 2023): students who enrolled ÷ students admitted. A demand signal, how many accepted offers the institution converts to enrollment. Higher yield generally reflects stronger demand, though binding early-decision programs and price positioning can inflate it. Open-admission institutions do not report admissions and show none.
12-month FTE enrollmentFull-time-equivalent enrollment over the full year, the denominator for per-student finance measures.
25
18th percentile in peer grouppeer median 80
2022-23152 peers
Full-time-equivalent enrollment over the full 12-month year (IPEDS 12-month enrollment, 2022-23). Counts part-time students at their fractional load, so it runs above fall full-time headcount and is the denominator used for per-student finance measures.
Student-faculty ratioStudents per instructional faculty member, lower usually means smaller classes and more contact.
2:1
4th percentile in peer grouppeer median 11:1
2022-23150 peers
Students per instructional faculty member (IPEDS, fall 2023). Lower generally means smaller classes and more faculty contact, though the measure mixes undergraduate and graduate teaching and is institution-reported.
Fully online studentsShare of students enrolled exclusively in distance-education (online) courses.
0%
79th percentile in peer grouppeer median 0%
2024-25159 peers
Share of students enrolled exclusively in distance-education courses (IPEDS, Fall 2023). Describes delivery model, not quality; online-heavy institutions look different on residential measures.
Applicant-pool diversity shiftProjected change in the non-white share of the home state's public high-school graduating class, class of 2025 to 2037.
+0.9%
– percentile in peer group
WICHE 2024 (11th ed.)170 peers
Percentage-point change in the non-white share of the institution's home-state public high-school graduating class between the class of 2025 (the national peak) and 2037 (WICHE, Knocking at the College Door, 11th ed., public-school race detail). A forward look at who the future applicant pool will be: a positive value means the state's graduating class is projected to grow more racially diverse. Strategic recruiting context, not a forecast of any one school's enrollment, and a college recruits from many states.
Enrollment cliff (home state)Projected change in the institution's home-state high-school graduates from 2025 to 2041 (WICHE). The U.S. total falls about 13%; a directional feeder-market signal, not an enrollment forecast.
Severe decline
-27%
– percentile in peer group
2024-25170 peers
Projected change in the number of high-school graduates in the institution's HOME STATE from the class of 2025 (the national peak) to 2041, per WICHE's Knocking at the College Door, 11th Edition (Dec 2024). The 'enrollment cliff' is the post-2008 birth decline reaching college age; the U.S. total is projected to fall about 13% over this window. A college recruits from many states, so its home-state projection is an indicative directional signal of feeder-market pressure, not a forecast of that institution's own enrollment.
Enrollment momentum (CAGR)Enrollment momentum (CAGR).
Below peers
-6%
21st percentile in peer grouppeer median 0.2%
2024-25142 peers
Compound annual growth rate of undergraduate enrollment over the years the tool tracks (College Scorecard, roughly 2016-2024). Positive means the school is growing; negative means it is shrinking, the leading indicator of demand stress ahead of the demographic cliff. Banded against the school's peer group.
Net-price momentum (CAGR)Net-price momentum (CAGR).
Average
5.7%
59th percentile in peer grouppeer median 4.3%
2024-25147 peers
Compound annual growth rate of net tuition revenue per full-time-equivalent student over the tracked years. A high positive rate means the school's real net price is climbing faster than peers, which can strain affordability and yield. Banded against the school's peer group. Lower is better.
Selectivity momentum (CAGR)Selectivity momentum (CAGR).
Strong
-20.5%
5th percentile in peer grouppeer median 0%
2024-2557 peers
Compound annual growth rate of the admission rate over the tracked years. A negative value means the school is admitting a smaller share of applicants over time (getting more selective); a positive value means its admit rate is rising (getting less selective), often a sign of softening demand. Banded against the school's peer group.
States recruited fromNumber of distinct US states sending at least one first-time student.
