Art Center College of Design vs. Sacramento State

Comparable Facts

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

California State University Sacramento is larger than Art Center College of Design based on total student enrollment (31,943 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 Sacramento is in Sacramento, CA (Large City setting).
• Art Center College of Design is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. California State University Sacramento is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Art Center College of Design 9:1; California State University Sacramento 24:1.

Art Center College of Design vs. Sacramento State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Art Center College of Design or Sacramento State? 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 Sacramento than Art Center College of Design ($10,110 vs. $53,271).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California State University Sacramento are 2.3% lower than at Art Center College of Design ($19,174 vs. $19,632).
• Art Center College of Design is 575.6% more expensive for in-state tuition than Sacramento State (about $46,152 more per year; $54,170.00 vs. $8,018.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 162.7% higher at Art Center College of Design than at California State University Sacramento (about $33,552 more per year; $54,170.00 vs. $20,618.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at California State University Sacramento than at Art Center College of Design (82% vs. 60%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Art Center College of Design students is 75.5% larger than aid received by California State University Sacramento students ($22,412 vs. $12,767).

Art Center College of Design vs. Sacramento State Admissions comparison

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

• Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted studentsCalifornia State University Sacramento 930/1130.
• Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted studentsCalifornia State University Sacramento 17/23.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Art Center College of Design - Test-free; Sacramento State - Test-free.
• Typical fall application deadline: Sacramento State Nov 30, 2026.
• Sacramento State has a higher acceptance rate (94%) 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. 15.3% at Sacramento State.

Art Center College of Design vs. Sacramento State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Art Center College of Design and Sacramento State? 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 Sacramento's (42%).
• Graduates from Art Center College of Design earn a median of about $7,300 more per year than Sacramento State graduates about ten years after starting college ($58,300 vs. $51,000), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, California State University Sacramento graduates have a $15,500 lower median loan debt than Art Center College of Design graduates ($15,750 vs. $31,250).
• Among borrowers, Sacramento State graduates have an estimated $161 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Art Center College of Design graduates ($162 vs. $323).
• More Art Center College of Design graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Sacramento State students, three years after graduation. (73% vs. 64%)

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.