California College of the Arts vs. Curtis Institute of Music

Comparable Facts

Compare California College of the Arts in San Francisco, CA with Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia, PA on tuition, admissions, graduation, earnings, and student body data using the table above.

California College of the Arts is larger than Curtis Institute of Music based on total student enrollment (1,308 students vs. 161 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

• California College of the Arts is located in San Francisco, CA (Large City setting); Curtis Institute of Music is in Philadelphia, PA (Large City setting).
• California College of the Arts is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. Curtis Institute of Music is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: California College of the Arts 8:1; Curtis Institute of Music 2:1.

California College of the Arts vs. Curtis Institute of Music Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, California College of the Arts or Curtis Institute of Music? 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 Curtis Institute of Music than California College of the Arts ($23,686 vs. $46,823).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Curtis Institute of Music are 4.8% lower than at California College of the Arts ($21,035 vs. $22,099).
• In-state tuition differs between California College of the Arts and Curtis Institute of Music ($60,226.00 vs. $0.00).
• Out-of-state tuition differs between California College of the Arts and Curtis Institute of Music ($60,226.00 vs. $0.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at Curtis Institute of Music than at California College of the Arts (100% vs. 96%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by California College of the Arts students is 323.9% larger than aid received by Curtis Institute of Music students ($32,953 vs. $7,774).

California College of the Arts vs. Curtis Institute of Music Admissions comparison

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

• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: California College of the Arts - Test-free; Curtis Institute of Music - Test-free.
• Typical fall application deadline: Curtis Institute of Music Dec 18, 2026.
• California College of the Arts has a higher acceptance rate (91.1%) than Curtis Institute of Music (4.6%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 8% at California College of the Arts vs. 92.3% at Curtis Institute of Music.

California College of the Arts vs. Curtis Institute of Music Graduation Outcomes Comparison

How do outcomes compare for California College of the Arts and Curtis Institute of Music? 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).

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.