Art Center College of Design vs. CSUDH

Comparable Facts

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

California State University Dominguez Hills is larger than Art Center College of Design based on total student enrollment (15,182 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 Dominguez Hills is in Carson, CA (Small City setting).
• Art Center College of Design is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. California State University Dominguez Hills is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Art Center College of Design 9:1; California State University Dominguez Hills 21:1.

Art Center College of Design vs. CSUDH Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Art Center College of Design or CSUDH? 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 Dominguez Hills than Art Center College of Design ($9,175 vs. $53,271).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California State University Dominguez Hills are 6.1% lower than at Art Center College of Design ($18,444 vs. $19,632).
• Art Center College of Design is 627.2% more expensive for in-state tuition than CSUDH (about $46,721 more per year; $54,170.00 vs. $7,449.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 170.2% higher at Art Center College of Design than at California State University Dominguez Hills (about $34,121 more per year; $54,170.00 vs. $20,049.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at California State University Dominguez Hills than at Art Center College of Design (93% vs. 60%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Art Center College of Design students is 60.6% larger than aid received by California State University Dominguez Hills students ($22,412 vs. $13,951).

Art Center College of Design vs. CSUDH Admissions comparison

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

• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Art Center College of Design - Test-free; CSUDH - Test-free.
• Typical fall application deadline: CSUDH Dec 4, 2026.
• CSUDH has a higher acceptance rate (93.3%) 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. 9.3% at CSUDH.

Art Center College of Design vs. CSUDH Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Art Center College of Design and CSUDH? 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 Dominguez Hills's (24%).
• Graduates from Art Center College of Design earn a median of about $11,500 more per year than CSUDH graduates about ten years after starting college ($58,300 vs. $46,800), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, California State University Dominguez Hills graduates have a $17,288 lower median loan debt than Art Center College of Design graduates ($13,962 vs. $31,250).
• Among borrowers, CSUDH graduates have an estimated $179 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Art Center College of Design graduates ($144 vs. $323).
• More Art Center College of Design graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former CSUDH students, three years after graduation. (73% vs. 52%)

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.