California College of the Arts vs. Centra College

Comparable Facts

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

California College of the Arts is larger than Centra College based on total student enrollment (1,308 students vs. 219 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• California College of the Arts is located in San Francisco, CA (Large City setting); Centra College is in Lynchburg, VA (Small City setting).
• California College of the Arts is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. Centra College is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: California College of the Arts 8:1; Centra College 3:1.

California College of the Arts vs. Centra College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, California College of the Arts or Centra College? Published tuition is the sticker price; many students pay less after aid (see average net price below).

• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Centra College are 43.8% lower than at California College of the Arts ($12,424 vs. $22,099).
• California College of the Arts is 363.9% more expensive for in-state tuition than Centra College (about $47,243 more per year; $60,226.00 vs. $12,983.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 363.9% higher at California College of the Arts than at Centra College (about $47,243 more per year; $60,226.00 vs. $12,983.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at California College of the Arts than at Centra College (96% vs. 0%).

California College of the Arts vs. Centra College Admissions comparison

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

• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: California College of the Arts - Test-free; Centra College - Test-free.
• Centra College has a higher acceptance rate (100%) 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. 0% at Centra College.

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

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

• Graduates from Centra College earn a median of about $1,300 more per year than California College of the Arts graduates about ten years after starting college ($44,800 vs. $43,500), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, Centra College graduates have a $15,958 lower median loan debt than California College of the Arts graduates ($12,042 vs. $28,000).
• Among borrowers, Centra College graduates have an estimated $165 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than California College of the Arts graduates ($124 vs. $289).
• More Centra College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former California College of the Arts students, three years after graduation. (66% 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.