Strong
2
77th percentile in peer grouppeer median 1
Fall 202295 peers
How many distinct US states the school's first-time degree-seeking class is drawn from (IPEDS Residence & Migration, Fall 2022). A higher count signals broader geographic reach and less dependence on any single state's shrinking pool of high school graduates; a low count means the school recruits from a narrow region and is more exposed to that region's demographic decline. Banded against the school's peer group.
Foreign first-time shareShare of first-time students whose legal residence is a foreign country.
0%
90th percentile in peer grouppeer median 0%
Fall 202298 peers
Share of the school's first-time degree-seeking class whose legal residence is outside the United States (IPEDS Residence & Migration, Fall 2022). A measure of international reach in the entering class. Neither high nor low is inherently better; it is context for tuition-revenue mix and exposure to visa and geopolitical risk. Banded against the school's peer group.
Direct competitors within 100 miNumber of same-type institutions (same Carnegie class and control) within 100 miles.
Below peers
38
92nd percentile in peer grouppeer median 4
2024-25173 peers
How many institutions of the same type (same Carnegie classification and control, i.e. the schools competing for the same students) sit within roughly 100 miles. A higher count means a more crowded local market and a harder yield fight, which matters most as the regional pool of high school graduates shrinks; a low count means the school has its catchment largely to itself. Distance is straight-line from campus coordinates. Banded against the school's peer group. Fewer is better for recruiting leverage.
Women in applicant poolWomen as a share of all first-time degree-seeking applicants.
64.5%
48th percentile in peer grouppeer median 65.8%
2023-2464 peers
Women as a share of the school's first-time degree-seeking applicant pool (IPEDS Admissions, 2023-24). A read on the funnel's composition, useful for targeting and a proxy for program mix: nursing- and education-heavy schools skew female, engineering- and trade-heavy schools skew male. Neither skew is inherently better. Banded against the school's peer group.
Hybrid (some online) enrollmentShare of students enrolled in some but not all courses online (hybrid), Fall 2023.
0%
77th percentile in peer grouppeer median 0%
Fall 2023159 peers
Share of all students taking some, but not all, of their courses at a distance (IPEDS, Fall 2023). This is the hybrid middle ground between the fully online share and the fully in-person share, and it signals how far a school has moved coursework online without going exclusively remote. Context metric, not better or worse. Banded against the school's peer group.
Transfer-in share (undergraduate)Transfer-in students as a share of undergraduate enrollment, Fall 2023.
0%
73rd percentile in peer grouppeer median 0%
Fall 2023150 peers
Transfer-in students as a share of all undergraduates (IPEDS, Fall 2023). A high share means the school depends on transfer pipelines rather than first-time freshmen, which changes both recruitment strategy and melt/retention risk. Context metric, not better or worse. Banded against the school's peer group.
Graduate share of enrollmentGraduate students as a share of total enrollment, Fall 2023.
0%
82nd percentile in peer grouppeer median 0%
Fall 2023159 peers
Graduate students as a share of total headcount enrollment (IPEDS, Fall 2023). It separates research-intensive universities with large graduate bodies from undergraduate-focused institutions. Context metric, not better or worse. Banded against the school's peer group.
Women share of facultyWomen as a share of instructional staff (full- and part-time), Fall 2023.
43.8%
36th percentile in peer grouppeer median 60.5%
2023-24152 peers
Women as a share of all instructional staff, full- and part-time combined (IPEDS Human Resources, Fall 2023). A gender-composition signal for the teaching workforce. Context metric, not better or worse. Banded against the school's peer group.
Faculty of color shareU.S. faculty of color as a share of instructional staff, Fall 2023.
25%
53rd percentile in peer grouppeer median 22.5%
2023-24152 peers
Instructional staff who are American Indian/Alaska Native, Asian, Black, Hispanic, Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander, or two-or-more races, as a share of all instructional staff (IPEDS Human Resources, Fall 2023). Nonresident and race-unknown staff are excluded from the numerator. Context metric, not better or worse. Banded against the school's peer group.
