Art Center College of Design vs. California State University-San Bernardino

Comparable Facts

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

California State University San Bernardino is larger than Art Center College of Design based on total student enrollment (18,492 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 San Bernardino is in San Bernardino, CA (Midsize City setting).
• Art Center College of Design is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. California State University San Bernardino is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Art Center College of Design 9:1; California State University San Bernardino 22:1.

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

Which college is more expensive, Art Center College of Design or California State University-San Bernardino? 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 San Bernardino than Art Center College of Design ($5,231 vs. $53,271).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California State University San Bernardino are 23.6% lower than at Art Center College of Design ($15,002 vs. $19,632).
• Art Center College of Design is 569.3% more expensive for in-state tuition than California State University-San Bernardino (about $46,077 more per year; $54,170.00 vs. $8,093.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 161.8% higher at Art Center College of Design than at California State University San Bernardino (about $33,477 more per year; $54,170.00 vs. $20,693.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at California State University San Bernardino than at Art Center College of Design (89% vs. 60%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Art Center College of Design students is 84.2% larger than aid received by California State University San Bernardino students ($22,412 vs. $12,167).

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

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

• Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted studentsCalifornia State University San Bernardino 910/1080.
• Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted studentsCalifornia State University San Bernardino 15/20.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Art Center College of Design - Test-free; California State University-San Bernardino - Test-free.
• Typical fall application deadline: California State University-San Bernardino Nov 30, 2026.
• California State University-San Bernardino has a higher acceptance rate (93.7%) 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 California State University-San Bernardino.

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

How do outcomes compare for Art Center College of Design and California State University-San Bernardino? 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 San Bernardino's (45%).
• Graduates from Art Center College of Design earn a median of about $11,500 more per year than California State University-San Bernardino 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 San Bernardino graduates have a $14,750 lower median loan debt than Art Center College of Design graduates ($16,500 vs. $31,250).
• Among borrowers, California State University-San Bernardino graduates have an estimated $153 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Art Center College of Design graduates ($170 vs. $323).
• More Art Center College of Design graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former California State University-San Bernardino students, three years after graduation. (73% vs. 51%)

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.