California College of the Arts vs. Cal State LA

Comparable Facts

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

California State University Los Angeles is larger than California College of the Arts based on total student enrollment (23,163 students vs. 1,308 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• California College of the Arts is located in San Francisco, CA (Large City setting); California State University Los Angeles is in Los Angeles, CA (Large City setting).
• California College of the Arts is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. California State University Los Angeles is a public, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: California College of the Arts 8:1; California State University Los Angeles 21:1.

California College of the Arts vs. Cal State LA Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, California College of the Arts or Cal State LA? 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 California State University Los Angeles than California College of the Arts ($4,460 vs. $46,823).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at California State University Los Angeles are 10.9% lower than at California College of the Arts ($19,696 vs. $22,099).
• California College of the Arts is 741.1% more expensive for in-state tuition than Cal State LA (about $53,066 more per year; $60,226.00 vs. $7,160.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 204.8% higher at California College of the Arts than at California State University Los Angeles (about $40,466 more per year; $60,226.00 vs. $19,760.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at California College of the Arts than at California State University Los Angeles (96% vs. 94%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by California College of the Arts students is 138.4% larger than aid received by California State University Los Angeles students ($32,953 vs. $13,824).

California College of the Arts vs. Cal State LA Admissions comparison

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

• Reported middle 50% SAT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted studentsCalifornia State University Los Angeles 870/1060.
• Reported middle 50% ACT composite range (25th-75th percentile) for admitted studentsCalifornia State University Los Angeles 15/20.
• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: California College of the Arts - Test-free; Cal State LA - Test-free.
• Typical fall application deadline: Cal State LA Jan 19, 2027.
• Accepted freshman California College of the Arts students have a 0.03 point higher average high school GPA (3.34) than students at Cal State LA (3.31).
• Cal State LA has a higher acceptance rate (91.3%) than California College of the Arts (91.1%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 8% at California College of the Arts vs. 9.4% at Cal State LA.

California College of the Arts vs. Cal State LA Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for California College of the Arts and Cal State LA? 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).

• California College of the Arts's six-year graduation rate (49%) is higher than California State University Los Angeles's (36%).
• Graduates from California State University Los Angeles earn a median of about $3,400 more per year than California College of the Arts graduates about ten years after starting college ($46,900 vs. $43,500), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, California State University Los Angeles graduates have a $15,080 lower median loan debt than California College of the Arts graduates ($12,920 vs. $28,000).
• Among borrowers, Cal State LA graduates have an estimated $156 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than California College of the Arts graduates ($133 vs. $289).
• More California College of the Arts graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Cal State LA students, three years after graduation. (62% vs. 57%)

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.