California College of the Arts vs. Messenger College

Comparable Facts

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

California College of the Arts is larger than Messenger College based on total student enrollment (1,308 students vs. 24 students)

Location, institution type, and student-faculty ratio

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

California College of the Arts vs. Messenger College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, California College of the Arts or Messenger 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 Messenger College than California College of the Arts ($25,941 vs. $46,823).
• Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Messenger College are 39.8% lower than at California College of the Arts ($13,305 vs. $22,099).
• California College of the Arts is 418.3% more expensive for in-state tuition than Messenger College (about $48,606 more per year; $60,226.00 vs. $11,620.00).
• Out-of-state tuition is 418.3% higher at California College of the Arts than at Messenger College (about $48,606 more per year; $60,226.00 vs. $11,620.00).
• A larger share of students receive grant aid at California College of the Arts than at Messenger College (96% vs. 88%).
• The average total grant financial aid received by California College of the Arts students is 736.4% larger than aid received by Messenger College students ($32,953 vs. $3,940).

California College of the Arts vs. Messenger College Admissions comparison

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

• Submitting SAT or ACT scores: California College of the Arts - Test-free; Messenger College - Test-free.
• Typical fall application deadline: Messenger College Jul 1, 2027.
• Accepted freshman California College of the Arts students have a 0.44 point higher average high school GPA (3.34) than students at Messenger College (2.9).
• California College of the Arts has a higher acceptance rate (91.1%) than Messenger College (37.5%).
• The share of admitted students who enrolled (yield) is 8% at California College of the Arts vs. 66.7% at Messenger College.

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

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

• California College of the Arts's six-year graduation rate (49%) is higher than Messenger College's (10%).
• Graduates from California College of the Arts earn a median of about $19,500 more per year than Messenger College graduates about ten years after starting college ($43,500 vs. $24,000), per the same Scorecard earnings definition.
• More California College of the Arts graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Messenger College students, three years after graduation. (62% vs. 40%)

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.