Art Center College of Design vs. UCLA

Comparable Facts

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

University of California Los Angeles is larger than Art Center College of Design based on total student enrollment (47,335 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); University of California Los Angeles is in Los Angeles, CA (Large City setting).
• Art Center College of Design is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. University of California Los Angeles is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: Art Center College of Design 9:1; University of California Los Angeles 20:1.

Art Center College of Design vs. UCLA Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Art Center College of Design or UCLA? 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 University of California Los Angeles than Art Center College of Design ($14,512 vs. $53,271).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of California Los Angeles are 6.4% lower than at Art Center College of Design ($18,369 vs. $19,632).
• Art Center College of Design is 256.3% more expensive for in-state tuition than UCLA (about $38,967 more per year; $54,170.00 vs. $15,203.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 9.6% higher at Art Center College of Design than at University of California Los Angeles (about $4,767 more per year; $54,170.00 vs. $49,403.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Art Center College of Design than at University of California Los Angeles (60% vs. 49%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by University of California Los Angeles students is 14.3% larger than aid received by Art Center College of Design students ($25,627 vs. $22,412).

Art Center College of Design vs. UCLA Admissions comparison

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

• Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted studentsUniversity of California Los Angeles 1300/1530.
• Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted studentsUniversity of California Los Angeles 29/35.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: Art Center College of Design - Test-free; UCLA - Test-free.
• Typical fall application deadline: UCLA Nov 30, 2026.
• Art Center College of Design has a higher acceptance rate (74.5%) than UCLA (9%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 31.5% at Art Center College of Design vs. 50.4% at UCLA.

Art Center College of Design vs. UCLA Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for Art Center College of Design and UCLA? 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).

• University of California Los Angeles's six-year graduation rate (90%) is higher than Art Center College of Design's (54%).
• Graduates from University of California Los Angeles earn a median of about $12,400 more per year than Art Center College of Design graduates about ten years after starting college ($70,700 vs. $58,300), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, University of California Los Angeles graduates have a $14,950 lower median loan debt than Art Center College of Design graduates ($16,300 vs. $31,250).
• Among borrowers, UCLA graduates have an estimated $155 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than Art Center College of Design graduates ($168 vs. $323).
• More UCLA graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Art Center College of Design students, three years after graduation. (78% vs. 73%)

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.