Art Center College of Design vs. CMA

Comparable Facts

Compare Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, CA with California State University Maritime Academy in Vallejo, CA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Art Center College of Design is larger than CMA based on total student enrollment (2,308 students vs. 837 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Art Center College of Design is located in Pasadena, CA (Midsize City setting); California State University Maritime Academy is in Vallejo, CA (Midsize City setting).
• Art Center College of Design is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. California State University Maritime Academy is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Art Center College of Design 9:1; California State University Maritime Academy 11:1.

Art Center College of Design vs. CMA Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Art Center College of Design or CMA? 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 State University Maritime Academy than Art Center College of Design ($19,040 vs. $53,271).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California State University Maritime Academy are 26% lower than at Art Center College of Design ($14,536 vs. $19,632).
• Art Center College of Design is 444.8% more expensive for in-state tuition than CMA (about $44,226 more per year; $54,170.00 vs. $9,944.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 140.3% higher at Art Center College of Design than at California State University Maritime Academy (about $31,626 more per year; $54,170.00 vs. $22,544.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Art Center College of Design than at California State University Maritime Academy (60% vs. 51%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Art Center College of Design students is 103% larger than aid received by California State University Maritime Academy students ($22,412 vs. $11,038).

Art Center College of Design vs. CMA Admissions comparison

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

• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Art Center College of Design - Test-free; CMA - Test-free.
• Typical fall application deadline: CMA Dec 15, 2026.
• CMA has a higher acceptance rate (95%) 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. 20.7% at CMA.

Art Center College of Design vs. CMA Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Art Center College of Design and CMA? 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 State University Maritime Academy's six-year graduation rate (62%) is higher than Art Center College of Design's (54%).
• Graduates from California State University Maritime Academy earn a median of about $32,200 more per year than Art Center College of Design graduates about ten years after starting college ($90,500 vs. $58,300), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, California State University Maritime Academy graduates have a $5,724 lower median loan debt than Art Center College of Design graduates ($25,526 vs. $31,250).
• Among borrowers, CMA graduates have an estimated $60 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Art Center College of Design graduates ($263 vs. $323).
• More CMA graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Art Center College of Design students, three years after graduation. (79% vs. 73%)

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.