Enrollment-demand indexComposite 0-100 of admission yield, selectivity and enrollment trend vs peers.
Average
41.0
35th percentile in peer grouppeer median 47.0
2024-2565 peers
A 0-100 composite of how much demand the school commands relative to its peer group: the average of its peer percentile ranks for admission yield, selectivity (a lower admit rate counts as stronger demand) and recent enrollment trend. Built only where at least two of those three are reported. Higher means stronger pull in the market. Banded against the school's peer group.
Enrollment forecast (5-yr)Projected change in total enrollment about five years out, from the school's own trend.
Below peers
-27.6%
25th percentile in peer grouppeer median 3.2%
2024-2029 projection131 peers
Projected cumulative change in total enrollment roughly five years out, modeled by a least-squares log-linear fit on the school's own enrollment history (2016-2024). It uses the full multi-year series, so a single shock year (such as 2020) does not drive the result. This is a naive trend extrapolation, not a demographic model, and is capped at plus or minus 60 percent; treat it as direction-of-travel, not a precise count. Banded against the school's peer group; higher means projected growth.
In-state HS graduatesPublic + private high-school graduates in the school's state, class of 2025.
206,184
76th percentile in peer grouppeer median 137,304
Class of 2025 (WICHE)170 peers
The size of the school's home-state high-school graduating class in 2025 (WICHE Knocking at the College Door, public and private combined). It is the near-term in-state feeder market, the complement to the enrollment-cliff projection, which shows the direction that market is heading. Context metric, not better or worse. Banded against the school's peer group.
Metro-area unemployment rateUnemployment rate in the school's metro area, ACS 2019-23.
Below peers
6.5%
88th percentile in peer grouppeer median 5.4%
ACS 2019-23163 peers
The civilian unemployment rate in the school's metropolitan or micropolitan area (US Census ACS 2019-23, mapped by the school's federal CBSA code). It is a proxy for local labor demand: a lower rate means a tighter job market, a stronger near-term destination for graduates and a smaller pool of working adults to recruit. It describes the local economy, not the school. Schools outside any metro area are not scored. Banded against the school's peer group.
Admissions test policy
SAT / ACT requirement
IPEDS Fall 2023
Test-optional
This school is test-optional: applicants may submit SAT or ACT scores, but they are not required. Reported to IPEDS for the most recent admissions cycle. Test policy is a live enrollment lever, so it is shown as the school's stated category rather than a peer rank.
Student body
Undergraduate race & ethnicity
IPEDS 2024-25
White33.3%
Two or more races23.1%
International20.5%
Black12.8%
Asian5.1%
Hispanic/Latino2.6%
American Indian/Alaska Native2.6%
Undergraduate enrollment by race and ethnicity, as reported to IPEDS (College Scorecard). “International” denotes nonresident students; “Unknown” means race/ethnicity was not reported.
Student Outcomes & Risk
Median earnings (10 yr)Median earnings of former students ten years after first enrolling (working, federally-aided students).
Average
$39,899
47th percentile in peer grouppeer median $41,461
81 peers
3-yr cohort default rateShare of borrowers who default within three years of entering repayment. Lower is better.
Average
5%
43rd percentile in peer grouppeer median 6%
FY2017 cohort92 peers
Share of borrowers who defaulted within three years of entering repayment (U.S. Dept. of Education official cohort default rate). Shown for the FY2017 borrower cohort, the most recent cohort whose full three-year default window closed before the 2020-23 federal student-loan payment pause. More recent cohorts are reported by the College Scorecard at essentially 0%, but that reflects the payment pause (no payments were due, so almost no one could default), not borrower health, so the pre-pause cohort is the last meaningful reading. Lower is better.
Share taking federal loansShare of students taking out federal loans, a borrowing-reliance signal.
