California College of the Arts vs. Alma College

Comparable Facts

Compare California College of the Arts in San Francisco, CA with Alma College in Alma, MI on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

California College of the Arts is larger than Alma College based on total student enrollment (1,308 students vs. 1,197 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• California College of the Arts is located in San Francisco, CA (Large City setting); Alma College is in Alma, MI (Distant Town setting).
• California College of the Arts is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. Alma College is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: California College of the Arts 8:1; Alma College 14:1.

California College of the Arts vs. Alma College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, California College of the Arts or Alma College? 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 Alma College than California College of the Arts ($22,094 vs. $46,823).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Alma College are 35.8% lower than at California College of the Arts ($14,180 vs. $22,099).
• California College of the Arts is 21.5% more expensive for in-state tuition than Alma College (about $10,674 more per year; $60,226.00 vs. $49,552.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 21.5% higher at California College of the Arts than at Alma College (about $10,674 more per year; $60,226.00 vs. $49,552.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Alma College than at California College of the Arts (100% vs. 96%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by Alma College students is 26.3% larger than aid received by California College of the Arts students ($41,618 vs. $32,953).

California College of the Arts vs. Alma College Admissions comparison

Which college is harder to get into, California College of the Arts or Alma College? 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 Alma College and California College of the Arts.

• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: California College of the Arts - Test-free; Alma College - Test-free.
• Accepted freshman Alma College students have a 0.16 point higher average high school GPA (3.5) than students at California College of the Arts (3.34).
• California College of the Arts has a higher acceptance rate (91.1%) than Alma College (57%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 8% at California College of the Arts vs. 9.6% at Alma College.

California College of the Arts vs. Alma College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for California College of the Arts and Alma College? 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).

• Alma College's six-year graduation rate (67%) is higher than California College of the Arts's (49%).
• Graduates from Alma College earn a median of about $4,800 more per year than California College of the Arts graduates about ten years after starting college ($48,300 vs. $43,500), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Alma College graduates have a $1,000 lower median loan debt than California College of the Arts graduates ($27,000 vs. $28,000).
• Among borrowers, Alma College graduates have an estimated $10 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than California College of the Arts graduates ($279 vs. $289).
• More Alma College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former California College of the Arts students, three years after graduation. (77% vs. 62%)

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.