Art Center College of Design vs. California College of the Arts

Comparable Facts

Compare Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, CA with California College of the Arts in San Francisco, CA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Art Center College of Design is larger than California College of the Arts based on total student enrollment (2,308 students vs. 1,308 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Art Center College of Design is located in Pasadena, CA (Midsize City setting); California College of the Arts is in San Francisco, CA (Large City setting).
• Art Center College of Design is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. California College of the Arts is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Art Center College of Design 9:1; California College of the Arts 8:1.

Art Center College of Design vs. California College of the Arts Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Art Center College of Design or California College of the Arts? 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 California College of the Arts than Art Center College of Design ($46,823 vs. $53,271).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Art Center College of Design are 11.2% lower than at California College of the Arts ($19,632 vs. $22,099).
• California College of the Arts is 11.2% more expensive for in-state tuition than Art Center College of Design (about $6,056 more per year; $60,226.00 vs. $54,170.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 11.2% higher at California College of the Arts than at Art Center College of Design (about $6,056 more per year; $60,226.00 vs. $54,170.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at California College of the Arts than at Art Center College of Design (96% vs. 60%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by California College of the Arts students is 47% larger than aid received by Art Center College of Design students ($32,953 vs. $22,412).

Art Center College of Design vs. California College of the Arts Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Art Center College of Design or California College of the Arts? 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 California College of the Arts and Art Center College of Design.

• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Art Center College of Design - Test-free; California College of the Arts - Test-free.
• California College of the Arts has a higher acceptance rate (91.1%) than Art Center College of Design (74.5%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 31.5% at Art Center College of Design vs. 8% at California College of the Arts.

Art Center College of Design vs. California College of the Arts Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Art Center College of Design and California College of the Arts? 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 California College of the Arts's (49%).
• Graduates from Art Center College of Design earn a median of about $14,800 more per year than California College of the Arts graduates about ten years after starting college ($58,300 vs. $43,500), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, California College of the Arts graduates have a $3,250 lower median loan debt than Art Center College of Design graduates ($28,000 vs. $31,250).
• Among borrowers, California College of the Arts graduates have an estimated $34 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Art Center College of Design graduates ($289 vs. $323).
• More Art Center College of Design graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former California College of the Arts students, three years after graduation. (73% vs. 62%)

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.