48%
58th percentile in peer grouppeer median 37.8%
156 peers
Loan repayment rate (3-yr)
45%
43rd percentile in peer grouppeer median 49.5%
2024-2574 peers
Share of student-loan borrowers who had repaid at least $1 of their loan principal within three years of entering repayment (College Scorecard, FY2024-25). Read it as context, not a simple good/bad score: a low rate can mean borrowers are struggling, but it can also mean many graduates have postponed payments while enrolled in graduate or professional school, which is common at selective schools and pushes their rate down. Unlike the cohort default rate, it is not distorted by the 2020-23 federal payment pause. Reported only where enough borrowers exist.
Working 10 years after entryShare of the no-longer-enrolled cohort who are working ten years after entering.
Below peers
58.1%
16th percentile in peer grouppeer median 78.5%
2024-2581 peers
Share of students who are working (not still enrolled) ten years after entering this institution, of those whose employment status is known (College Scorecard, FY2024-25). A coarse employment signal; it does not capture earnings level or job quality.
Loan repayment rate (5-yr)Share of borrowers who repaid at least $1 of principal within five years of entering repayment.
Average
61.7%
58th percentile in peer grouppeer median 57.3%
2024-2569 peers
Share of student-loan borrowers who had repaid at least $1 of their loan principal within five years of entering repayment (College Scorecard, FY2024-25), a longer-horizon companion to the three-year repayment rate. As with the three-year figure, a low rate can reflect graduates deferring payments while in further schooling rather than financial distress.
Loan repayment rate (1-yr)Share of borrowers who repaid at least $1 of principal within one year of entering repayment.
Average
40%
42nd percentile in peer grouppeer median 47.5%
2024-2574 peers
Share of student-loan borrowers who had repaid at least $1 of their loan principal within one year of entering repayment (College Scorecard, FY2024-25), the earliest point on the repayment curve. As with the longer-horizon rates, a low figure can reflect borrowers deferring payments while in further schooling rather than financial distress.
Loan repayment rate (7-yr)Share of borrowers who repaid at least $1 of principal within seven years of entering repayment.
Average
58.1%
52nd percentile in peer grouppeer median 57.9%
2024-2566 peers
Share of student-loan borrowers who had repaid at least $1 of their loan principal within seven years of entering repayment (College Scorecard, FY2024-25), the longest horizon reported. Together with the one-, three-, and five-year rates it traces how repayment progresses over time.
Return on credentialMedian 10-year earnings divided by the four-year cost of attendance (annual cost × 4) – a rough payback ratio for the degree.
Below peers
0.24×
16th percentile in peer grouppeer median 0.46×
2024-2525 peers
Median 10-year earnings divided by the four-year cost of attendance (average annual cost × 4). A rough payback ratio: 1.0× means a graduate's annual 10-year earnings roughly equal the full four-year sticker cost. Earnings reflect federally-aided students; cost of attendance is the published sticker price before aid, so this is conservative relative to what families net of aid pay.
Net-value indexComposite 0-100 of earnings, completion, net price and debt vs peers.
Average
55.0
58th percentile in peer grouppeer median 52.0
2024-25117 peers
A 0-100 composite of student value relative to the peer group: the average of peer percentile ranks for median earnings ten years out, graduation rate, net price (lower counts as better value) and median debt (lower is better). Built only where at least two components are reported. Higher means more outcome per dollar. Banded against the school's peer group.
Earnings spread
Earnings 10 years after entry: the middle 50%
Working, federally-aided former students · Scorecard 2024-25
25th percentile$28,381
Median$39,899
75th percentile$75,133
Annual earnings of working former students measured ten years after they first enrolled (College Scorecard), shown as a range rather than a single number. The middle half of this school’s graduates earn between the 25th- and 75th-percentile figures; the Median bar matches the headline earnings figure. A wider gap means more variation in how graduates fare. Bars are scaled to the highest value shown.
Top fields of study (all levels)
Circle in the Square Theatre School’s largest fields by completions, with graduate earnings (4 years out) and debt benchmarked against the same field at its peer group. Sparklines show the 8-year completions trend.
| Field | Completions / yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs out | Median debt | Earnings premium | Risk score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Visual & Performing Arts | 15 | $32,905 57th pct · 7 peers | $12,000 71th pct · 7 peers | Below benchmark -13% | High · 93 |
1 of 1 top fields shown have median graduate earnings below the NY state earnings-premium benchmark, an indicative flag under the 2025 federal earnings-premium test (effective July 1, 2026).
