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

Comparable Facts

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

California State University Northridge is larger than Art Center College of Design based on total student enrollment (38,313 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 Northridge is in Northridge, CA (Large City setting).
• Art Center College of Design is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. California State University Northridge is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Art Center College of Design 9:1; California State University Northridge 25:1.

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

Which college is more expensive, Art Center College of Design or California State University-Northridge? 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 Northridge than Art Center College of Design ($7,536 vs. $53,271).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California State University Northridge are 29.7% lower than at Art Center College of Design ($13,804 vs. $19,632).
• Art Center College of Design is 626.3% more expensive for in-state tuition than California State University-Northridge (about $46,712 more per year; $54,170.00 vs. $7,458.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 170.1% higher at Art Center College of Design than at California State University Northridge (about $34,112 more per year; $54,170.00 vs. $20,058.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at California State University Northridge than at Art Center College of Design (83% vs. 60%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Art Center College of Design students is 74.8% larger than aid received by California State University Northridge students ($22,412 vs. $12,825).

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

Which college is harder to get into, Art Center College of Design or California State University-Northridge? Typical SAT and ACT scores (midpoint estimates from the mid-50% ranges in the table above), enrolled-tester score ranges where reported, test score submission policy, deadlines, and acceptance rates summarize admission difficulty between California State University-Northridge and Art Center College of Design.

• Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) among enrolled freshmen who submitted scoresCalifornia State University Northridge 900/1110.
• Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) among enrolled freshmen who submitted scoresCalifornia State University Northridge 16/22.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Art Center College of Design - Test-free; California State University-Northridge - Test-free.
• Typical fall application deadline: California State University-Northridge Nov 30, 2026.
• California State University-Northridge has a higher acceptance rate (93.4%) 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. 18% at California State University-Northridge.

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

How do outcomes compare for Art Center College of Design and California State University-Northridge? Where federal data is available for both schools, the bullets below compare graduation rate, earnings, and student loan debt using the same College Scorecard / IPEDS fields as the comparison table. If a metric is missing for one school, that school is noted separately.

• Art Center College of Design's six-year graduation rate (54%) is higher than California State University Northridge's (46%).
• Graduates from Art Center College of Design earn a median of about $10,800 more per year than California State University-Northridge graduates about ten years after starting college ($58,300 vs. $47,500), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, California State University Northridge graduates have a $17,054 lower median loan debt than Art Center College of Design graduates ($14,196 vs. $31,250).
• Among borrowers, California State University-Northridge graduates have an estimated $177 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Art Center College of Design graduates ($146 vs. $323).
• More Art Center College of Design graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former California State University-Northridge students, three years after graduation. (73% vs. 59%)

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.