Art Center College of Design vs. CSU Bakersfield

Comparable Facts

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

California State University Bakersfield is larger than Art Center College of Design based on total student enrollment (10,419 students vs. 2,308 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Art Center College of Design is located in Pasadena, CA (Midsize City setting); California State University Bakersfield is in Bakersfield, CA (Large City setting).
• Art Center College of Design is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. California State University Bakersfield is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Art Center College of Design 9:1; California State University Bakersfield 20:1.

Art Center College of Design vs. CSU Bakersfield Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Art Center College of Design or CSU Bakersfield? 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 Bakersfield than Art Center College of Design ($6,489 vs. $53,271).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California State University Bakersfield are 23.2% lower than at Art Center College of Design ($15,076 vs. $19,632).
• Art Center College of Design is 569.6% more expensive for in-state tuition than CSU Bakersfield (about $46,080 more per year; $54,170.00 vs. $8,090.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 161.8% higher at Art Center College of Design than at California State University Bakersfield (about $33,480 more per year; $54,170.00 vs. $20,690.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at California State University Bakersfield than at Art Center College of Design (91% vs. 60%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Art Center College of Design students is 72.9% larger than aid received by California State University Bakersfield students ($22,412 vs. $12,966).

Art Center College of Design vs. CSU Bakersfield Admissions comparison

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

• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Art Center College of Design - Test-free; CSU Bakersfield - Test-free.
• Typical fall application deadline: CSU Bakersfield Dec 15, 2026.
• CSU Bakersfield has a higher acceptance rate (93.9%) 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. 10.4% at CSU Bakersfield.

Art Center College of Design vs. CSU Bakersfield Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Art Center College of Design and CSU Bakersfield? 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 State University Bakersfield's (41%).
• Graduates from Art Center College of Design earn a median of about $10,000 more per year than CSU Bakersfield graduates about ten years after starting college ($58,300 vs. $48,300), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, California State University Bakersfield graduates have a $18,082 lower median loan debt than Art Center College of Design graduates ($13,168 vs. $31,250).
• Among borrowers, CSU Bakersfield graduates have an estimated $187 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Art Center College of Design graduates ($136 vs. $323).
• More Art Center College of Design graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former CSU Bakersfield students, three years after graduation. (73% vs. 54%)

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.