Art Center College of Design vs. Menlo

Comparable Facts

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

Art Center College of Design is larger than Menlo based on total student enrollment (2,308 students vs. 810 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• Art Center College of Design is located in Pasadena, CA (Midsize City setting); Menlo College is in Atherton, CA (Large Suburban setting).
• Art Center College of Design is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. Menlo College is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Art Center College of Design 9:1; Menlo College 14:1.

Art Center College of Design vs. Menlo Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Art Center College of Design or Menlo? 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 Menlo College than Art Center College of Design ($32,563 vs. $53,271).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Menlo College are 7.1% lower than at Art Center College of Design ($18,236 vs. $19,632).
• Art Center College of Design is 1% more expensive for in-state tuition than Menlo (about $540 more per year; $54,170.00 vs. $53,630.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 1% higher at Art Center College of Design than at Menlo College (about $540 more per year; $54,170.00 vs. $53,630.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Menlo College than at Art Center College of Design (100% vs. 60%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Menlo College students is 74.8% larger than aid received by Art Center College of Design students ($39,174 vs. $22,412).

Art Center College of Design vs. Menlo Admissions comparison

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

• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Art Center College of Design - Test-free; Menlo - Test-free.
• Typical fall application deadline: Menlo Apr 1, 2027.
• Art Center College of Design has a higher acceptance rate (74.5%) than Menlo (68.5%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 31.5% at Art Center College of Design vs. 5.3% at Menlo.

Art Center College of Design vs. Menlo Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Art Center College of Design and Menlo? 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 Menlo College's (34%).
• Graduates from Art Center College of Design earn a median of about $4,400 more per year than Menlo graduates about ten years after starting college ($58,300 vs. $53,900), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Menlo College graduates have a $10,188 lower median loan debt than Art Center College of Design graduates ($21,062 vs. $31,250).
• Among borrowers, Menlo graduates have an estimated $106 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Art Center College of Design graduates ($217 vs. $323).
• More Art Center College of Design graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Menlo students, three years after graduation. (73% vs. 55%)

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.