Art Center College of Design vs. Cornish College of the Arts

Comparable Facts

Compare Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, CA with Cornish College of the Arts in Seattle, WA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

Art Center College of Design is larger than Cornish College of the Arts based on total student enrollment (2,308 students vs. 505 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Art Center College of Design is located in Pasadena, CA (Midsize City setting); Cornish College of the Arts is in Seattle, WA (Large City setting).
• Art Center College of Design is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. Cornish College of the Arts is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Art Center College of Design 9:1; Cornish College of the Arts 6:1.

Art Center College of Design vs. Cornish College of the Arts Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Art Center College of Design or Cornish College of the Arts? 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 Cornish College of the Arts than Art Center College of Design ($41,758 vs. $53,271).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Cornish College of the Arts are 18.3% lower than at Art Center College of Design ($16,030 vs. $19,632).
• Art Center College of Design is 30% more expensive for in-state tuition than Cornish College of the Arts (about $12,486 more per year; $54,170.00 vs. $41,684.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 30% higher at Art Center College of Design than at Cornish College of the Arts (about $12,486 more per year; $54,170.00 vs. $41,684.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Cornish College of the Arts than at Art Center College of Design (100% vs. 60%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Art Center College of Design students is 21% larger than aid received by Cornish College of the Arts students ($22,412 vs. $18,515).

Art Center College of Design vs. Cornish College of the Arts Admissions comparison

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

• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Art Center College of Design - Test-free; Cornish College of the Arts - Test-free.
• Art Center College of Design has a higher acceptance rate (74.5%) than Cornish College of the Arts (62.2%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 31.5% at Art Center College of Design vs. 19.3% at Cornish College of the Arts.

Art Center College of Design vs. Cornish College of the Arts Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Art Center College of Design and Cornish College of the Arts? 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 Cornish College of the Arts's (45%).
• Graduates from Art Center College of Design earn a median of about $26,600 more per year than Cornish College of the Arts graduates about ten years after starting college ($58,300 vs. $31,700), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Cornish College of the Arts graduates have a $4,250 lower median loan debt than Art Center College of Design graduates ($27,000 vs. $31,250).
• Among borrowers, Cornish College of the Arts graduates have an estimated $44 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Art Center College of Design graduates ($279 vs. $323).
• More Art Center College of Design graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Cornish College of the Arts 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.