Art Center College of Design vs. AAC

Deciding between Art Center College of Design and Art Academy of Cincinnati? The table below shows tuition, aid, admissions, and outcomes side by side. Data comes from public sources across more than 3,000 U.S. colleges and universities. No account is required.

Art Center College of Design
Art Academy of Cincinnati

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

  • Overview

  • Location
  • Art Center College of Design Pasadena, CA
  • AAC Cincinnati, OH
  • Setting
  • Art Center College of Design Midsize City
  • AAC Large City
  • Total enrollment
  • Art Center College of Design 2,308
  • AAC 213
  • Type
  • Art Center College of Design Private 4 Year
  • AAC Private 4 Year
  • National Ranking
  • Art Center College of Design
  • AAC
  • Religious Affiliation
  • Art Center College of Design -
  • AAC -
  • Status
  • Art Center College of Design Non-profit
  • AAC Non-profit
  • Team Colors
  • Art Center College of Design
  • AAC
  • Cost

  • Tuition (In State)
  • Art Center College of Design $54,170
  • AAC $41,375
  • Tuition (Out of State)
  • Art Center College of Design $54,170
  • AAC $41,375
  • Room & Board
  • Art Center College of Design $19,632
  • AAC $10,660
  • Average Net Price
  • Art Center College of Design $53,271
  • AAC $33,491
  • Average Grant Aid
  • Art Center College of Design $22,412
  • AAC $19,460
  • % Receiving Grant Aid
  • Art Center College of Design 60%
  • AAC 100%
  • Admissions

  • Applied
  • Art Center College of Design 1,461
  • AAC 1,293
  • Admitted
  • Art Center College of Design 1,089
  • AAC 446
  • Acceptance Rate
  • Art Center College of Design 74.5%
  • AAC 34.5%
  • Enrolled
  • Art Center College of Design 31.5%
  • AAC 11.4%
  • Typical SAT score
  • Art Center College of Design
  • AAC
  • Typical ACT score
  • Art Center College of Design
  • AAC
  • Average High School GPA
  • Art Center College of Design -
  • AAC 3.1
  • Typical High School Grades
  • Art Center College of Design -
  • AAC B
  • Admissions Standards
  • Art Center College of Design Unavailable
  • AAC Unavailable
  • Applicant Competition
  • Art Center College of Design
  • AAC High
  • ACT Range
  • Art Center College of Design
  • AAC
  • SAT Range
  • Art Center College of Design
  • AAC
  • Submit Test Scores
  • Art Center College of Design Test-free
  • AAC Test optional
  • Application Deadline
  • Art Center College of Design
  • AAC Aug 1, 2027
  • Academics

  • Student to Faculty Ratio
  • Art Center College of Design 9:1
  • AAC 9:1
  • Popular Majors
  • Art Center College of Design
    • Visual and Performing Arts (87%)
    • Communication (5%)
    • Communications Technology (5%)
    • Architecture (3%)
  • AAC
    • Visual and Performing Arts (100%)
  • Outcomes

  • Graduation Rate
  • Art Center College of Design 54%
  • AAC 44%
  • Median Earnings (After 10 years)
  • Art Center College of Design $58,300
  • AAC $30,400
  • Making Student Loan Payments
  • Art Center College of Design 73%
  • AAC 55%
  • Median Student Loan Debt
  • Art Center College of Design $31,250
  • AAC $27,000
  • Median Loan Payment
  • Art Center College of Design $323
  • AAC $279
  • Diversity

