Art Center College of Design vs. CalArts

Comparable Facts

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

Art Center College of Design is larger than CalArts based on total student enrollment (2,308 students vs. 1,277 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Art Center College of Design is located in Pasadena, CA (Midsize City setting); California Institute of the Arts is in Valencia, CA (Midsize Suburban setting).
• Art Center College of Design is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. California Institute of the Arts is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Art Center College of Design 9:1; California Institute of the Arts 7:1.

Art Center College of Design vs. CalArts Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Art Center College of Design or CalArts? 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 Center College of Design than CalArts ($53,271 vs. $56,239).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California Institute of the Arts are 28% lower than at Art Center College of Design ($14,134 vs. $19,632).
• California Institute of the Arts is 8.9% more expensive for in-state tuition than Art Center College of Design (about $4,826 more per year; $58,996.00 vs. $54,170.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 8.9% higher at CalArts than at Art Center College of Design (about $4,826 more per year; $58,996.00 vs. $54,170.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at California Institute of the Arts than at Art Center College of Design (95% vs. 60%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Art Center College of Design students is 4.7% larger than aid received by California Institute of the Arts students ($22,412 vs. $21,416).

Art Center College of Design vs. CalArts Admissions comparison

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

• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Art Center College of Design - Test-free; CalArts - Test-free.
• Typical fall application deadline: CalArts Jan 5, 2027.
• Art Center College of Design has a higher acceptance rate (74.5%) than CalArts (32.3%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 31.5% at Art Center College of Design vs. 27.9% at CalArts.

Art Center College of Design vs. CalArts Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Art Center College of Design and CalArts? 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).

• California Institute of the Arts's six-year graduation rate (65%) is higher than Art Center College of Design's (54%).
• Graduates from Art Center College of Design earn a median of about $7,900 more per year than CalArts graduates about ten years after starting college ($58,300 vs. $50,400), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, California Institute of the Arts graduates have a $2,750 lower median loan debt than Art Center College of Design graduates ($28,500 vs. $31,250).
• Among borrowers, CalArts graduates have an estimated $29 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Art Center College of Design graduates ($294 vs. $323).
• More Art Center College of Design graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former CalArts students, three years after graduation. (73% vs. 64%)

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.