AAC vs. Watkins Institute

Should I go to Art Academy of Cincinnati or Watkins College of Art Design & Film? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if AAC or Watkins Institute is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.

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Art Academy of Cincinnati vs. Watkins College of Art Design & Film comparison
Art Academy of Cincinnati Watkins College of Art Design & Film College 3 College 4
Art Academy of Cincinnati
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Overview

AAC Watkins Institute
Location Cincinnati, OH Nashville, TN
Setting Large City Large City
Enrollment 263 193
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website artacademy.edu watkins.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

AAC Watkins Institute
Tuition (In State) $35,404 $22,800
Tuition (Out of State) $35,404 $22,800
Room & Board $10,500 $11,000
Avg Net Price $27,510 -
Avg Grant Aid $17,764 $0
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 0%

Admission

AAC Watkins Institute
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 426 -
Admitted 426 -
Acceptance Rate 100%
Enrolled % 20.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.1 3.33
Typical High School Grades B B+
Admissions Standards Unavailable Unavailable
Applicant Competition
ACT Range
SAT Range
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Aug 1, 2025

Academics

AAC Watkins Institute
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 7:1
Popular Majors
  • Visual and Performing Arts (100%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (100%)

Outcomes

AAC Watkins Institute
Graduation Rate 44% 37%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $30,400 $38,700
Making Student Loan Payments 55% 47%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $279 $279

Diversity

AAC Watkins Institute
% Men 26% 37%
% Women 74% 63%
Racial Diversity Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 79% 69%
% Black 10% 15%
% Hispanic 4% 8%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 1% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 4%
% International 1% 0%
% Unknown Race 1% 0%

Students

AAC Watkins Institute
% In-State 64% 72%
% Out-of-State 35% 24%

Campus

AAC Watkins Institute
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes No
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Art Academy of Cincinnati is larger than than Watkins Institute based on total student enrollment (263 students vs. 193 students)

AAC vs. Watkins Institute Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, AAC or Watkins Institute?

  • Art Academy of Cincinnati is 55.3% more expensive to attend than Watkins Institute for in-state tuition ($35,404.00 vs. $22,800.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 55.3% higher at AAC than Watkins College of Art Design & Film ($35,404.00 vs. $22,800.00)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Art Academy of Cincinnati are 4.8% lower than costs at Watkins College of Art Design & Film ($10,500 vs. $11,000)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Art Academy of Cincinnati than Watkins College of Art Design & Film (100% vs. 0%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Art Academy of Cincinnati students is ?% larger than aid received Watkins College of Art Design & Film ($17,764 vs. $0)

Which college is harder to get into, AAC or Watkins Institute? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Watkins Institute or AAC .

  • The average SAT score at Watkins College of Art Design & Film (1003) is 40 points higher than at AAC (963)
  • Incoming AAC students have at the same average ACT score (21) as students at Watkins Institute (21)
  • Accepted freshman Watkins Institute students have a 0.23 point higher average high school GPA (3.33) than students at AAC (3.1)

AAC vs. Watkins Institute Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, AAC or Watkins Institute? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between Watkins Institute and AAC.

  • The graduation rate at AAC is higher than Watkins College of Art Design & Film (44% vs. 37%)
  • Graduates from Watkins College of Art Design & Film earn on average $8,300 more per year than AAC graduates after ten years. ($38,700 vs. $30,400)
  • Watkins College of Art Design & Film and AAC graduates both have the same median student loan debt upon graduation ($27,000 vs. $27,000)
  • Watkins College of Art Design & Film and AAC graduates both have a median monthly student loan payment upon graduation ($279 vs. $279)
  • More AAC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Watkins Institute students, three years after graduation. (55% vs. 47%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/