  • % Men
  • Art Center College of Design 40%
  • AAC 23%
  • % Women
  • Art Center College of Design 60%
  • AAC 77%
  • Racial Diversity
  • Art Center College of Design Very High
  • AAC Low
  • HBCU
  • Art Center College of Design No
  • AAC No
  • % White
  • Art Center College of Design 18%
  • AAC 79%
  • % Asian
  • Art Center College of Design 36%
  • AAC 3%
  • % Black
  • Art Center College of Design 1%
  • AAC 10%
  • % Hispanic
  • Art Center College of Design 12%
  • AAC 4%
  • % Native American
  • Art Center College of Design 0%
  • AAC 1%
  • % Pacific Islander
  • Art Center College of Design 0%
  • AAC 1%
  • % Two or More Races
  • Art Center College of Design 4%
  • AAC 3%
  • % International
  • Art Center College of Design 27%
  • AAC 1%
  • % Unknown Race
  • Art Center College of Design 1%
  • AAC 1%
  • Students

  • % In-State
  • Art Center College of Design 46%
  • AAC 67%
  • % Out-of-State
  • Art Center College of Design 9%
  • AAC 31%
  • Campus

  • Campus Housing
  • Art Center College of Design No
  • AAC Yes
  • Freshman Dorm Required
  • Art Center College of Design No
  • AAC No
  • Meal Plan
  • Art Center College of Design No
  • AAC Yes
  • Weekend/Evening Classes
  • Art Center College of Design No
  • AAC No
  • Daycare Facility
  • Art Center College of Design No
  • AAC No

Comparable Facts

Compare Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, CA with Art Academy of Cincinnati in Cincinnati, OH on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Art Center College of Design is larger than AAC based on total student enrollment (2,308 students vs. 213 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

  • Art Center College of Design is located in Pasadena, CA (Midsize City setting); Art Academy of Cincinnati is in Cincinnati, OH (Large City setting).
  • Art Center College of Design is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. Art Academy of Cincinnati is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Art Center College of Design 9:1; Art Academy of Cincinnati 9:1.

Art Center College of Design vs. AAC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Art Center College of Design or AAC? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Art Academy of Cincinnati than Art Center College of Design ($33,491 vs. $53,271).
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Art Academy of Cincinnati are 45.7% lower than at Art Center College of Design ($10,660 vs. $19,632).
  • Art Center College of Design is 30.9% more expensive for in-state tuition than AAC (about $12,795 more per year; $54,170.00 vs. $41,375.00).
  • Out-of-state tuition is 30.9% higher at Art Center College of Design than at Art Academy of Cincinnati (about $12,795 more per year; $54,170.00 vs. $41,375.00).
  • A larger share of students receive grant aid at Art Academy of Cincinnati than at Art Center College of Design (100% vs. 60%).
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Art Center College of Design students is 15.2% larger than aid received by Art Academy of Cincinnati students ($22,412 vs. $19,460).

Art Center College of Design vs. AAC Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Art Center College of Design or AAC? Typical SAT and ACT scores (same estimates as in the table above), middle 50% test ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between AAC and Art Center College of Design.

  • Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Art Center College of Design - Test-free; AAC - Test optional.
  • Typical fall application deadline: AAC Aug 1, 2027.
  • Art Center College of Design has a higher acceptance rate (74.5%) than AAC (34.5%).
  • The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 31.5% at Art Center College of Design vs. 11.4% at AAC.

Art Center College of Design vs. AAC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Art Center College of Design and AAC? Graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt are common indicators. The bullets below summarize the same federal outcomes fields as the comparison table (College Scorecard / IPEDS where applicable).

  • Art Center College of Design's six-year graduation rate (54%) is higher than Art Academy of Cincinnati's (44%).
  • Graduates from Art Center College of Design earn a median of about $27,900 more per year than AAC graduates about ten years after starting college ($58,300 vs. $30,400), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
  • Among federal student loan borrowers, Art Academy of Cincinnati graduates have a $4,250 lower median loan debt than Art Center College of Design graduates ($27,000 vs. $31,250).
  • Among borrowers, AAC graduates have an estimated $44 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Art Center College of Design graduates ($279 vs. $323).
  • More Art Center College of Design graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former AAC students, three years after graduation. (73% vs. 55%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/. Values reflect the most recent year available in our dataset.