Art Center College of Design vs. Design Institute of San Diego

Comparable Facts

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

Art Center College of Design is larger than Design Institute of San Diego based on total student enrollment (2,308 students vs. 94 students).

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Art Center College of Design is located in Pasadena, CA (Midsize City setting); Design Institute of San Diego is in San Diego, CA (Large City setting).
• Art Center College of Design is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. Design Institute of San Diego is a private, for-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Art Center College of Design 9:1; Design Institute of San Diego 8:1.

Art Center College of Design vs. Design Institute of San Diego Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Art Center College of Design or Design Institute of San Diego? 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 Design Institute of San Diego than Art Center College of Design ($44,010 vs. $53,271).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Art Center College of Design are 11.1% lower than at Design Institute of San Diego ($19,632 vs. $22,086).
• Art Center College of Design is 84.9% more expensive for in-state tuition than Design Institute of San Diego (about $24,870 more per year; $54,170.00 vs. $29,300.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 84.9% higher at Art Center College of Design than at Design Institute of San Diego (about $24,870 more per year; $54,170.00 vs. $29,300.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Design Institute of San Diego 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 88.3% larger than aid received by Design Institute of San Diego students ($22,412 vs. $11,901).

Art Center College of Design vs. Design Institute of San Diego Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Art Center College of Design or Design Institute of San Diego? 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 Design Institute of San Diego and Art Center College of Design.

• Design Institute of San Diego reports an open admissions policy.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Art Center College of Design - Test-free; Design Institute of San Diego - Open admission.
• Design Institute of San Diego has a higher acceptance rate (100%) 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. 28.6% at Design Institute of San Diego.

Art Center College of Design vs. Design Institute of San Diego Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Art Center College of Design and Design Institute of San Diego? 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.

• Design Institute of San Diego's six-year graduation rate (62%) is higher than Art Center College of Design's (54%).
• Graduates from Art Center College of Design earn a median of about $19,400 more per year than Design Institute of San Diego graduates about ten years after starting college ($58,300 vs. $38,900), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Art Center College of Design graduates have a $9,335 lower median loan debt than Design Institute of San Diego graduates ($31,250 vs. $40,585).
• Among borrowers, Art Center College of Design graduates have an estimated $96 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Design Institute of San Diego graduates ($323 vs. $419).
• More Art Center College of Design graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Design Institute of San Diego students, three years after graduation. (73% vs. 68%)

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.