Art Center College of Design vs. California State University-Fresno

Comparable Facts

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

California State University Fresno is larger than Art Center College of Design based on total student enrollment (24,427 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 Fresno is in Fresno, CA (Large City setting).
• Art Center College of Design is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. California State University Fresno is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Art Center College of Design 9:1; California State University Fresno 22:1.

Art Center College of Design vs. California State University-Fresno Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Art Center College of Design or California State University-Fresno? 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 Fresno than Art Center College of Design ($7,834 vs. $53,271).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California State University Fresno are 39.1% lower than at Art Center College of Design ($11,960 vs. $19,632).
• Art Center College of Design is 637% more expensive for in-state tuition than California State University-Fresno (about $46,820 more per year; $54,170.00 vs. $7,350.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 171.5% higher at Art Center College of Design than at California State University Fresno (about $34,220 more per year; $54,170.00 vs. $19,950.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at California State University Fresno than at Art Center College of Design (85% vs. 60%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Art Center College of Design students is 81.8% larger than aid received by California State University Fresno students ($22,412 vs. $12,326).

Art Center College of Design vs. California State University-Fresno Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Art Center College of Design or California State University-Fresno? 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 State University-Fresno and Art Center College of Design.

• Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted studentsCalifornia State University Fresno 890/1100.
• Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted studentsCalifornia State University Fresno 16/21.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Art Center College of Design - Test-free; California State University-Fresno - Test-free.
• Typical fall application deadline: California State University-Fresno Dec 15, 2026.
• California State University-Fresno has a higher acceptance rate (95.3%) 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. 17.5% at California State University-Fresno.

Art Center College of Design vs. California State University-Fresno Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Art Center College of Design and California State University-Fresno? 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 Fresno's (49%).
• Graduates from Art Center College of Design earn a median of about $11,800 more per year than California State University-Fresno graduates about ten years after starting college ($58,300 vs. $46,500), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, California State University Fresno graduates have a $16,250 lower median loan debt than Art Center College of Design graduates ($15,000 vs. $31,250).
• Among borrowers, California State University-Fresno graduates have an estimated $168 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Art Center College of Design graduates ($155 vs. $323).
• More Art Center College of Design graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former California State University-Fresno students, three years after graduation. (73% vs. 63%)

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.