Earnings-premium status is an indicative estimate: median graduate earnings four years out vs the NY state median earnings of a high-school graduate (undergraduate credentials) or a bachelor’s-degree holder (graduate credentials) from the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (2022 ACS 5-year). The official U.S. Department of Education determination uses its own cohort definition and may differ.
The risk score (0–100) is an indicative blend of earnings-premium margin and the five-year completions trend, higher means a field pays closer to (or below) the benchmark and is shrinking. A directional screen, not an official determination.
Major-level detail (CIP 4-digit)
Visual & Performing Arts – 1 CIP program (4-digit), 1 with earnings
| Major (CIP 4-digit) | Compl./yr | Earn 4yr | Earn 1yr | % > threshold | Median debt | Debt/earn | Earnings premium | 2 of 3 yrs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Drama/Theatre Arts and StagecraftCIP 5005 › | 15 | $32,905 n=20 | – | – | $12,000 | 0.36× | Below benchmark -13% | Below benchmark 2 of 2 yrs |
Major-level earnings, debt and threshold pass-rates are reported by College Scorecard only where enough graduates exist to protect privacy, so 1 of 1 major shows an earnings figure; the rest read “–”. % > threshold is ED’s own share of graduates out-earning the federal earnings threshold (the do-no-harm pass rate), drawn from the best available measurement window (4-, 5- or 1-year) pooled across all nine College Scorecard Field-of-Study releases; a small chip marks any figure not on the 4-year window, and hovering names the cohort size and source release. 2 of 3 yrs flags fields below the earnings-premium benchmark in two of the latest three reported cohort-years, the statutory trigger under the 2025 test (effective July 1, 2026). Indicative; the Department of Education’s official determination may differ. Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard Field of Study (2014–15 through 2022–23 cohorts + most-recent snapshot), accessed March 2026.
See the interactive dashboard for all fields and credential levels (associate through doctoral). Source: College Scorecard Field of Study.
Frequently asked
How selective is Circle in the Square Theatre School?
Circle in the Square Theatre School admits about 8% of applicants.
What is Circle in the Square Theatre School's student-faculty ratio?
Circle in the Square Theatre School reports a student-faculty ratio of 2:1 (IPEDS, fall 2023) – that is, about 2 students for every instructional faculty member.
How much does Circle in the Square Theatre School cost?
The average published cost of attendance is $41,990 and the average net price after aid is $28,089 (College Scorecard).
How much do Circle in the Square Theatre School graduates earn?
Median earnings ten years after entry are $39,899 (College Scorecard), measured across students who received federal aid.
Are Circle in the Square Theatre School's programs at risk under the federal earnings-premium test?
Indicatively, at Circle in the Square Theatre School, the single largest field with available earnings data has median graduate earnings (four years out) below the NY state earnings-premium benchmark used by the 2025 federal test (effective July 1, 2026), under which programs can lose Title IV eligibility if graduate earnings trail those of a typical worker without the credential for 2 of 3 years. This is an estimate using College Scorecard field-of-study earnings vs ACS state/national medians; the Department of Education's official determination uses its own cohort definition and may differ.
Which schools are Circle in the Square Theatre School's peers?
Circle in the Square Theatre School is benchmarked against 173 institutions in the Other / Unclassified · Private nonprofit peer group; all percentiles and medians on this page are computed within that group.
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Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard & IPEDS (most recent releases), with the U.S. Census Bureau (ACS), the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (Employment Projections, field-demand outlook) and WICHE (enrollment-cliff projections). Figures lag the current academic year by roughly two to three years. Percentiles and medians are computed within the institution's peer group. Financial Resilience is a transparent composite, see each component above. Compiled by Ibex Insights.