True College Verdict
D

Cortiva Institute

Linthicum, MD · 225 undergraduates · 70% receive Pell Grants
For-profitMainly certificates

Below average. Ask hard questions before enrolling. It ranks 1,265 of 1,952 certificate schools on student outcomes, with an overall score of 42.8 out of 100.

Is it affordable?
No
Average net price $31,739 a year after grants. Typical for similar colleges: $17,716.
Will most students finish?
Yes
69% graduate within 8 years. Typical for similar colleges: 71%.
Is it worth the price?
Likely
Graduates owe a typical $7,634 against earnings of $33,813, a ratio of 0.23. Under 0.4 is comfortable; over 0.7 is heavy.

These three answers are rules of thumb from the numbers below, not advice for any one student or major.

What do students really think?

You have seen the federal numbers for Cortiva Institute. Now hear from people who went there, or add your own experience. Anonymous, no account.

Would you choose it again? That is the first question the rating form asks.

Why it is good

Nothing stands out as clearly better than similar colleges.

Why it is bad

  • Expensive: the average student pays about $31,739 a year after grants, more than at 90% of certificate schools.

The numbers

What these figures measure

Graduation rate: share of all students, full-time or part-time, who finish within 8 years. Return for year 2: share of first-time, full-time students who come back for a second year. Earnings: median pay about 10 years after starting, for students who received federal aid. Debt: median federal loan debt among those who finish. Net price: average yearly cost after grants and scholarships. All from the U.S. Education Department College Scorecard, institution file dated November 2, 2026.

Graduation rate
69%
Better than 46% of similar colleges. Typical: 71%
Return for year 2
n/a
Typical: 77%
Earnings after 10 years
$33,813
Better than 38% of similar colleges. Typical: $36,576
Debt at graduation
$7,634
Better than 64% of similar colleges. Typical: $9,500
Net price per year
$31,739
Better than 10% of similar colleges. Typical: $17,716
Published tuition
n/a
Before any aid

Programs and early earnings

Certificates and diplomas: largest programs

FieldGraduates a yearEarnings, 2 yrs afterDebt
Cosmetology and Related Personal Grooming Services233$23,149$7,785
Somatic Bodywork and Related Therapeutic Services52$22,712$8,677

Earnings are the median pay two years after completing, for graduates who were working and not enrolled again. The federal government hides figures for small programs, shown as n/a. Fields are broad groups, so a college may offer several majors inside one.

Students and reviews

Numbers cannot tell you about teaching, dorms or campus life. Read and write anonymous student reviews for Cortiva Institute, or ask and answer questions about it. Other sources:

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The grade reflects outcomes for the average student compared with other certificate schools. Individual majors can be much better or worse.