California College of the Arts vs. McDaniel College

Comparable Facts

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

McDaniel College is larger than California College of the Arts based on total student enrollment (2,868 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); McDaniel College is in Westminster, MD (Small Suburban setting).
• California College of the Arts is a private, non-profit 4-year institution. McDaniel College is a private, non-profit 4-year institution.
• Student-to-faculty ratio: California College of the Arts 8:1; McDaniel College 13:1.

California College of the Arts vs. McDaniel College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, California College of the Arts or McDaniel 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 McDaniel College than California College of the Arts ($24,497 vs. $46,823).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at McDaniel College are 41.3% lower than at California College of the Arts ($12,974 vs. $22,099).
• California College of the Arts is 15.6% more expensive for in-state tuition than McDaniel College (about $8,145 more per year; $60,226.00 vs. $52,081.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 15.6% higher at California College of the Arts than at McDaniel College (about $8,145 more per year; $60,226.00 vs. $52,081.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at McDaniel College than at California College of the Arts (100% vs. 96%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by McDaniel College students is 23.6% larger than aid received by California College of the Arts students ($40,721 vs. $32,953).

California College of the Arts vs. McDaniel College Admissions comparison

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

• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: California College of the Arts - Test-free; McDaniel College - Test-free.
• Accepted freshman McDaniel College students have a 0.3 point higher average high school GPA (3.64) than students at California College of the Arts (3.34).
• California College of the Arts has a higher acceptance rate (91.1%) than McDaniel College (77.9%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 8% at California College of the Arts vs. 13.7% at McDaniel College.

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

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

• McDaniel College's six-year graduation rate (74%) is higher than California College of the Arts's (49%).
• Graduates from McDaniel College earn a median of about $9,900 more per year than California College of the Arts graduates about ten years after starting college ($53,400 vs. $43,500), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• Among federal student loan borrowers, McDaniel College graduates have a $1,000 lower median loan debt than California College of the Arts graduates ($27,000 vs. $28,000).
• Among borrowers, McDaniel College graduates have an estimated $10 lower median monthly federal student loan payment than California College of the Arts graduates ($279 vs. $289).
• More McDaniel College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former California College of the Arts students, three years after graduation. (81% 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.